November began quite good. Cool temperatures and few rainy days allowed me to make long comfortable runs in preparation for this year's main event: Ageo half marathon.
Injury free (no more left calf or right knee pains), I set off for a final run before tapering on Friday. The menu: 6 x 2000 at 3.30 pace.
BAM I twisted my fucking left ankle 500 meters before arriving to the track. Fortunately I was walking when it happened (won't go through it as it is retarded) ... but it was still extremely painful as I fell from a step.
I have weak ankles that are easy to sprain. I have probably twisted my ankle an average of one time a year. And it has become a phobia since I twisted it really badly in 2001.
A Friday 13th in 2001 (real date)
I was walking the dog and it just happened ... twisted my ankle trying to pull my dog - somehow jumped (after twisting it) and landed on that leg again while the ankle was twisted making the sole of my foot face upwards completely.
Blacked out for a second or two due to the pain and stayed there on the street first biting hard then laughing like a madman (I laugh when something hurts) for at least 30 minutes. Of course nobody approached the laughing madman.
Went to the hospital some days later (like I said I sprain my ankle often so thought it would go away like always) after my ankle had gotten thicker than my thigh ... You have two options, the doctor said, put a cast on it now and never run again or go through surgery fix the mess and hope for the best.
WHOA I thought ... say WHAT!
So yes I went into surgery. What began as a minor surgery became a major 7 hour operation where the doctor had to rebuild part of my ankle and place a small piece of metal (that is still in there) in it. 6 months of rest ... about a year before I both my legs had the same strength again.
Since that day I always run looking at the floor now and then and rarely play futbol seriously as I am afraid it will happen again.
It has happened about 3 times since then (all minor).
Friday 9th 2007
Like I said I won't go into details - it would be ridiculous mentioning I was distracted by putting a band aid over my nipple (runners do that by the way, for those who do not run) and missed a step, thus spraining my ankle.
But yes, it hurt bad and I looked at the sky and screamed "fuuuccckkk why now" scaring the people around me and then just sat there waiting for the pain to cease for 20 minutes (man it was cold and rainy).
Took a taxi and went home to follow the rest-ice-compress-elevate procedure in hopes of miracolously make it better.
Now Saturday I can at least step on it and move it a bit, but it is still thick and has some red stains ... which in my experience means that something inside has popped.
Tomorrow I will get a check up and see what's up down there.
My guess: The doctor will tell me to rest for about 10 days or more ... aka missing the most important race I've got this year ... missing 10 or more days of running which would mean my current endurance decreasing big time ...
And the worst part is I cannot go out and have some wild fun (now that I cannot run) because I cannot even walk.
I guess it's time to open those Japanese textbooks and study for the coming exam.
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