It seems that I keep putting posts up and then taking them down because I’ve become severely self-conscious of looking like a jerk or offending a group of people.
This should not offend anyone. (Unless you’re opposed to Halloween. If you’re opposed to Halloween, LOOK AWAY!)
On Saturday evening, we took Hermione and Evil Angel to Boo at the Zoo.
(Evil Angel will eventually have vampire teeth. Her idea.)
It was very crowded, and sufficiently spooky.
After about an hour of walking around (please know that I touched a hedgehog during that hour, which is a first for me), we decided to grab a snack and head out.
My kids are just like me when it comes to food and loving food and feeling especially fond of food that has sugar sprinkled onto the top of it. Sometimes I worry that they’ll eventually share my sort of crappy relationship with food. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and also thinking that I need to start up with the running again. It has been five weeks since I hurt my ankle, and my ankle still hurts. It still swells up at night. I know my doctor said Eight Weeks To Recovery, but I really thought eight weeks was more for people like REAL athletes with REAL injuries—not just a fake runner lady who stumbled. I have a friend who swears that the pain doesn’t really matter. “Just run on it. Just keep running.” (She’s a Real Athlete.)
I know six people who participated in the Rock and Roll Marathon in St. Louis yesterday. I sat here at the computer and tracked them as they were running. I cheered for them as they hit important milestones. Less than ten minutes after one of my friends crossed the finish line and became a Marathoner, I choked on a cupcake. (I took a bite, and when I heard Meredith coming into the kitchen, I shoved the rest of the cupcake into my mouth. I have no idea why. And then I inhaled, and part of the cupcake went down the wrong pipe and I started coughing and the kids thought I was sneezing, so every time I hacked and wheezed, both girls screamed “BLESS YOU!!! BLESS YOU!!!” My friends are running MARATHONS, and I’m beating on my chest in an attempt to dislodge cupcake crumbs from my lungs.)
I need to fix this ankle of mine. Or else just run on it. (By the way, it’s easy to love running when you can’t run. Very easy. I’ve been loving running for five weeks now. I think it’s time to start hating it again.)
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“it’s easy to love running when you can’t run. Very easy.”
This is SO VERY TRUE. I love running because I can’t run. When I can finally try running again, I will probably hate it with every fiber of my being.
I once had an orthopedic surgeon make me feel stupid for going to see him with a sprained ankle when it didn’t feel better after two weeks. Apparently you and I both think our bodies should heal faster than they do. (I would not run on the still sore ankle myself, but that’s because I injure myself too easily.)
I ran competitively during high school, though I never looooved running. It was all to stay in shape for soccer. Now that I am years and years away from that, I’ve started and stopped running several times since. My current stint has me running 3 – 4 days a week for about 30 minutes at a time. Though it is still tough to get out the door some days, I’m finding that I do find some enjoyment in it, and feel “not right” if I skip a day I’m supposed to be running. I’m hoping I can maintain this through the winter. I am wholeheartedly NOT a gym person, but I do really like being active. May I recommend (hooray for unsolicited advice!) starting out very very slowly when you’re coming back from your injury? I’m not talking about the actual speed you’re running, but the distance. Once you’re ready, signing up for a short race (5k) might be a good motivator. Okay, ending unsolicited advice now! I love cupcakes!
As a former because I didn’t listen Real Athlete and as a therapist, please don’t run on that ankle until it is cleared. It’s a good idea to see a podiatrist with ankle specialization as they can do special xrays that give a lot more information. I know this because back in my Real Athlete days I tripped and “twisted” my ankle during a race. 10 minutes later down we went again. I laughed about it and 2 days later was back to a pretty intense training. I had to stop per my coach because of limping. One ace wrap later and I was competing. A few months later I was running 5-10 miles per day, 4-7 days/week. I fell again and mangled my knee, ending my athletic/running at all days. I also had 2 knee surgeries, one fairly major. That was about 20 years ago. Almost 2 years ago I was stupid and did something dumb and fell while trying to hurry. The same ankle twisted. I had xrays and the whole typical treatment, including weeks of therapy. When my other foot started hurting I saw a podiatrist who did the previously mentioned special xrays and a week later asked if I knew I’d broken my ankle before. Uh, no….I know when and how, but because that fracture wasn’t checked I destroyed my knee and then my ankle. I need ankle surgery and will have to have more knee surgery to replace it at a young age per my orthopedist. It is not worth it to run on an undefined hurt.
