Summer of 2014 was a challenging year for me as a runner. In my attempt to cross Oregon and Idaho I encountered several obstacles. First, there was a massive forest fire on the Pacific Crest Trail which would have required a nearly 100 mile detour on forest roads. If I had been on my own schedule that would have been fine but with a support crew on a tight timeline and my family expecting me back home I couldn't afford the detour. Instead, I decided to get shuttled west to the coast and continue my northbound trip due west from where I got off the PCT. On the coast I was trying to follow the Oregon Coast Trail, a loose network of short beach sections joined by busy segments of Highway 101. Getting from the beach to the highway proved difficult at times, navigating inland marshes and rising tides. The traffic on the highway and narrow shoulder were also harrowing. Don't worry, it made for some great filming! However, halfway across the state I stepped off the road in mid-stride to avoid an oncoming RV at a spot where the shoulder completely disappeared.
I thought there was some pavement under the weeds but there was not and I badly turned my left ankle. Throbbing pain and immediate swelling ensued. Luckily I didn't break it but it was a bad sprain. Hewett, my crew member was nearby and assessed the injury. He wrapped me up and we went to a motel to try and recover. I thought perhaps the next day after a cocktail of Advil I'd somehow be able to continue my 40-mile per day schedule. That's didn't work out so well. Knowing I wouldn't be able to run for at least a few days, we decided to put the remainder of Oregon on hold and instead use the recovery time to drive to Idaho in hopes that a few days later I'd be able to hobble across another state. Three days later we were standing at the western edge of Idaho on a bike path and two strides later I knew it was pointless. Even if the pain had been tolerable, the damage I would have done in trying to finish the trip would have likely caused me permanent disabling.
It was a hard decision to end the trip early. I didn't want to disappoint my supporters, my sponsors, my family, my crew or myself. I didn't want to waste the precious opportunity I had to run in one of the most beautiful places on earth in such a perfect season. But like the song says, "you can't always get what you want."
Back home I got an X-Ray and while it did show a small broken bone, they later diagnosed it as an old injury as the bone fragment was worn down and that comes with time. I wore an orthopedic boot (while painting my house, standing on a 20' ladder, and refinishing 1200 sq feet of concrete floor). But I wasn't running, so in my mind, I was resting.
My ankle finally repaired itself and by December I was running again. I eased into it, squeezing in short weekday runs when able and stealing myself away for the occasional longer group trail run on the weekends. I went for an 17 mile trail run in Sabino Canyon, one of my favorite runs in the state and when I got done, just for curiosity's sake, decided to turn around and do it again. 34 miles! I was back. The next weekend I entered a 50k trail race and learned the hard lesson about recovery. My legs were nowhere near ready for that distance again and I slogged the course on wobbly legs. But my family was there and that was the first time in recent memory they have seen me race. Despite my glacial pace, it was great having them support me.
A week later, while walking up my path at home, I turned my same left foot on a small rock, causing it to swell again and pain with each step. I had already signed up for another 50k race in 2 weeks so we'll see if I can be ready for that or not.
I think my lesson here is that as I get older, and accrue injuries, it's important to address them properly, but also to take precautionary measures to keep them from happening again. Step carefully, stretch, do ankle strengthening exercises, and build up endurance gradually. I know that if I can get back into running shape I can be as strong or stronger than I've ever been. I've got some pent up ambition in Oregon to tackle.
I thought there was some pavement under the weeds but there was not and I badly turned my left ankle. Throbbing pain and immediate swelling ensued. Luckily I didn't break it but it was a bad sprain. Hewett, my crew member was nearby and assessed the injury. He wrapped me up and we went to a motel to try and recover. I thought perhaps the next day after a cocktail of Advil I'd somehow be able to continue my 40-mile per day schedule. That's didn't work out so well. Knowing I wouldn't be able to run for at least a few days, we decided to put the remainder of Oregon on hold and instead use the recovery time to drive to Idaho in hopes that a few days later I'd be able to hobble across another state. Three days later we were standing at the western edge of Idaho on a bike path and two strides later I knew it was pointless. Even if the pain had been tolerable, the damage I would have done in trying to finish the trip would have likely caused me permanent disabling.
It was a hard decision to end the trip early. I didn't want to disappoint my supporters, my sponsors, my family, my crew or myself. I didn't want to waste the precious opportunity I had to run in one of the most beautiful places on earth in such a perfect season. But like the song says, "you can't always get what you want."
Back home I got an X-Ray and while it did show a small broken bone, they later diagnosed it as an old injury as the bone fragment was worn down and that comes with time. I wore an orthopedic boot (while painting my house, standing on a 20' ladder, and refinishing 1200 sq feet of concrete floor). But I wasn't running, so in my mind, I was resting.
My ankle finally repaired itself and by December I was running again. I eased into it, squeezing in short weekday runs when able and stealing myself away for the occasional longer group trail run on the weekends. I went for an 17 mile trail run in Sabino Canyon, one of my favorite runs in the state and when I got done, just for curiosity's sake, decided to turn around and do it again. 34 miles! I was back. The next weekend I entered a 50k trail race and learned the hard lesson about recovery. My legs were nowhere near ready for that distance again and I slogged the course on wobbly legs. But my family was there and that was the first time in recent memory they have seen me race. Despite my glacial pace, it was great having them support me.
A week later, while walking up my path at home, I turned my same left foot on a small rock, causing it to swell again and pain with each step. I had already signed up for another 50k race in 2 weeks so we'll see if I can be ready for that or not.
I think my lesson here is that as I get older, and accrue injuries, it's important to address them properly, but also to take precautionary measures to keep them from happening again. Step carefully, stretch, do ankle strengthening exercises, and build up endurance gradually. I know that if I can get back into running shape I can be as strong or stronger than I've ever been. I've got some pent up ambition in Oregon to tackle.
Interesting post!
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