Today is a good day. I woke up today and was pretty much pain free in my ankle/achilles/calf. This is a big deal to me and I'm pleased t say that the plan I set out a couple of weeks back is working!
It is pretty shitty to get out of bed each morning and wince the moment your feet hit the floor. Not just over a couple of days. Not even over a couple of weeks, or even months. But when you experience it in a time measured in years, you sure as shit notice it when it disappears.
Right now I don't want to celebrate too soon. It's simply a battle won. Not the war. Not yet. There is a lot of work left to do. But this is a very good sign indeed. It's easy to get complacent right about now and c3elebrate with a cheeky 5k run straight off the bat, but that'd be pretty fucking dumb, even for me.
Laser-fucking-beams (LLLT), zero impact training for a couple of weeks, strength, mobility, and cross-friction massage appear to be doing their job. There is still a long climb ahead and the aim to to make my legs and ankle bulletproof over the course of the next 6 months. It's the kind of work that is boring as shit, but for someone doing what I intend to do, it's one of the most important things to do.
Cross training 3-4 times a week is keeping the aerobic engine working. The stretches, rolling, calf raises, banded foot eversions, skater lunges, one foot soleus raises, bosu board balnces, ankle rolls are working. It just takes time and repetition.
It is no fucking fun at all spending hours on an elliptical runner, next to the old people who are running on the damn things .It is giving my glutes a well needed workout though, and should end this phase with buns of steel. I am very much looking forward to getting on a trail again though.
Next week I'm on holiday and will take my running shoes. I aim to start jogging again slowly, while continuing to do some simple exercises for continuing the rehab work. This will be a simple 20 mins of minute jog-minute walk and will build it up again from there. If I get a reaction it'll simply be just walking. Either way, I don't care. I just want to be outdoors again.
It's leaving your ego at the door and realising that you have the time to do it right. Plan the work then work the plan.
The message here is 'don't neglect your rehab'. It works if you give it the opportunity to and have the patience to.
Speaking first-hand it is finally starting to work... and that can only be a good thing.
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