PB at Ironman #15
11 09 2009I did another Ironman distance race last weekend (Sept. 5) and had my best day ever. 12 hrs and 6 min. Minus some goggles issues and other miscellaneous stuff, I was easily under 12 hrs. Next time.
The achilles felt great, I thought I felt it halfway through the run but I was hurting everywhere so I ignored it and the pain shifted elsewhere.
I did have a scare 6 days before the race, as I was very sore in my soleus and other areas surrounding the achilles — all from racing maybe just a bit too hard that day. I had some ART, massage and lots of rest (in my taper anyway) and felt just fine for the race.
I full race report can be read here if you are into that sort of thing.
http://www.teamrunningfree.com/blog/2009/09/07/canadian-iron-226/
So keep persevering out there everyone. It can be done, it will be done, and you will be back at it just like before the ATR or even better.
This is likely my last post.
So thanks for reading, I hope these posts were of some use to others going through the same thing (ok, I know that already from all the emails I’ve received–thanks for those). Feel free to keep sending questions if you have them.
This whole Achilles Blog site is phenomenal and godsend.
Thanks to all.
Hoss
That’s awesome - and I’m just aiming to be able to walk!
Sam
Hey,
I’m a 34yr old guy, quite active, and was doing a fair bit of gym work before I got this injury, got it kicking a punch bag during some personal training!
I’m in week 8 post op, achilles rupture (complete) RHS, just about 1″ up from the heel. Had surgery about 5 days after the injury. My doc is very conservative. First cast came off after 2 weeks for a check, all looked good and another went on for 6 weeks, came off yesterday. For the entire 8 weeks in the cast, my foot was pointing downward. Im now in a boot, he wanted to put me in a cast for another 4 weeks, but I insisted I go in the boot instead, because I wanted to start having my foot feel like a foot again. I have to stay in the boot for another 5 weeks, then rehab. I walked around a bit last night with some extra heel in my shoe to see what it was like, obviously cant weight bear, but it went OK. Today for caution though I’m just going to use the boot all day, don’t want to over do it, as the pain is kicking in.
What are your thoughts on my recovery from now on, my 16 month old sure wants to play alot, and I want to see what I can do during this 5 week period before i see the doc again, I gotta do something!!
Kicking a punching bag? Yikes!
I just looked at what I posted at the 8 week post op period and I started physio once I got my last cast off.
It sure seemed a lot longer than that when I went through it.
What to do? Yes, it does sound like your doc is being more conservative but in reality you are not going to be able to do a heck of a lot at this point anyway. It is nice to be liberated from the cast or boot but that injured side is weak. Use that boot for support (I did so every so often) and have patience. You do not want to re-injure that thing — I was always reminded of that with every mini scare I had. I think what helped me bounce back successfully was a lot of bike riding (indoors), and the use of compression socks to help with increasing blood flow and thus recovery. There are a lot of expensive ones out there ($40-60 a pair), but I went on ebay and got 6 pairs for around $30. They were rated at 20-30 mmHg of compression. I still use them almost every night at bedtime.
Best of luck to you, be patient (you will be back at it and where you want to be — just not right now or in a month or two), enjoy that 16 month old but just don’t do anything wacky –those little irregular movements are the ones that freaked me out the most. Happy healing.
Hoss,
You really are an inspiration and I have learned alot about perseverance (even though I haven’t been steady at practicing it!) from reading your posts. I wish you the best in all of your future races.
Tamar
Thanks. Glad to be of help. I am just doing my best to show we can all get back to where we were or even surpass it. I still don’t think I am out of the woods yet. Still the occasional soreness in the same areas that used to bug me prior to the ATR. All the best to you.
Hoss,
I ran across your blog and it has been very inspiring. I’m at week 6, still NWB, after a full rupture in my left side, playing tennis. I had stopped playing tennis for 10 years then returned with a vengeance at age 44, playing like I was when I was in my teens. This whole experience has been quite daunting and scary. I’ve already had a shoulder and two knee surgeries which I didn’t think was scary at all but this is a whole different level of scary.
I’m work as a psychologist at a hospital. My days are fast paced and I work two 12 days during the week. I’m trying to decide when it would be safe and HEALTHY to return to work. I’m thinking at the 12 week mark once I can confidently walk without aids (crutches, knee caddy’s). Do you have any advice?
Many thanks in advance!
Richard
Sorry for the delay, all comments were going to junk mail in an old account. You are talking to the wrong guy because I returned to work two days after surgery. It was very tiring and I had to elevate my leg often because the blood would pool in the leg. Other than that it was okay. Best of luck with your recovery.
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