Taking the Zero

It's been four days and I've started to pull my hair out. I'm slowly crawling into my corner while waiving the white flag. Four months of dealing with an injury has come to a head and it couldn't have come at worse time.

With the Double Top 100 in a months time, this week was supposed to be my big week. 70+ plus miles and plenty of hills thrown in there for good measure. Right now hills are sheer agony. The ankle wants to lock up. It hurts near the Achilles, on the side and around the front. Its painful going up stairs, never mind a runnable course with over 18k of elevation. 

It hurt at the Ghost Train, it hurt at the Winter Solstice run, it hurt climbing Mt. Wachusett and I just kept running. Why? 

We all know why. Runners are born stubborn and think they can run injuries off. I've run my share off. I almost called my primary today. I dialed the general number because I haven't seen my primary in probably 4 or 5 years. The last guy I saw, some five years ago, moved away. I picked another, never saw him. He moved away. And to my knowledge, I haven't picked on since. 

One of my work colleagues goes to a podiatrist. He's an ultra runner. I dropped him an email in an attempt to avoid the referral process, wasted time and money that I will have to go through in our broken health care system. Don't get me started. 

In the meantime, I've tried to keep myself somewhat mobile and sane. 

Oh, and did I mention my ever returning, never leaving me (like ever) right shin tendinitis slash shin splints slash I have no clue what the hell it is but it never goes away issue. I'm lying. It does go away, but only after I run over 30 miles at a time so my shin is in so much trauma is goes numb to sensation. No joke. 

SO, with that I've been walking at a leisurely pace on the dreadmill watching episodes of Breaking Bad (Walt is my new hero) and Sons of Anarchy (a bad ass show indeed). 

I've also thrown in some Crossfit for good measure. For those of you who may not know, I used to be a  Crossfit junkie back in the day. I used to WOD eight times a day and do burpees in my sleep. I had to stop eventually due to the all the damn kipping pull-ups I was doing. With my previous (wait for it) INJURY during my tennis career flaring up, I couldn't lift my lunch pail, never mind doing 5 rounds of thrusters and kipping pull-ups (it hurts just thinking about it). 

Today I cranked out sub-1:47 500m rows followed by ten 65lb thrusters (I know...weak) for 5 rounds. I nearly puked my brains out all over our new fitness center in the high school. Luckily, I was the only one in there and proceeded to curl up into a ball and lie in a my own pool of sweat. Awesome. I love Crossfit!

Whatever. It's keeping me sane and I haven't totally blown up at my wife for no reason. See I get cranky when I don't run. I mean like real cranky. See's told me in the past to "run" or don't come home. She understands me. I love her for that. Now I just need to heel these damn injuries. 

SO, what to do, what to do. I plan on taking the rest of the week off and seeing how things feel on Monday. My birthday is Tuesday, February 5th, if you're wondering, so gift certificates and running apparel are welcome. Size 10 shoe! New left ankle and right shin!!

For the Double Top, I'm in. The ticket is punched and GA awaits me. Will I have high expectations? Probably not. Finish? Hell's yes. Will this hybrid of casual walking and punishment, I mean Crossfit, help me succeed at the 100 mile distance? Who knows, but if it does, maybe I'll be on to something...