I have a team...

I'm not giving up the marathon dream without a fight.  Tonight, I had my first appointment with Adam the Sports Massage Therapist and left feeling remarkably upbeat about what lies ahead.  He said much the same thing as Claudio, that all of the problems stem from my tight, inflexible ankles and feet.  On a more positive note, he also said that he couldn't see or feel anything that suggests that I couldn't do distance running.  (If I wanted to be a hurdler, however, there might need to be a reevaluation of goals.)  

The massage itself focused on my left leg and was mega-ouch, which I was expecting.  What I wasn't expecting was where the most mega of the ouches was.  I knew that my calf would hurt, and it did.  My hamstring hurt less than I thought that it would.  The massage of my achilles tendon felt really good.  But the tops of my feet and my ankles...OMG, I could have wept from the pain.  I'm sure that this is the reason why Adam has his appointments after hours at the gym's spa - there's no one around to hear you scream. 

When I finally stopped yowling, Adam gave me clear instructions about what to do about my training.  Much like Claudio, the advice comes down to 'Be sensible.'  Sigh.  I'm to go to the gym on Wednesday and Friday and use either the stationary bike or the elliptical trainer for as long as and to the same degree of intensity as that day's run would have been.  Two hours on the bike???  Yikes.

I'm to consult with him on Saturday and, if I feel okay after the cross-training sessions, then MAYBE I can do a short run/walk on Sunday.  But probably it'll just be a walk.  No running next week either, but lots of cross-training.  Adam is hopeful that by the end of next week, I'll be able to resume running.  He also thinks that I have enough base mileage and enough fitness from my pre-injury training to be able to get in enough runs prior to London.  Woo hoo!

Funnily enough, though, I actually feel okay at the moment about the possibility of maybe not being able to run London this year.  I've accepted that getting better from this, and corrrecting the things that have caused it in the first place, will take as long as it takes and I'm not about to do anything that will cause me further injury.  It feels good that I'm taking active steps to sort myself out and, even if it doesn't happen as soon as I'd like it to, I'm heading in the right direction.  With the help of my team, of course.

The newest member of Team Matchgirl.