50 mile ultra training & Achilles Progress

You can see the "bumps" along my Achilles, should
be pretty flat but I have lumps along it. Still
healing, but is so much better than it was!

Just a quick update. My Achilles is still a pain in my -you know what- but is (slowly) getting better and better. I am now running 15-18 miles for my long runs without any pain or soreness but with PT they are still recommending I not do any longer. I have been averaging 45 miles per week (mpw) reaching into the low 50's lately. I am hoping to get one 30 mile run in before my taper, but also trying to listen carefully to what the doctors and physical therapists are recommending for my best recovery. I may not be getting my super long runs in back to back each week but I am hitting my minimum weekly miles, PLUS 3-4 hours of strength training in at PT each week all geared towards strengthening my hips and perfecting my running form. I feel like that really counts for more than a few miles. I guess we will see. I can't believe my race is in 4 1/2 weeks! EEK! I have 2 1/2 more weeks of higher mileage than 2 weeks to taper. Oh. My. GAWD. Less than 5 weeks? Where does time go?

Icing down after PT. My ladder
fully extended still taunting
me after a really hard workout!

I am doing a lot of new things in PT now getting myself ready for my race. This week they have me running 1 minute and walking 1 minute in intervals. They said it is supposed to help with my basic biomechanics for running? So much work on my hips and calves, also with balance and core strength. They also have me doing ladder work with a resistance band - 5 reps back and forth then jump on to the treadmill at 6mph (10 min miles) for 2 minutes, then another 5 reps, then back to the treadmill. I did that for about an hour today! No pain or soreness.

On the ladder today I had a
resistance belt attached to
my back so I was pulling it
while running through my
ladder drills.

The physical therapists said I need to focus on leaning forward just a little while running to take some of the strain off my calves and ankles. Also to better incorporate my larger muscle groups (hips and thighs). My footwork has improved so much since the beginning of PT.

I have a 30 mile run I'm hoping to get in next week, then I'll begin to taper! I'm hoping everything works itself out. I am getting pretty nervous. I am grateful I have some amazing supportive running friends who will be at my race supporting me and even running portions of it with me.

Achilles Problems... and solutions I hope!

Remember back on my post from the Mississippi Marathon (See it here) when I mentioned cracking my ankle? Well, as it turns out I did a lot more than that. I realized when I ran the 26.2 with Donna (see here) it was not just sore, that I had actually injured it. I made an appointment with a Sports Medicine Doctor (on Monday 01/22) and after seeing my x-rays he ordered an MRI and Physical Therapy. 

He also told me that I cannot wear flip flops or sandals (umm hello, I live in Florida!) and absolutely NO RUNNING until he received my MRI results. I told him that wasn't an option, and explained my current training plan and how important it is for me to stick with it. I am so worried that I will not finish my 50 mile race (mentally) if I don't have a set "training plan" that I stuck with to fall back on. I know one week isn't going to make or break my training physically, but mentally I need to know I followed a plan and didn't miss work outs. I think that will help me stay positive and "sure" and give me the ability to finish. He promised me (depending on my MRI) he would have my ready for my race if I trusted him. That is so hard to do. 

Physical Therapy Room,
just like on tv!

On Wednesday 01/24 I had my first round of physical therapy. Oh my gosh it was intense! We started with a really hard massage on my calf. I have a bruise to prove how much it hurt! After that she had me do a bunch of exercises to fatigue my legs/hips. Using a resistance band and weighted ankles I spent 40 minutes or so just exercising my hips. Goodness they are so sore. After that she put me on a treadmill to run while she and 2 other physical therapists analyzed me. I was able to run a couple miles at a descent pace (yay for running!) but it was so awkward having them all standing around me watching my every move (literally)! Once they decided I was done, they hit the stop button and had me get off. They told me a few things about my running form which was really cool. They said #1 I run like a sprinter. They said I swing my arms quite a bit using my whole body as momentum for running which is great for shorter distances but not good for marathon running. On that same topic of sprinter form #2 they also said I cross my feet almost over each other in the front. My knees almost hit each other (sometimes they do) because I cross them so closely in front of me. #3 My stride for each leg is very different. I stretch very far with my left foot and my right foot just kind of steps down (about half of my stride). They feel I use my right foot for all the push off (favoring it due to my injury we assume) and just glide off my left. Let me just say, those are NOT easy things to just "correct".

They had me do some foot work/agility after that. They said working on my agility will help with my balance and in turn all that would help with my form... I did some fancy footwork with a ladder on the floor for 15-20 minutes, then got to sit in a cozy chair for 10 minutes with ice on my legs. After the timer went off they taped my sore foot up, and sent me off! My hips are pretty sore from PT, I am excited but not excited to go again on Friday.

Lots of taping during my
PT sessions. Trying different
methods to see what will
work for me.

I had my MRI this morning (Thursday 02/25), that was a really uncomfortable experience. It is so hard to stay perfectly still for 15 minutes! Haha! My results were faxed to my PT and DR so I'm hoping my Physical Therapist will give me some incite tomorrow morning so I don't have to wait until my DR appt Monday. I have a 20 mile run scheduled for Saturday that I would really love to do without feeling super guilty the whole time... I guess we will see!

To Be Continued...