Since that day, I have increased the amount of constant running time and I am up to 20-30 minutes (it depends on the day and how paranoid I feel that something bad might happen).

My speed during the actual running phase ranges from 6:27/km to 6:00/km pace. I often get the urge to go faster but I will hold back. Nothing faster than 6 minute per km pace for at least the rest of the month. I will stick to this promise.

The hump/bump at my bottom scar is still very much there. My physio is still working on it. Strength is slowly coming along on my left side and the Achilles still feels a bit tight. Full one legged heel raises (to equal ability as the right side) is still a challenge. When this makes a more dramatic improvement, then I will increase the pace of my runs. Plus, my physiotherapist is telling me to hold back too.

That’s all for now. I will try and update is post later with workout details.

Happy healing to all. Thanks for reading.

Hoss

I’ve been a bit tardy with my posts but when you are at this point in the recovery process there is not much going on so there is not too much to comment about. Plus, when you are more mobile, you don’t sit around the computer as much. This is why I am now going to post every 2 weeks (unless something huge happens).

Physio still happens twice a week for me and it is much of the same as before. My physiotherapist is still working on smushing the rest of the hump out. There is a general overall soreness in the whole achilles area. That may be due to the increased strength exercises and movement stresses I am putting on it. By the way, doing one legged raises in a swimming pool is so much easier. I discovered this last week and sure wish I started doing this a month ago.

I started walking on the treadmill this week and threw in a few 1 minute bursts of “running”. The fastest I’ve gone at those 1 minute bursts is 6:00/km pace. The strength is definitely not there. I did 2 5.3 km sessions. One for 50 min, and yesterday for 46 min. So not speedy at all but it is a start.

I vowed to start running by November so only one day to go. We will see what happens.

Happy healing to all. Thanks for reading.

Hoss

I can now do one-legged heel raises unassisted. It is definitely not like my right side but this is huge for me. Yesterday, I was at the gym and a little voice in my head told me to get on the treadmill to give it a go. But I resisted and held firm with my plan not to run until November. Now, that may change to the last week of October but until then I will continue to do some strengthening along with my physio.

Happy healing to all. Thanks for reading.

Hoss

I took my trusty Siena road bike out for a 40 km ride and it felt glorious. I’ve missed a whole summer of training and it felt great to be back out there again. Despite the extra 20 lbs of belly, I was powering the flats and hills. My heart rate was through the roof though. Way above where it would be if I was in racing condition. The Achilles felt fine and I was loving every minute of it.

My left side continues to get stronger and I am doing my one leg heel/toe raises will minimal assistance (the index finger in each had holding on to a table or wall). It still feels a little tight at the extreme ends of ankle plantar and dorsi flexion but that is coming along too.  Progress is being made in smushing out my lone bump at my bottom incision holes.

That’s all for now. I now gotta head out for another ride in some 24 degree weather. This will probably be the last outdoor ride I’ll do in this type of weather for quite some time. To all Canadians, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanks for reading.

Hoss

My massage therapist told me that there is a ton of inflamation and swelling on my left side so today a started my leg in an ice bucket ordeal once again. Fun stuff.

I used to do this before the ATR but now it is back. I’ll try to do it every day if I remember.

Til next time, thanks for reading.

Hoss

I rode my mountain bike home from work all week (25-30 minute trip) and all went perfect until Friday. At one stretch of my route where I have to ride on the sidewalk, I moved over on the grass to give a pedestrian a wide berth. Upon return to the sidewalk, the tire got caught on a deep groove between the cement and the grass and down I went. Immediately I checked out my left side to make sure everything was ok with the Achilles and it was fine. It was stinging a bit but felt normal after a few minutes back on the bike. As far as everything else, other than a bit of road rash on my forearm and elbow, and some embarrassment, I felt great and just continued home.

