Crystal clear

I don't think I ever posted this: last Friday I got the release, and since then, I've been able to start weaning myself from wearing my ankle brace.

During the ice storm this week, as I walked to and from work, my snow boots (worn for the first time this year) worked as well as my ankle brace. The rest of the week, I wore it sometimes, and sometimes not. I felt really naked without it at first.

Last night, I ran half a mile, each 1/8th mile lap with 1/2 mile walked lap between, without my brace. Woo-hoo!

I had the hugest jones for a run today, and I was walking on my ankle without wrapping it all day (at church), so this evening I went for a 5-mile, slow run. And it feels pretty good. It hurts, but not "oh my gods I can barely walk" hurts, just "give me the icepack" hurts.

(Also, after two miles I have so many beta-endorphins running around in my system that I can't tell how much stuff hurts unless it's really really bad. So I had to wait until an hour after my run before I noticed an immediate need for the icepack.)

So maybe I didn't really tear anything after all, or the tarsal doesn't have any kind of crack. All would be very well if that were the case. As I think about the coming week, I am going to plan for some running.

I didn't run today. Instead, I slept at the park, and then in the back yard, and then for a short while on the couch. In between, I ate.

Um, okay, I get the point.

It's going to be 95 again tomorrow. I'm really trying to rest up now. Funny, a veggie burger sounds really good right now. That, and a nap, and pickles.

I've slowly started back training. I ran 10 miles last week, and I'm on track for 12 this week. Mostly dirt trails, and somehow that seems better on my shoulder.

I'm cautiously optimistic as I sit here icing. ( here's why )
It's all about tons of progress.

Oh! And I had a fun time running Tuesday. I scanned the trail map into my brain, then took off from my car into the woods. About 2 miles later, I said to myself, "Self, in about 13 minutes, we should be back, and that's good, 'cuz I'm pooped."

About 12 minutes later, my sense of direction was tingling (like a spidey-sense, you know?). I seemed to be running toward the sun, and the map in my brain (which seemed fuzzy as I tried to access it) indicated I should be running away from the sun. But trails twist, etc.

Running along the bottom of a ridge, though, and then climbing another one, still toward the sun, seemed suspicious, especially with it being 19 minutes since the 2 mile point. So I turned around and walked (you betcha!) back to the last friendly sign pointing me to a road.

Good thing: my internal map was right, I had somehow taken a wrong turn. Bad thing: I have no idea where the wrong turn was, didn't see it coming or returning.

I'll be running that trail backwards after my bike ride on Saturday, just to find the turnout.

Someone, L I think, asked if I identify as an athlete. I think I'm starting to. I do things that athletes do, although I haven't done them for long. I am starting to hang out with athletes, and I feel both comfortable and welcomed. I work hard at working my body, and taking care of it, so that it will perform for me. I am reading about improving my body and the things it can do.

Am I an athlete? Or do I have to wait until I've done more than the two fun 5Ks I've done? (one really shouldn't count: I'd been running 6 weeks in my whole life.) Do I have to actually compete in a duathlon or triathlon before I can say I'm an athlete? What if I run some 5K and 10Ks?

Does running 20+ miles a week, and riding 70+ miles a week, make me an athlete? What does?

Is it something inside me, or something that other people see?