I'm in Purgatory
Okay, so it's been seven days since my little achilles problem started, and I have to say, things are improving (quick, hide the kids). Not fucking fast enough, but improving. The past week looked something like this.
Sunday, day 0...15 miles, ice, drugs (Owwww!)
Monday...3 miles easy, 35 minute pool running, ice, drugs, alcohol (Owwwwww!)
Tuesday...1/2 mile easy, 40 minutes elliptical, drugs (Owww!)
Wednesday...1 mile walk, 2 mile run, ice, drugs (Owww.)
Thursday...1 mile walk, 3 mile run, ice, drugs (Oww.)
Friday...2 sets of 25 calf raises, 5 minute walk, 3.5 mile run, ice, drugs (Ow.)
Saturday...3 sets of 40 calf raises, 5 minute walk, 4 mile run, ice, drugs (Ahhh.)
So that all looks good. Then there is today.
Sunday...1 set of 40 calf raises, 5 minute walk, 5 mile run, ice, drugs (Ah, FUCK!)
I wanted to get six with no pain, and I made it four with no pain and one more with it not feeling quite right. It's not that bad. I just expected it to be even better today than yesterday, and it isn't. It is tight and hurts mildly, especially when going down stairs. It's trending toward being completely repaired within a week, but my expectations were higher given the treatment I gave the injury. Assuming it gets very comfortable by Friday, I should be able to do enough strength training and stretching to be back to my normal mileage by the first week of May. If it lingers past Friday, which is what I'm worried will happen, I am going to burn my leg off at the knee with a blowtorch and eat the charred remains with some refried beans and a nice bottle of Maddog 20/20.
I had planned on seeing a doctor this week because my heel and part of my foot went numb along with the achilles pain. I did a bit of reading, though, and figured out that it is probably nerve damage from icing. It should go away in a few weeks or months. Apparently, it is not a good idea to use the frozen gel packs without a towel between your skin and the pack. The thin skin on the lower part of the ankle and heel makes it easy to 'burn' the nerves in that area. As long as the skin is not turning purple, you pretty much just have to wait out the healing process, which, for nerves, is six weeks to never. The numbness doesn't cause me any problems. It just feels weird in the morning moving my foot around under the sheets. And when I stick tacks in it.
As far as new shoes, I settled on the Asics 2110 after a lovely conversation with a disgusting old shoe salesman. I almost always order my shoes from Road Runner Sports or Eastbay so I don't have to deal with idiots like this guy at FootLocker. I asked to see the 2110s in a 9.5 (yes, ladies, a size nine and a half) and he proceeds to tell me about how much he loves his Asics, and he used to wear New Balance before, and these 2110s have 90% better cushioning than the compact spare in his Ford Focus and his son is a runner and he runs lots of miles.
Yes, I bit.
"How much does he run?"
(The guttural groan of an old man fumbling numbers in his head)
"Errr. Mmmmm. Four or five miles. Every day!
"Huh. I've been running about 15 a day."
"Oh, well, my son is a triathlete. You know, these insoles come out..."
He then proceeded to try to sell me some shitty Spenco insoles for an extra $12.95. I declined, paid too much for my shoes, and exited the store in a funk. Happily, my spirits were lifted when I spied a Tomodachi store just down the hall. I spent a few moments wandering around the place looking at Akira models and doe-eyed stuffed animals with happy smiles on their faces. This place is great. I bought a medium-sized Chococat for my daughter's second birthday. She loves it.
Tomorrow will be better.
Sunday, day 0...15 miles, ice, drugs (Owwww!)
Monday...3 miles easy, 35 minute pool running, ice, drugs, alcohol (Owwwwww!)
Tuesday...1/2 mile easy, 40 minutes elliptical, drugs (Owww!)
Wednesday...1 mile walk, 2 mile run, ice, drugs (Owww.)
Thursday...1 mile walk, 3 mile run, ice, drugs (Oww.)
Friday...2 sets of 25 calf raises, 5 minute walk, 3.5 mile run, ice, drugs (Ow.)
Saturday...3 sets of 40 calf raises, 5 minute walk, 4 mile run, ice, drugs (Ahhh.)
So that all looks good. Then there is today.
Sunday...1 set of 40 calf raises, 5 minute walk, 5 mile run, ice, drugs (Ah, FUCK!)
