I have succumbed to the pain. As hard as it is, and it’s hard, I have enjoyed the rest from running. Unfortunately, it has not led to a rapid change in the pain or even a slight move in the pain-free direction. The reality, it seems, is that I likely ran on concrete way too much, causing my body to respond in an angry inflammation of my ankle tendon. I am still determined to run the marathon and I am only allowing myself to rest until Thursday. I know it’s not enough time, but I am eager to run again. I have iced a countless number of times in an attempt to expedite my chances of recovery, but ice is not nice. Sure it numbs the pain, but after my frozen ankle thaws and I take my first steps the realization that my injury is a bit more serious than I anticipated is blatantly apparent. The part that’s frustrating is that the training was going far better than I had expected. I had run much faster than I ever thought possible and the wear and tear on my body seemed to lessen over time. I believed, as a child believes in Santa Claus, that all the pain would subside and I would finish my training and eventually the ½ marathon with utmost ease. Now I may not even be able to run. I have considered pushing myself through the pain and finishing the race, followed by a long rest from running and ample time to heal. I should likely do it in reverse order – heal first and run later. I refuse to give up. I don’t want to give up. I have to wait and see how I feel tomorrow, but the outlook is grim.
Running On Empty 