15 Miles. No Pain, All Gain.

    That sickening old cliche. "It's always darkest before the dawn..."

     Maybe sometimes it can ring true?

    Last weekend found running less, in pain, and wondering if the last 5 months of rehab and time off was in vain.

   Whatever that mysterious resurgence was, it must have been a momentary setback. Muscles too fatigued from cross-training? Some inexplicable inflammation increase? Just a cranky last gasp from the injury?

    I came home from the PT in tears and despair. Then I ran a 3 miler, and it was much improved. I ran 4.5 a couple of days later. No pain.

    Today, I ran 7.5 miles. I felt good the entire time. There was no pain, not during nor after. I iced and took ibuprofen to be sure, anyway.

      I could hardly contain my excitement, both during the run (especially once I hit 6 miles) and after. I've been sore- but content and glowing for the rest of the day. This is what a long- well, longish, for now-  run feels like! Oh my God... it's awesome. 

    Maybe it's the Protech IT band strap I'm wearing, cinching it tightly above my knee to keep the IT band from moving forward over the lateral epicondyle? I tried it back when I was freshly injured, and it didn't work... but let's be fair, everything hurt back then. Now it seems to be a game-changer. It's slightly uncomfortable, but far less uncomfortable than pain. Or not running.

     Maybe it's the Hokas? Every time I try to run longer distances in my other trainers, I have more pain. The wide, stable platform and the forward "rocker" design seem to change me gait slightly, just enough to make a difference.

    I still don't care for the shoe. It doesn't feel like my other shoes, not as streamlined, not as smooth. Conspicuous, big, and obnoxious. But if the shoe Makes Running Great Again for me, I can get on the bandwagon. Hoka should have a baseball cap made for that.

    Maybe it's just time. Maybe my body has healed. Maybe that was the last battle before the victory. I hope so. I'm so ready to move beyond this nearly 5 month struggle. Ready to run.

     A 15 mile, pain-free week was never so appreciated.