Today, I did 45 minutes on the eliptical machine and my left leg (below the knee) did feel a bit tingly for 20 minutes afterwards. But that may be due to the new shoes I was trying out since it feels fairly normal now.

RIP Paul Newman.

Til next time, thanks for reading.

H

I saw my surgeon (Dr. Haider @ Markham-Stouffville Hospital) on Thursday. He poked around, said that tendon was solid and pronounced that I no longer need to come back to see him. Wooo hooo!!!!

My physio routine remains the same (hydro bath in warm/hot water, ultrasound, laser and deep massage). I also do a lot of biking, swimming, and started weights (upper body and one legged squats, etc.) along with the elliptical machine this week. The elliptical is really great for runners trying to get prep themselves for when they do start running. It helps build strength and more flexibility of the tendon.

I’m still not able to raise up on one leg on my injured side but it is getting much better. I can do so with less support/assistance each week so maybe a breakthrough is coming soon.

Good luck everyone.

Til next time. Thanks for reading.

Hoss

The Achilles itself is not sore, but I still get a bunch of heel pain if I am on my feet too long. Making use of the Achillotrain and various insoles helps.

Physio still consists of: hydrobath, deep massage (still working on reducing that bump), ultrasound, and laser.

I’ve finally upped my weekly workout time to 5 hours. I don’t feel any motivation to start training yet because I miss running. I’ve got to start making a dent in the weight loss department so I wrote myself a program today to keep myself honest. The program takes me to January 2009, where I plan to start running (for real) and my training for Ironman Lake Placid in July.

Til next week.

Thanks for reading.

This week my left heel took a beating. It was very sore each day. I experimented with various insoles, footwear, the Achilotrain brace, etc. The only meaningful relief was my sit breaks and icing it down at home. Despite the pain, I do think that all this moving around is good. By the end of the week I have more flexibility and strength. I can actually do a modified type of run where I don’t plant and push off with the forefoot (I discovered this after another accidental run). Can I actually run now? Probably, but why take the chance. I’ll be patient for a another few months.

My physio is trying to challenge me with more strength exercises and he is making serious inroads in reducing the little scar tissue bump at the lower incision. Quite a painful process though.

I just got back from my first Masters Swim session. It felt great but my foot is a but sore from the kicking.

Til next time.

Happy healing.

I continue to get physio 3 times a week, and my limp is pretty much gone. I only do so when my heel starts hurting from too much time on my feet. Nothing to do with the actual Achilles at all. My balance is tons better (working on the balance board — front/back, side to side, squatting, and closed eyes). One legged strength is slowly getting better on the left side too.

My physiotherapist continues to do deep massage to mush out the scar tissue. I still have a bit of a bump at the bottom incisions but the surgeon says that is normal. Last Friday, my massage therapist gave me a deep massage on my gastroc, soleus, achilles, etc., and while it hurt like heck during the massage, afterwards I felt like I never had any injury whatsoever. She totally stripped the muscles and wiped any tightness away. I’ll be making bi-weekly or weekly visits if possible. I definitely suggest doing this to help your recovery. Make sure you find a massage therapist that is not scared to get in deep and knows what they are doing. I had one who did a light massage one week earlier and that did not do the trick.

I continue to ride the bike as much as I can (highlighted by a 1 hr 22 min. ride while watching the Olympic Marathon on TV) and I’m up to pushing 180 watts for at least 10 minutes. I can do more but why push things at this point in time. Just steady aerobic riding as often as I can to shed all these pounds I’ve put on since the ATR. I was 172.8 lbs on the day of the rupture and I am 185 lbs today. I expected much worse actually so I’m quite happy it is only a 12 lb gain.

The fun begins next week because school is back in session and I return to work. My heel will get a real workout since I’ll be a lot more active. I will make sure to get my sit breaks though.

Thanks for reading,

Hoss.

I’ve included some pictures below. They are not the greatest quality but not bad for a cell phone camera and you should be able to still see the little bump near the bottom.