I wanted to get six with no pain, and I made it four with no pain and one more with it not feeling quite right. It's not that bad. I just expected it to be even better today than yesterday, and it isn't. It is tight and hurts mildly, especially when going down stairs. It's trending toward being completely repaired within a week, but my expectations were higher given the treatment I gave the injury. Assuming it gets very comfortable by Friday, I should be able to do enough strength training and stretching to be back to my normal mileage by the first week of May. If it lingers past Friday, which is what I'm worried will happen, I am going to burn my leg off at the knee with a blowtorch and eat the charred remains with some refried beans and a nice bottle of Maddog 20/20.
I had planned on seeing a doctor this week because my heel and part of my foot went numb along with the achilles pain. I did a bit of reading, though, and figured out that it is probably nerve damage from icing. It should go away in a few weeks or months. Apparently, it is not a good idea to use the frozen gel packs without a towel between your skin and the pack. The thin skin on the lower part of the ankle and heel makes it easy to 'burn' the nerves in that area. As long as the skin is not turning purple, you pretty much just have to wait out the healing process, which, for nerves, is six weeks to never. The numbness doesn't cause me any problems. It just feels weird in the morning moving my foot around under the sheets. And when I stick tacks in it.
As far as new shoes, I settled on the Asics 2110 after a lovely conversation with a disgusting old shoe salesman. I almost always order my shoes from Road Runner Sports or Eastbay so I don't have to deal with idiots like this guy at FootLocker. I asked to see the 2110s in a 9.5 (yes, ladies, a size nine and a half) and he proceeds to tell me about how much he loves his Asics, and he used to wear New Balance before, and these 2110s have 90% better cushioning than the compact spare in his Ford Focus and his son is a runner and he runs lots of miles.
Yes, I bit.
"How much does he run?"
(The guttural groan of an old man fumbling numbers in his head)
"Errr. Mmmmm. Four or five miles. Every day!
"Huh. I've been running about 15 a day."
"Oh, well, my son is a triathlete. You know, these insoles come out..."
He then proceeded to try to sell me some shitty Spenco insoles for an extra $12.95. I declined, paid too much for my shoes, and exited the store in a funk. Happily, my spirits were lifted when I spied a Tomodachi store just down the hall. I spent a few moments wandering around the place looking at Akira models and doe-eyed stuffed animals with happy smiles on their faces. This place is great. I bought a medium-sized Chococat for my daughter's second birthday. She loves it.
Tomorrow will be better.
posted at 3:32 PM [+]
8 Comments:
Nerve damage? Wow, that kind of stuff really happens from icing? I always thought it was just an urban myth. I actually use the spencos (the $20 ones), I got hooked on them after a mild case of P.F. where treated it with ice, an arch wrap and foot-strength exercises. Now I still use them since I'm stuck with metatarsal pads I don't feel like unsticking and reapplying every 5-6 weeks on the cardboard insoles. The spencos last me a good 4-5 months. At least he didn't go with the superfeet, that's some real money. Good luck on the continued recovery, still lots of time left (I know, easy to say).
I like the therapy. If I could make a small recommendation, I would add more alcohol to the therapy. It won't do shit for your leg, but you'll feel better about it.
Hopefully, this downtime is doing wonders for your libido.
Eric, Sorry for not stopping by sooner...and bummer that I drop by when you are injured. I agree with Mike..lots of time left. Your PRs are insane. You have the natural ability, and I can tell the mental outlook to get back up on the horse when the tempest passes. Hang in there man. We have all been injured--it's a race in and of itself. Use the same patience and judicious tenacity for it.
It's no joke, brother. I was surprised myself. I expected to get some frostbite or frostburn at least. It's as much a mystery as the achilles problem itself.
Sorry to hear about the spenco problem. With some therapy you may be able to give them up. Perhaps you can become a barefoot toestriker and forego shoes comepletely.
I did add a second alcohol session that I neglected to record. This is a family blog, and I was already doing drugs every day and using the f-word. I had to rein it in somewhere.
I've been trying to come up with a libido joke, but I can't. I'm limp. Completely impotent. Sorry.
Duncan, good to have you here. I was wondering if you would ever find my cave. Thank you for the kind words. I have been enjoying your blog for some time, and I'm looking forward to setting a sub-2:30 PR along with you some day soon.
There is an extra 'e' in completely. I completely forgot to check my spelling.
I am neurotic about mispellings.
Dammit.
Where did you find it? Interesting read »
Cool blog, interesting information... Keep it UP » »
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