Thought I was a runner

Sidelined yet again. This time it's a fractured 5th metatarsal. Typical training run with the guys. Cold morning, probably overdressed, double layer for everything. In hindsight, this kept my knee from getting skinned up more. I was running behind the fast guys on the *&^%$ sidewalk. B was behind me. I stepped wrong on one of the driveway inlets. I hit the ground pretty hard. Ripped the palm side of the first glove layer. Rolled completely over on the outside of my right ankle. Got up to see if I could run it off. Wasn't going to happen. Hated to ruin the guys workout, so I told them to go on and I'd walk to my son's apartment. (luckily it was only about a block or so up the road)

Really helpful to have a wife who works for a Orthopedic Doctors group. We arrived around 7:30 am and I was out the door by 8:30. That has to be the quickest doctors' visit ever for me. Most time consuming part of the visit was filling out all of the paperwork. They took me straight to x-ray. Pretty short wait to get the x-ray's and then back out to one of the examination rooms. Finally got a sympathetic doctor who ran in college. That was a pleasant surprise. I'll be wearing a boot for 4-6 weeks. No surgery, doctor will try letting it heal as it lies, with the broken pieces overlapping. Stronger joint ? and no need to go back and remove a plate. 

Can't ride a bike. At least not for a week or so. The doctor did ok swimming. Perhaps I'll give pool running a try this go around, if I'm uncomfortable riding the bike on the trainer. I've ridden a bike trainer with other injuries. Also broke my running streak today, it was only 33 days this time around.

This isn't the first time to be sidelined with a injury. Ankle sprains. One of the reasons I don't run on the golf course any more is because I seem to sprain my ankle easily. I've done almost exact same thing on my other ankle. I stepped in a hole pacing a friend at CMM several years ago. It was the inside ankle sprained and a fractured 5th metatarsal on the left foot in 2002.

Supposedly I'm a grumpy old man. Who'd have guessed? Even worse when I'm hurt. Paula was worried I'd be rude/grumpy/mean to her co-workers. I thought I was pretty civil. I'll be worse in the coming weeks after not running. Hopefully, I don't take it out to much on those around me. I'll just kick the dog instead. What really pisses me off is the snide remarks about my "healthy lifestyle". I'd like to think most are just ribbing me in jest, but sometimes I wonder.

Winter craptastic

Another day, another run in the rain. Think it's been 4-5 days straight of rain runs. Yesterdays was the worst. Only because of lack of preparation on my part. One particular spot went unlubed and it was painfully obvious within the first 2 miles. The combination of a steady rain, a shirt that must have been made of sandpaper and the up and down motion of said shirt removed half of my nipples. Or so it seemed.

Today was much better. Harder rain, but temperatures in the sixties. Isn't it supposed to be winter? But, I wisely chose a singlet with a better tech material. Plus, it stuck to my chest when it was soaked, so it didn't ride up and down with each foot strike. And, I lubed every potential rub spot generously. 

Today's workout was 10 by 100 meters at 3k pace, with equal recovery. Luckily someone left the gate unlocked at the high school track. These are getting easier, especially since these were solo and I wasn't trying to keep up with the fast guys. Cool thing about this workout is that it's not really work, more of a shakeout/wake up the dead legs kind of thing. Makes the following days hard workout easier? At least able to get onto pace easier anyway.

Can't complain about the weather this winter. We're a little less than a third of the way into the winter. January and February are typically the coldest months of the year. We'll probably pay dearly for the mild fall and early winter in the coming months.

Oh yeah and that former Tour de France bike rider. What's his name? is going to be on Oprah. Whoopity shit. Won't be watching, won't watch the comeback, won't be interested in whatever angle he's trying to con/scam/be forgiven for, pffffffffffftt.

Good week

Finished the week with 68 miles. Mostly because of the 20 miles from the 7th Fat Ass. Wanted to go the distance, but my ankle didn't. We had 28 starters and 8 going the distance. Very pleased with the turnout, especially considering the rain and my non-commitment to even have it this year. I didn't take any pictures, camera issues. There are some pictures out in social media land. (I'm not tech savy enough to link)

Long run this week was supposed to be 17 miles. BQ2 mapped out one of our bike routes, nice rolling hills. It was a great change of pace. Pretty happy with my 8:23 average pace. Still not quite where I need to be, but at least I'm able to hang longer with the fast guys. Also helped that I carried water and took a gel at 8 miles. Almost warm enough to wear shorts. Legs were almost to warm with tights, but glad to have them when the wind was in my face.

Didn't wear my calf sleeves during the long run, nor afterwards. Instead I tried my T.E.D. stockings, the full length ones, from toe to crotch. This was the first time I've used them. I wore them for 2-3 hours, under my pajama bottoms, lounging around. I think the purpose was accomplished, they aided in recovery from the long run. I'll be using them again after my long runs.

Ouch

Tallied up the miles I've run for 2012. Actually biked more than I ran. Bike miles 1,865 versus 1,845 running. Time for a little change up. Only reason I'd been on the bike so much was because of an injury. Pretty much from April until August was all bike. Eased back into running in July.

Best way for me to get in the miles is a running streak. Always though they were pretty dumb. I've had mixed success with the streaks, the longest being 232 days. I'm on day 13 this morning. Pretty easy to let the streak end, because its 24 degrees and I'll be running solo. Think I"ll change this streak up a little and only call it a streak if I run 6 miles or more. (or just leave it at 4 miles) One mile isn't worth walking out the door, and I'm not about to drive somewhere to jump on a treadmill. (though I may have to get used to that idea)

Weak link for me appears to be the metatarsals. I've got to figure how to make them endure. Barefoot running probably, but no thank you. Maybe drills, but shit I sprained my ankle doing them. Gotta come up with something.