People have been asking, so here is an update. Last Saturday (Sept. 15) I felt pain in my left shin during my long run. I should have stopped but I finished the run. I’m stupid. In fact, I hammered the last few miles. Really stupid. The pain was pretty excruciating, but I thought it was just shin splints even though it was in a weird place right above the ankle on the front of the shin.
The next few days I iced, I rested, I elevated, but the pain didn’t go away, and in fact the leg felt worse and swelled up a bit. I tried to run once (even though it still hurt quite badly; double-dog stupid) and made it about 20 yards before I had to stop. I saw Pieter Thursday morning and his quick 6 a.m. in-the-dark diagnosis was a problem with my anterior tibial tendon. He didn’t really specify what the problem was, but he said a few things, some of which were ” …. those are slow healers, two to three months of no running, lots of aqua running, cycling and elliptical, rehab once or twice a week …. ”
So most of last week I moped around on one leg and ate real fattening food, extra helpings and huge portions. Lots of chips and cookies and PBJs. Some brownies. I biked once and got a flat tire. I went swimming once and remembered why I don’t do triathlons anymore. My leg still hurt. I gained five pounds. I nearly passed out walking down some stairs. I went through the five stages of grief.
Yesterday I went to the doctor, mainly to get a referral to the orthopedist in Pieter’s group. Right away the doctor said “looks like a fracture to me,” sent me to get x-rays and wrote me a prescription for crutches(!!!) and pain killers(???). Really, it’s not that bad. I go back to the doctor tomorrow to find out about the x-rays. Both Pieter and the doctor said a fracture would be preferable, in terms of healing time and recovery. Who knows, maybe it’s neither?
In the meantime, whatever the diagnosis, I started an aqua jogging plan I found online. It’s actually not too bad, once I get over the shock of Barton Springs at 6 a.m. I try to bike in the afternoons as well. Am I stupid? There’s some pain with both activities.
I turn 36 today. Life goes on. I’ll run again. As stupid as ever.
36 is a pyramid number! that means you can set up the candles on your birthday cake like bowling pins. 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8. obviously you won’t get another opportunity like this for 9 years, so don’t blow it.
We will be setting up the bowling pin candles for DV tonight. The boys will love it. Thanks, Andre!
Wow, Duane told me you were hurt. I didn’t believe him. I thought you just cut your foot or tapped to the music or something? I have to say, that was pretty funny. If it is a stress fracture…do not run on it! Wait the full 7 weeks, otherwise it will take even longer. I can’t believe you are only 36!!! No wonder you got so fast so quick….geez! Happy Birthday, you still have a very long time to get A LOT faster. I always think injuries are nature’s way of slowing us down a bit….good luck and keep us posted.
hi, david. sorry i missed your birthday. and, sorry you are injured. do you know yet what it is? well, i’m a glass-is-half-full person, and i’m sure that you are too, especially with a beautiful wife and prescious kids. so, believe that your forced rest from running will heal all of those thousands of micro-tears you’ve been creating all year, and you’ll come back stronger and faster! don’t runners up north take off the whole month of january each year for that purpose?
Get healed up, man. If you attack the water the same way you do the trail you will probably come back even faster than before.