Middle Aged Ligaments Suck!

So, I am out tonight intending to have a lovely 10 km. Let's talk about the weather first - temp is mild, there was some snow last night and this morning but the sidewalks, for the most part are clear. There are, however, hunks of ice, on the sidewalk, leftovers from the last plowing. You know what I mean, the kind that, somehow, regardless of where your foot is and regardless of wherever they are, they wind up under your soles like some podiatric intergalactic missile. Well, that's what happened tonight. One foot, one ice hunk, one twisted ankle. Dang! And only 7 or 800 metres into the run. So, with the help of my buddies I hobbled back to the car. Didn't feel that badly but I did not want to slow them down. I did have a secret thought that, perhaps, when I got back to my place I would test the strained ankle in my own neighbourhood after it had an opportunity to rest (on the drive home)!



Got in the car and wouldn't you know it...when I had accelerated (gas ankle = hurt ankle) it hurt like hell. I think the slight plantar extension required in depressing the gas pedal is the same plantar extension that is utilized in running. Hmmm...nix the Plan B run. Anyway, I got home and decided to give my daughter, the physiotherapy student, an opportunity to do a clinical assessment and write a plan of therapy. She said, "where does it hurt?" I said, "right across here". "Does it hurt when you do this?" "Yes." "How about when you do this?" "Yes". "Hmmm...I think you should put ice on it and rest it for a few days...oh, I would recommend that you not go to spin tomorrow." "Is that it? Is that all you're going to tell me?" "yeah, that's what we tell everybody!"... Bottom line is I have a 51 year old ankle. Came to that realization when I was sprawled on the Hampton Road. Gawd! I feel so betrayed - my ankle has failed.



So, what's an old gal to do? Those ligaments, tissues, muscles, bones and such become so vulnerable. Something I would have totally ignored not that long ago, an ache or a pain, is now a source of hand wringing for me. I must now think about bone density, degenerative changes consistent with age, that intense fear of infirmity. I hate it when I am reminded of the frailties of the human body. Gosh, if running did anything for me, it was to facilitate the complete suppression of that fact.



K, this has been my cathartic moment. Tomorrow I will skip my spin class and apply ice to my ankle 3 or 4 times daily. And I will be out with my running group Wednesday night. Or not...



The Middle Aged Runner