The Bulldozer Distracted Me!

9:37PM

It started out great. Today I mean. I had planned to do 10 miles. Had a great running week last week. Ran 28 miles and mostly felt good with the exception of some hot temps, but overall, it was a great week. Especially considering that I didn't run at all the week prior. I wasn't sure how my first week back would go after I took 9 days off for tendonitis. But it went great. Have I said that already?

So I planned a 10 miler. I wanted to try a new route. I love my routes, but every once in a while, you want something different, you know? I wanted the last 2 miles of my run to be through Radnor Lake. I haven't gotten to run there in a long time b/c of the recent floods. The floods destroyed sections of the road at Radnor and the public hasn't been allowed to walk through there since May 1. It just opened last week so I was anxious to go back through there. One problem. The main road to get to Radnor Lake's road is closed this week for construction. I knew this but hadn't seen it. So I had a decision to make....

Do I skip the route and try again next week? Or do I risk it, assume it's only closed for cars and assume I can get through on foot? I chose option B. I knew it would be closed to cars, but I figured there had to be a way through for me, a lowly pedestrian. I mean the construction workers have to get through, right? Even if I have to walk way over in the grass on the side of the road, surely there will be a way through, right? Oh there was a way through all right.

The weather was perfect. Low 70's. It rained last night so it was even a little cool outside. It was going to be a great run. I could feel it. And the first half was. I ran 5 easy. Great pace. Felt good. It was going by fast. Then I approached the construction site. I could see the cones and barriers as I approached. I was kindof excited. It was like an adventure. Was I going to be able to get through? I figured at worst I would not be able to get through and I could just turn around and go back the way I came. The site was at about the exact 5 mile point of this 10 mile run. As I got closer, I could tell that I was going to be able to get through. There were 2 very large machines in the road and the road dipped down a little, but it was passable. My gamble had paid off. Or so I thought. That's when I made my big mistake.

Note to self and all of yous reading.....if you are going through a construction site or even any kind of bumpy terrain, WALK, DON'T RUN!! Why I decided to run it, I'll never know. But I did. I wasn't running fast, mind you, but I was jogging. I got through the first set of barriers, around the first big machine, over the dip in the road. All I had left was the 2nd machine. A giant bulldozer. It was really blocking the road. I was either going to have to go under the "scoop" of the machine or hold on to the scoop and lean around it. There was a ditch on either side of it. I was looking at the machine while running trying to decide which to do when it happened. I must have stepped on a rough patch or a rock. I honestly don't know. But it twisted BAD! My ankle that is. My right foot went up and my ankle went down. In other words, my ankle and foot made an "L" shape in the wrong way. It was quick but it hurt like the devil himself. I yelped and immediately knew it was bad.

This happened to me before. About 10 years ago on a school trip with my students, I stepped wrong and the same ankle did the same thing. I heard the pop then and I heard it today. I almost ran into the bulldozer from the stumble. I quickly decided to hold on to the scoop and lean around it. It worked. But I couldn't keep running. My ankle was gone. I hobbled over to the side of the road and tried to stretch it. It hurt. I thought about calling my wife to come pick me up but quickly remembered I don't carry a phone. I had already passed the site so I wasn't going back the way I came. It was 5 miles either way anyways. I started walking. I was limping. I walked about a half mile and then decided to run a little. After all, we go to church early on Sundays. I had to get home at a certain time. I didn't have all morning to finish this run. I could run but I looked ridiculous because I was quickly trying to get to my good foot so it was a very unbalanced run. I approached the road that Radnor Lake is on. To top it all off, my other foot was getting a blister between two toes (where did that come from - I never get blisters anymore) AND I had to go to the bathroom.

When I got to Radnor Lake road, I stopped to walk again. I quickly hurried to the welcome center at the park praying it would be open. It was. Yay. Bathrooms. "Sorry, bathrooms closed due to Nashville water shortage". What? You have got to be kidding me. I went back outside and spotted the 2 port-a-johns. Oh yeah, I'm going for it. I didn't care. When you gotta go...... I walked up the hill to the lake and walked a little more. I decided to run a little through the park. That's pretty much how the rest of my run went. Walk run walk run. For what it's worth, it was a beautiful run through the park. I saw no less than 10 deer. One was in the road right in front of me and I as I ran up, she casually and calmly walked just out of my range. I could've so easily reached out and touched her. Saw baby deer. Just awesome. Wish my ankle didn't hurt so bad so I could really enjoy it. As you leave the park, you come to a huge hill. Down. I decided to run it. It was getting slightly easier to run, but still hurt a lot. I ran the rest of the way home. About a mile. I got home and had averaged just under 9 min. per mile (after subtracting 5 min. for the port-a-john visit) which I thought was good considering.

I knew what my ankle would look like before I took off my socks. And it was. Huge and swollen. Just like last time. Looks like the picture even though that's not me. It's still swollen right now as I type this. I've been icing all day and have worn a brace (that I got from last time) almost all day. I tried to run a few steps in the backyard tonight just to see. Nope. Too soon. It hurts. This kills me. I can't stand not running. I already did that. 2 weeks ago! I don't know when I'll try again but I can't wait long. I'm sorry. I know I need to take off a while. I'll just have to play it day by day and see. Arrrrggghh! Oh well, I've officially failed in goal #11 over there - "stay injury free". After tendonitis and this episode, I can throw that one out the window.

I'll keep you posted. Pray for a speedy recovery. I am. Again, even though I can't at the moment, I hope you....

Keep runnin',
Albert