There I was, on a cold Thursday night, facing a likely snow day on Friday. The accumulation predictions were going up by the hour, and I was certain we would be out. Things were sizing up to be the perfect fitness weekend, even if everything had to be indoors.
I kicked it off by doing a treadmill run at the club. At 35 degrees and raining, it was the absolute worst running conditions outside, and frankly the very reason I bought a club membership to begin with. So I did the run inside.
It actually didn't go poorly. Though I had only the window in front of me, I was able to pass the time quickly, and dropped the mile speed mile after mile. It was actually a pretty good run. Then I stretched, and lifted my legs afterward. I thought it was a solid workout because I got so much done in such an economy of time.
Something went awry along the way. My left shin, low above my ankle, hurt horribly by the time I got home. It wasn't bone, of that I was fairly certain. It mattered little. The pain was sufficient to make even thinking of running or riding the next day impossible. I couldn't walk any distance without severe pain.
The next day wasn't much better. I kept the foot elevated, iced it, and took pain relievers. That alone should tell you something. I won't take aspirin for the most part. I have to be hurting pretty badly to get to that point. I could take the pain, but I wanted to get the swelling down ASAP. By this time I was sure it was soft tissue injury, but in the sheath on the inside of my shin. Yes, compartment syndrome, though I'd never had anything come on so suddenly. I'm guessing I had a spasm of some kind, pulled a muscle, and the swelling inside the sheath was causing the pain.
So the next two days were spent sitting in a chair with my leg elevated - not training. The lost opportunity drove me crazy, but if I've learned anything, it's that you have to respect injury. This type of thing doesn't get better if you ignore it. It has to be treated.
So I am on Advil and ice, and no running for a week. I was able to spin today for 20 miles, and that went very well (so far). I will spin all week, every day, and if things progress well, I'll start light running again next week. It won't hurt me to take some down time on running anyway, and as long as I can do something, I won't go insane.
By the way, there were six of us tonight in the Energy Lab - Jimmy, Scott, Rand, Roy, John T., and me. It was a good time, the next best thing to riding outside. We ride again tomorrow night at 6 PM.
I kicked it off by doing a treadmill run at the club. At 35 degrees and raining, it was the absolute worst running conditions outside, and frankly the very reason I bought a club membership to begin with. So I did the run inside.
It actually didn't go poorly. Though I had only the window in front of me, I was able to pass the time quickly, and dropped the mile speed mile after mile. It was actually a pretty good run. Then I stretched, and lifted my legs afterward. I thought it was a solid workout because I got so much done in such an economy of time.
Something went awry along the way. My left shin, low above my ankle, hurt horribly by the time I got home. It wasn't bone, of that I was fairly certain. It mattered little. The pain was sufficient to make even thinking of running or riding the next day impossible. I couldn't walk any distance without severe pain.
The next day wasn't much better. I kept the foot elevated, iced it, and took pain relievers. That alone should tell you something. I won't take aspirin for the most part. I have to be hurting pretty badly to get to that point. I could take the pain, but I wanted to get the swelling down ASAP. By this time I was sure it was soft tissue injury, but in the sheath on the inside of my shin. Yes, compartment syndrome, though I'd never had anything come on so suddenly. I'm guessing I had a spasm of some kind, pulled a muscle, and the swelling inside the sheath was causing the pain.
So the next two days were spent sitting in a chair with my leg elevated - not training. The lost opportunity drove me crazy, but if I've learned anything, it's that you have to respect injury. This type of thing doesn't get better if you ignore it. It has to be treated.
So I am on Advil and ice, and no running for a week. I was able to spin today for 20 miles, and that went very well (so far). I will spin all week, every day, and if things progress well, I'll start light running again next week. It won't hurt me to take some down time on running anyway, and as long as I can do something, I won't go insane.
By the way, there were six of us tonight in the Energy Lab - Jimmy, Scott, Rand, Roy, John T., and me. It was a good time, the next best thing to riding outside. We ride again tomorrow night at 6 PM.
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