"There's only one hard and fast rule in running: sometimes you have to run one hard and fast."








Sunday, May 4, 2008

The Nuclear Option

I'll post a race report about Runnin' in the Ruff soon (and hope those who did the Wells Fargo 1/2 Marathon had an easier day). Right now, I have to figure out how to race a 50 Miler next Saturday with a sprained ankle. I turned my left ankle badly - twice - during the race Saturday, but it didn't seem too serious. I've sprained that ankle numerous times; when I was 11, I had a complete three ligament rupture of that ankle and it's been a problem ever since.

Ever notice that you get hurt in a race, it's always a weekend and out of town, so you can't get the medical expertise you want right away? I couldn't figure out why every now and then I'd get excruciating pain in the ankle, when most of the time it wasn't bad. I tore my anterior talo-fibular ligament, the most common sprain, but apparently there's a loose fiber of it that's been getting caught between bones in the joint.

Ouch!

I can either have surgery (the nuclear option, as it devastates the entire year) or figure out how to live with it while it repairs itself. I'll be toeing the line at Ice Age, even if I'm trussed like a turkey and armor-plated like Ironman.

3 comments:

Adam said...

Sorry to hear about the injury! Hopefully there's no risk to delaying surgery and running through the pain. If not I know you're the man for the job.

Matthew Patten said...

I guess we will have to shoot you, or name you Eight Belles. I will bring a gun next weekend just in case.

Look on the bright side, this might actually force you to start out slow and run a great race (hoping the ankle holds up).

That is a major bummer. I was looking forward to having my butt kicked by at least an hour.

keith said...

Shee-it.

That sucks. You're one tough S.O.B. I'd be under the knife the next day.