So.  A few weeks after I got into the boot, I gave the boot the boot.  I was walking (slowly) on the track at the high school, and at week 4 I was cleared to start other therapy.  Joe is an avid reader of all things running, and came across an article about a female ultrarunner who rehabbed her way back from a stress fracture by pool running.  For those of you who do not know what this is, it is the equivalent of swimming through molasses.  You basically “run” by pushing yourself through the water with your arms and legs while trying not to drown.  Done correctly, the cardio benefits are amazing – and it keeps your running muscles fit with zero impact.  I was all over that like a cheap suit.  Two days a week I was walking 2-3 miles on the track, and two days a week I was pool running for 20-30 minutes, and two days a week I was doing 5-6 miles on a stationary bike.  I kept up with my icing and massage.  Slowly the pain in my ankle began to subside and I was able to add more and more exercise to my repertoire.

Now I have to give the disclaimer here.  My doctor approved the pool running and the stationary bike.  He had no idea that I was walking without the boot and would probably have been quite displeased at my aggressive approach to my rehab. Here we were, only 4 weeks after my fall, and I was already testing my limits.  But as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not known for my rule-abiding, conservative approach to life.  I tend to focus single-mindedly on the road ahead, and I don’t let anything get in my way.  A measly fractured ankle was NOT going to deter me from getting what I wanted.

At five weeks I was cleared to start using the elliptical, so I added 15-20 minutes of that to my walking days.  And my doctor told me that I could start “jogging” after 6 weeks.  I had been eagerly awaiting this day and could barely contain my glee.  I had managed to bring myself from a potential season-ending fracture to the brink of being a runner again.  So, being the careful, cautious person that I am (sense the sarcasm??) I ran a 5k exactly 6 weeks to the day from my injury.  And PRd.  Oh yeah.  Bring on Hartford!!