There have been a great many ups and downs over the last nearly seven months with my leg problems. There have been times that I have been really excited about progress that seemed to be getting made, and times that I was majorly bummed about a vast array of things.

Some of the things that at times had me more on the excited side include:
*in January, the idea of taking some time and seriously hitting up the bike and pool for X-training; as much I’d rather be running, the prospect of getting after it in a little different way as at least a little exciting to me
*the thought that taking some rest would leave me pretty well rested for a solid amount of training for some late spring and summer racing
*each time that I’ve noticed enough improvement to log a few days of running in a row
*the chanace to start back running again alongside Melissa
*finding out that there was in fact no damage to the tendon (and didn’t ever appear to have been)…although this was equally as perplexing and confusing as it was exciting

Some of the things that have had me very not excited include:
*having to ditch what began the year as my goal race even though it was more than four full months after the pain/injury began
*having to confine myself to the mediocre indoors for all forms of working out rather than enjoying and frolicking (yes, frolicking) in the great outdoors
*feeling the need at several times to ditch even the X-training efforts because even those things were not making the legs feel so hot
*having to ditch a summer’s worth of adventures on the trails
*not having the chance to defend my age group title at the Manassa Pioneer Days 5K tomorrow

But, in this confusing cycle fo ups and downs, all is temporarily forgivable as I am once again on one of the up-drafts with another spell of hope. After the no-achilles-damage-but-possibly-bursitis diagnosis, the cortisone shot that was given to clear up the bursitis seems to have worked better than anything else that has been tried - even over a month of a walking boot. We only did the shot in the right ankle, and while there is still some tenderness in some part of the ankle and some general tightness in the area, there doesn’t seem to be anythng putting pressure onto the tendon which was what has had me scared all along. So that’s good.

Last night, I travelled to Monte Vista and got some active release massage to see if we could combat that tightness that is still most certainly present all throughout the lower legs, and though I’m still a bit sore from all the poking and prodding (that’s what she said), things do seem to have loosened up down there. The cortisone shot has even allowed me to try running a few times again, and I’ve probably logged an hour of veeeerry easy running between Monday and Thursday. The right leg seems to have been doing great, although I’m still feeling the same pressure creeping into the left ankle and putting a bit of stress on the tendon. As I discussed with the doc when we did the cortisone shote on the right ankle, we may end up heading back to do the same thing on the left if the right continues to react so promisingly.

So to say that I’m feeling up this week is totally accurate if not an understatement, and the big struggle becomes, once again, not to be an idiot about this thing: “Relax. Stay smart. Keep it easy.” has been my mantra when running all week. I’m definitely trying to stay smarter throughout the day as well, stretching more frequently than I typically do and doing the little things that may cut into the time I’m able to do the fun parts of workouts but that make sure I can do the things I enjoy safely and without pain.