Nagging Injury Bug is Back

Grrr...this injury bug is creeping back into my life. I have told it that I have NO interest in continuing our relationship anymore but it doesn't want to listen.

A few weeks ago, I rolled my left ankle pretty well. I was running through Brookhaven when I mistook a rock for a leaf in the road. The ankle crumbled right under it. I can't remember the last time I have rolled my ankle like that. A few hobbles later and I was still able to finish my 8 mile run with minimum pain.

I didn't really think anything of it until last week. Thursday are run interval days. On my final interval, I feel something pop in the area of my left ankle. The pain was sharp but nothing that stopped me from continuing. I ran home gingerly and the weirdest thing happened...my right foot went numb/asleep. When I got home I noticed swelling in the left ankle so I grabbed the ice bag and called Coach Dan.

I didn't really feel anything on my 12 mile run this weekend so I chalked it up to being a fluke injury. Well until yesterday when I revisited my Thursday intervals. And again, in the last 2 minutes of my final interval the ankle flared up. It wasn't as acute as before but definitely noticeable. And within minutes, my right foot goes numb. I finish up the run and begin walking during my cooldown. Voila, the numb feeling is gone. Bizarre.

I have two possible thoughts on the matter. First, I rolled the ankle worse than I suspected and actually did some tendon/ligament damage that can ONLY be repaired through recovery and down time. If this is the case, then hopefully I can just make it through the next few weeks and then recovery after NOLA 70.3.

Second, I changed shoes this year after a three years in the same brand and model. I have moved to a more neutral striking shoe from that of a stability. I like to think this has helped me in keeping my ITBS inflammation at bay. The downside is that I am suffering through a number of new aches and pains. Namely, my shins and calves are on fire when I run. The cause is that for years my pronation has been corrected through the stability shoe...most likely over corrected. Now my pronation is a bit more natural. That requires me to engage a number of muscles I haven't properly trained. Maybe my ankle is part of that.

Right now I am staying in a holding pattern just monitoring the issue. Let's hope that it stays at bay.