After a brief set back after transitioning too quickly from treadmill running to road running, and killing my knees, I am back at it. I had to take a week off. SO far I have done several short run/walk sessions this week and all feels good. I switched shoes from NIke Lunar Eclipse (15mm heel to toe drop) to NIke Free Run 2.0 (7mm drop). I feel much more comfortable in those. I feel like my “form” is back. Although I am running much slower now.

Doc says everything looks good. My range of motion is equal other side. I can walk with barely the trace of a limp. He has cleared me to start to run. I still have basically no calf muscles, so running will be very limited, but at least I can start. The strength is really the only thing that is lacking now.

Walking in 2 shoes all the time now, and doctor has cleared me to walk around house barefoot or slippers, which is nice, no more crutches. He said another 4 to 6 weeks before I can start jogging. I can’t do that until I can walk without a limp. Walking is getting easier but the foot is still not working properly. All my joints are still tight, so it can be a little painful and I need to go slow so I can work on my form. Overall, things seem to be going well. I signed up for a race in March. I know I won’t be able to do much of it but last year was the innaugural, so I want to keep the series alive.

That good tendon is going to do a lot of extra work for a long while. Make sure you don’t overdo it and make you sure you stretch and work it appropriately.
I spent a few days at Disney World a week after surgery. The first day we got a wheelchair. When it came to getting on and off the bus I would just hop. That was not a good idea. The next day my good achilles was super sore. Luckily it was just sore, it could have been worse.

Today is 9 weeks post surgery, everything progressing well.  Last Thursday doc cleared me for 2 shoes. He said to wean out of boot over 7 - 10 days.  He wants my heel elevated so I am in cowboy boots or running shoes. All of my running shoes are low profile, 6 mm heel to toe drop being the max I have.  Bought a pair of Brooks launch (22 mm drop), doc added a 3/8 inch lift to that.  The hardest part is walking with the proper form.  No calf strength so I have to go through the motion of pushing off.

All Along my doctor has said that when people start walking again after surgery love cowboy boots. He said the extra heel really helps them out. Well I am 7 weeks post surgery and I am full weight bearing on boot. I got some sweet cowboy boots over the weekend. I wish I had gotten them long ago. Walking with one and the boot is so much easier. My hips are level. There is less strain on hip flexors and knee.

This is my first post 7 1/2 weeks after surgery.  The doctor says all is going well; wound healed nicely and I am cleared to put full weight on boot. After 2 weeks he thinks I will be out of the boot and I can’t wait.  Driving is tops on my list. Bought new car yesterday and its just sitting there.

In reading the blogs, I am most interested in hearing from other runners. I want to know how you are doing 3 months, six months and so on down the road.  Are you back to where you were pre-injury, or are you feeling lasting effects.

I was training for the 1st ever Rock n Roll St. Louis Marathon. 3 weeks out when I foolishly did a pre-dawn marathon pace run and stepped right into a pothole.  Went down in a heap, complete rupture. That was a Wednesday and surgery the following Monday.

Don’t run fast in the dark.