Free No More

I’m 11 days into my journey of becoming a runner again.  Even though it has been less than 2 weeks, it has already had its ups and downs.   I’ve come to a few conclusions in this short time based on these ups and downs.  First of all, my Nike Free experiment is over.  Since my surgery, I had the thought that I would like to work my way into a more minimalist shoe.  I figured that it might actually help me strengthen my calf and ankle area if I did it gradually.  I thought it might even solve the calf issues that have plagued me over the past few years.  My run last Friday (only five days in) changed my way of thinking.  With less than a half mile left in a measly 3 mile run, I tweaked my right Achilles tendon.  It is the same side I had my ankle surgery on in January.  I think with all of my calf/Achilles strains I have had on the right side over the past 5 years, it has left that area predisposed to further damage.  The Free’s, which promote a forefoot strike, also put more stress on that area.  My ankle, Achilles, and calf are just not strong enough for that stress yet.  Maybe a few years down the road I will try again. 

That leaves me with coming back from a minor strain very short in my new training cycle.  I am going to do the best I can to cross train through it.  I’m going to treat each elliptical workout mentally like I would a run.  This will keep me energized about getting more fit.  This leads me to my second conclusion; I’m hungry for becoming more fit…not just becoming a runner again.  If it has to be cross training 5 out of every 7 days, so be it.  I am just enjoying seeing the progress on a daily basis right now.  I worked out for over 40 minutes each of the past few days and it felt great.  I’m looking forward to going over 50 minutes tomorrow.  I’m hungry in a way I have not been in over a year.  I’m down right now but not for the count.  I will become a runner again even if it is along a path that is normally not traveled.