Another outdoor run today - continuing my recovery (Return to Running) program. A combined walking/running total distance of 4.5 KM. The foot feels stronger with each passing day. I ran with Lynn again - really enjoying it. Our average running pace was 6:35 - a little faster than I had planned but it was fine - I was really proud of Lynn for maintaining that pace with no problem.
Back to my story ...
During 2012 (my second full year of running) I became much more focused - especially since I had registered to take a half marathon clinic with the goal of completing the Ottawa Race Weekend Half Marathon in May. I began tracking (recording) all of my runs in a spreadsheet and focused rather intently on increasing my pace to meet a completion goal of between 2h10min and 2h00min. I also looked ahead into the year and decided that I would likely register for the Army Half Marathon as well. And then not too long afterward a group of us registered for the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Half Marathon in December. So lots of scheduled commitments meaning lots of training to be done.
One thing that really helped me through the year was the great support and friendships of my running partners - I have been (and continue to be) very fortunate to have friends to turn to who are dedicated and determined, while being completely flexible and open to options - it's the best of both worlds. During the training we also experimented with some trail running (more on this later since this has become my most recent passion).
I completed the Ottawa Half Marathon in May - I experienced some rather severe cramps in my calves around the 17 KM mark and had to walk the remaining distance - but I did finish. During the summer, I trained with my partners using a Hal Higdon training program as the basis - the goal race was the Army Half Marathon in September. I finished the Army event but experienced calf cramps again (later in the run this time). I had also switched to minimalist shoes during the summer - little did I know that this switch would end up being a key factor in my recent set-back. Following the Army event, I continued running training runs to maintain my condition for the Las Vegas event in December. I continued running in my minimalist shoes when I ran on the street and had a pair of light trail shoes for the odd trail run I did. As the Las Vegas event approached, I was feeling very strong and was determined to complete the full run this time.
The general approach to the Las Vegas event was to treat it as a fun run - and we generally did. The pace was a bit slower than the previous half marathon events - this was good for me because I thought that the pace had something to do with the onset of cramps. I also decided to try taking salt during the race - these things seemed to help because I did not experience any cramping. However, something much more severe was in the making ...
We finished the Las Vegas event in good form with big smiles on our faces; however, as I arrived back in our hotel room, I began to feel some discomfort in my right heel. Within minutes of arriving back at the hotel, I was unable to put any weight on my right foot - the pain was excruciating - and I noticed some swelling on the inside of the right heel. I was quite scared!! I did some quick research on the Internet and decided that I thought I had suffered a stress fracture. However, that was not the case. Following a series of x-rays and examinations, it was determined that I had suffered a case of Achilles Enthesitis - inflammation of the tissue where the Achilles Tendon attaches (inserts into) the heel bone. The treatment would require several weeks of rest followed by a structured, gradual rehabilitation program - something I found very challenging to accept since I had set my sights on achieving phased ultra distances over the next two years (50 KM in 2013 and 100 KM in 2014) - more on this later as well.
So ... was it passion ... or was it obsession?? Maybe a bit of both. Regardless what it actually was, I certainly learned a lot from my experiences in 2012. One of the biggest things I learned is that Passion and Patience can go hand-in-hand. I have learned to become much more patient with my expectations related to improving performance. I realize that I am not 25 years old anymore - and that I had not run for many, many years. That, combined with my initial impatience (and obsession) to transition to minimalist shoes quickly - ended me up in an undesirable position.
But here I am now ... on the road to recovery, and feeling my physical strength returning. In addition, I feel a little more mature in my attitude and approach to running overall, and my goals in particular. Patience has become Passion's new best friend in my running life.
Until next post - stay well ...
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