Shuffles

I've graduated from "Hobbles" to "Shuffles". Today I had my first real run since The Injury of '13. What a great feeling that was!

This is how I felt. It may not have been how I looked.

I started off slow, as per my trademark. When I say slow, I'm talking S-L-O-W. It didn't take long for the group to leave me in the dust. On the warm-up!
The plan was to do 5x 200m sprints followed by a 3k time trial. Ha!
That was other people's plan. My plan was to walk/jog as many 200m sprints as I could before my ankle started to ache, and then shuffle back to the car and put my foot on ice.
Initially I thought I could focus on superb form since I was stuck running so slow anyway. But after two steps it was very clear that a shuffle was the best I could do. And since it felt silly to use the shuffle-style of running for my right leg and the cycle-style for my left leg, I stuck with shuffle-style all around.
After 3 reps of 200m shuffles (with a 200m walking recovery) I was feeling okay. The 4th one was definitely at my limit. My body wanted to limp but I sternly told it to go slower than the 8min/km I had been doing to prevent any limpage from occurring. I have learned the wrong way that limping should be avoided at all costs if one wants a speedy recovery without any complications.

I'd like to think I'm of the category of "Runner stops running until injury goes away" because that seems like the smartest category. But I look at myself - at the runners around me - and notice how we all get up before 5am multiple times a week to run before work, and I don't know that I can classify any of us in the "smartest" category.

I called it a day after my 4th 200m rep that and shuffled back to the car. On the way I had the blessing of introducing myself to one of the most cheerful men you will ever meet at 6am. Every early morning walker & runner knows this cheerful bloke who greets you every day with a big smile and a jovial "good morning! It's a very beautiful morning today!" But as I am always running, I don't really have the time to stop and chat. Until today! I'll let you insert your own thoughts about training hard & fast vs stopping to say hello. I certainly have my thoughts.
So after I chatted with my new friend for a bit I continued to shuffle back to the car. All up, I only walk/ran about 3k. I iced my foot as my kind but stern running pals all told me to do, but I think it was alright. I hadn't pushed myself hard and - while a part of me is wondering if I could have pushed a bit more - I'm satisfied with this first run back post-injury.
So far I've been seeing almost daily improvements in my ankle. Let's hope it keeps happening in this fashion!