Cautiously Optimistic

I tried to run on Saturday morning.  My secret goal was 10k but the goal I spoke out loud was 7.5k.  

I figured I had run 4.5k last Wednesday and my ankle didn't hurt too badly.  Since Wednesday I had had one more treatment with Geoff and spent two days stretching and icing so I thought 8k was a definite possibility.  

I slept in until 6:30am (wow!), tossed on my running clothes, stretched my calves like crazy and headed out the door.  The plan - run around my 1.5k block over and over until I hit 7.5k.  Ten minutes per loop means 50 minutes.  If I felt good, I'd do an extra loop (9k) or even two (10.5).  

First few minutes, my ankle felt stiff and sore.  The next few minutes, it felt even more stiff and more sore.  I hobbled the last few minutes to get back to my house.  I stopped, stretched again like crazy and started the second loop.  It was worse.  

I made it around for a grand total of 20 minutes of running (3k).  No point in pushing when the message was loud and clear.  

Stop.

Running. 

I hopped up the stairs into the house, spent an hour stretching, triggerpointing, downward dogging and icing.  I stood up after the routine was over and felt....nothing.  Pain gone.

That made no sense whatsoever considering how painful it had been earlier.  I tested it a bit by spending a good part of the day walking around - the market, the library, my kitchen.  It felt pretty good the whole time.  After dinner, I repeated the stretching/icing routine and still nothing.  

Sunday morning's bike ride only continued the feel good trend and, because I hadn't run for 3+ hours the day before, I had tons of energy.  The pace felt leisurely when it normally feels deadly and I never lost the group once - well except when I tried to drink on the move and dropped my water bottle.  No one else noticed as I stopped, turned around, picked up the bottle and then rode 35km/hour to catch up.  Couldn't have done that after a long run.  I would have trailed behind until they stopped and waited for me to catch up. 

Monday morning dawned and I pulled on my running clothes.  I needed to try another run before seeing Geoff on Tuesday.  This time, I ran 5k and it felt ok the whole time.  Not fabulous but ok. My ankle felt fatigued at the end but not overly sore.  I did the post-run routine and things were surprisingly loose and pain-free.  They stayed that way most of the day until about 5pm when I started feeling sore and tight again.  

My plan - which changes by the moment so don't hold me to it - is to see Geoff Tuesday afternoon and try for 10k on Wednesday.  If that feels ok, I'm going to try a long run on Friday.  Doug and I are busy on Saturday so a long run won't work that day.  I don't want to wait until Sunday because the recovery bike rides are so critical these days.  So fingers crossed for Friday.  If not, then I kiss the 35k run goodbye during this marathon training.  It's getting too close to race day now to push it any further than this weekend.   

Oh, and on a high fashion note, I placed an order at Land's End.  Not a dress mind you but a dressy winter coat - a rich red, double breasted peacoat.  And, for the driveway shovelling winter days - a pair of bright purple winter boots.  Fun!