Ill-fated Trial Runs

Test Run #1: Wednesday, April 27th

After the go ahead on Wednesday, I immediately decided to leap into action and go for a run. He said treadmill, but it was the most beautiful day ever and I couldn't resist the call of the wild (or in this case, the call of the urban park). Going home directly after work, I thought I'd do a nice 1 mile loop down and around Bremen Street Park. Children and families were everywhere. Busier than your average summer weekend even. I guess that's the call of the first spring-like day.

I took it easy, settling into what was about a 9:30 min/mile pace, lightly bouncing off my forefoot in the Bikilas. I decided to stick with the VFFs because ultimately I feel more efficient and comfortable with the new gait. I think this is a viable option as long as I strength the weakness in my feet, ankles and calves. Take it slower. Avoid cement.

When I met up with the park, I jogged solely on the grass. It's very squishy, lush grass, but with some mild risk of turning an ankle in a divet. I didn't do so. I made it about 1 mile without pain, when I paused for a stretch. It felt good. I did some push-ups, then took off again. I made it another 0.25 of a mile before I called it a day. I wasn't about to push my luck. I felt a mild ache in the top of the foot as if perhaps it would turn to pain if I'd kept it up.

I left the run optimistic!

Test Run #2: Friday, April 29th

Given the nearly positive results of my Wednesday run, I thought I'd do a quick out and back along the esplanade two days later. Another gorgeous day - the grass green, the sky clear and sunny, the weather warm with a breeze off the river. Everyone was out taking advantage of the weather from joggers, like myself, to cyclists and families.

In order to avoid the harsh impact on cement, I casually walked through the intersection by Science Park until I could hope onto the grass/trail near the tennis courts. Passing the Charlesbank playground, I turned off through the parking lot to join the running trail along the river. All was going well up until I hit the overpass by the Long Fellow. Approximately 0.5 miles into the run. Mild, ignorable pain in my foot. Pain that eased up when I used a midfoot landing and forward shuffle instead of a bouncing forefoot strike. I stopped by the bridge to stretch the calves, rest the foot a few minutes.

When I started up again, I stuck the dirt beside the paved path, but never made it much further than the boathouse. I stretched some more and turned myself around. The very pain had hit me that I was warned not to run on. I was also feeling it in the left side of my ankle. As if perhaps I'd been compensating somehow in my landing and put extra strain on the ankle. Defeated, I returned to the gym with my head hung low.

Conclusions:

I've since decided to give myself another two weeks of rest before I attempt another run. The foot had clearly not healed entirely and I likely set back my progress with the trial runs. This isn't boding well for the Warrior Dash in June - but at least my aerobic capacity is being held in shape with my regular bike intervals.