Ankle Holding Up! Off To The Races This Weekend?

I noted in my O’Gara’s Irish Run 8K race report that I turned my ankle on Saturday at the start of the race, but then it was totally fine until I finished the race. Then it started to hurt, and I realized I at least slightly hurt it. I went to my chiropractor yesterday (Dr. Backus), and he poked around it and had me push against him in all kinds of ways, and he’s not too concerned. He notes there’s probably some ligament issues, but he expects it to be better soon.

The race was Saturday. I didn’t do anything on Sunday. On Monday, I went for a shorter swim. I think the act of kicking (pointed toe with water pressure against the top of my foot) actually helped “stretch” out the ankle, but it also got a little sore from just the water pushing against the sore parts of my ankle. There’s pain right below the outside of my ankle bone, but the most of the “ache” throughout the day walking around is above that up the side of my leg. (That’s the ligament issue that Backus says I hurt a little.) But swimming didn’t make it hurt any more later in the day.

And then on Tuesday (yesterday) I tried running on it before seeing Dr. Backus. And it felt FINE. It didn’t hurt any more than it had been, and it didn’t ache any more later in the day! That’s when I knew for sure that I hadn’t really screwed it up.

So then Backus did some Graston Technique on my knee, ankle, and lower leg to help loosen things up. Then he taped my hairy body:

Three pieces of tape around my knee, and 2 on my ankle.

He sees no reason why I can’t race this weekend. So, unless it’s glare ice, I’ll probably be racing the Lake Johanna 4 Mile with the boys in the stroller. I last raced that 3 years ago, when I raced it with both boys in the stroller. I finished in 24:16, or 6:04 pace. I suppose that’s a good goal for this weekend, but I’m just there to get in a hard run effort. Plus, the boys have GAINED WEIGHT over the last 3 years!! That goal might be quite unattainable! I was in real good shape 3 years ago...

p.s. I have work in an exhibition at Hamline University right now (through the end of the month), and I stopped by to photograph the show last week. Here’s a post on my Photo Blog that shows everything in the exhibition. Check it out!