One Year Anniversary
A few days ago I hit that one-year Achilles Marathon milestone. One year since surgery for chronic, severe achilles tendinosis and Haglund’s excision. At that time I had spent two years chasing a non-surgical cure with no success. I had been a runner for 37 years but could not longer even walk without limping. I didn’t know if the surgery would lead to me being able to run again, but knew I didn’t want to be limping and avoiding activity for the rest of my life.
The recovery is long, no two ways about it. Progress is not always measurable. Patience wears thin. Hope surges, hope wains. But TIME leads to more and more healing, even when you can’t see it or feel it. This blog was a regular source of information, comfort and encouragement. A big shout out to the achillesblog community for the incredible support it provides!
I am happy to report that I have returned to running - something I love to do. At 11 months I ran a half-marathon on a hilly, part-trail-part-road course (1:50:40 - 8:27/mile pace). I’m not back to my previous race paces but can put in 35 miles a week and feel good doing it. This far exceeds my expectations. Goals for 2015: Run a marathon in the Spring, qualify again for Boston, and actually get to run Boston now that my achilles is healthy! If training for a marathon proves too much for my achilles, then so be it. I’m thrilled to be running again and feeling fit. I’m thrilled not to be limping around and avoiding “doing too much.” I’m grateful for a successful result. Grateful for the journey.