Do not run through pain. No no no. That way lies madness (and further injury).
And dude, when I sprained my ankle it was MONTHS before it was recovered enough that I could put that kind of force on it. And I have ankles like an elephant. Just get out and walk, yo. That is something, and something’s better than nothing, and maybe walking won’t hurt? I dunno. My ankle still hurts when it rains, no lie. And I sprained it THREE YEARS ago.
Bounced straight over here from the RSS feed to say “How about following the medical advice you paid for?” You need that ankle to work well for another 40+ years. How about doing some swimming laps to keep up your aerobic fitness? Also as someone who has spained ankles AND broken them…sprains are just as painful and take as long to recover from. Everyone is nicer to you about the broken ankle though. And those girls….SCARY looking. I would love to pat a hedgehog. We have echidnas here which are also beautiful. They waddle across the road sometimes.
I keep thinking we should take our kids to Boo at the Zoo and then I get lazy and we don’t go. Worst Mom Ever right here.
I also keep meaning to get back in to an exercise routine. That’s not happened yet. But in your situation, I agree with the previous comment – listen to the medical advice from the professional and GIVE IT EIGHT WEEKS.
The world would be a better place if we all got cupcakes at whatever “finish line” we cross!
Glad that your ankle is on the mend–sorry that it still swells in the evening though. What kind of cupcakes were they? My daughters helped me bake a spice cake on Sunday–we added a bit of yogurt for moisture and cinnamon, just because, and then we topped it off with a lovely pink icing glaze….I’m doing a very poor job of staying away from it. It’ s quite tasty… Care for a slice?
and don’t worry, we’d never think you were a jerk–say what you need to say! We’d love to read it…
ok so really don’t know how else to contact you-except maybe call Willow Brook, but I really want one of your adorable owl koozies!! Saw Kristen Gartland at a party last Fri and I almost stole hers!!
I cannot for the life of me think of anything you could post would be offensive? Love yarn? Love of your kids? Love of veggies? Running? Love of your husband? Love of your animals? Not in any particular order of course.
Ha! Laughed out loud at the picture of you choking on the cupcake. I know it’s not funny, but it is. Yeah, stay off the ankle. I’m a runner and when I can’t run, I’m miserable – BUT miserable for eight weeks is better than miserable for four, then two, then another four, then maybe three months. Once you get back, your ankle should get stronger quickly. I have absolutely no right to give medical advice, but there you have it.
Such a funny post. Feel better. Cupcakes all around.
I had a friend who had hedgehogs – he would use a small wicker basket to scoop them out of their cage and they would curl up and make the most adorable little whuffly noises. Not like they were pissed off, like they were doing something much more interesting before they were scooped up and were huffy about being interrupted.
Ankle…can’t help you. I’m a swimmer. It’s way better than being a runner :) (Kidding!)
I am offended. Horribly offended. I can’t believe you said that thing that you wrote.
On behalf of hedgehogs, cupcakes, and sprained ankles everywhere, you should just know, I am offended.
And when I was 22 and sprained my ankle it took FOREVER (8-12 weeks) to heal up properly, and I was in good shape and all resilient and everything back then.
35 years after my “end-of-running (I had *just* started to maybe sort of like doing) forever” ankle injury I am here to implore you DO NOT RUN ON IT AGAIN UNTIL IT REALLY TRULY FEELS COMPLETELY FINE TO RUN!!! It will eventually feel fine again. You will eventually get back to running (if you want to) ((maybe)). Pain is there for a reason. It’s telling you,”back off, Woman — this body part is not ready yet!”
Knit (heck, go ahead and Purl if you’re a mind to!) Coddle yourself. Enjoy Ben Folds. But, Angie — do not run! (yet :-)