On the Mend

            USA’s did not go as I had planned but looking back I was still glad I was able to compete. Leading up to the race, even the morning of, I was unsure if I would even be able to toe the line and race. My left Achilles was swollen and very tender. Walking hurt so how was I supposed to expect to be able to race?

            At 6:50pm I headed out for my warm up. It was a beautiful warm night. My Achilles hurt but I told myself over and over again, “I am going to race. I can do this!” The trainers did a great job of taping my lower leg but no amount of fancy tape job could magically make the swelling disappear. I did my warm up as usual and tried to not think about anything but the race.

            When the gun went off my mind took me someplace else. I was not even thinking about my Achilles and so did not notice it. At least I don’t think I did. I do remember at one point in the second half feeling it for a split second and then telling myself to block it out. I was very focused and determined in the race and stayed positive the entire time but my body would not respond. A lot of people would say it was due to the altitude but I have lived and raced at altitude my entire life and this was a different feeling.

            I literally felt asleep on my feet. My lungs weren’t burning like I expected nor were my legs loading up. I just felt like my muscles were mush and I couldn’t go any faster no matter how hard I tried. Everything was slow motion for me. Like a dream where you are trying to run from something but your legs, seemingly stuck in concrete, will not move. And just like that the race was over and I was left wondering, what just happened?

            After I finished I initially thought it didn’t affect me (form wise) during the race, but Levi said it looked like I was favoring one leg. I know my injury did not help the situation but what I think affected me a great deal were the days leading up to the race. I was unable to run after traveling as I usually do, I couldn’t even walk to get my blood pumping. I didn’t sleep very well as my subconscious mind was completely focused on my Achilles. I remember waking up several times during the night and each time I would move my Achilles and think is it healed? Only to discover it was not. Not even knowing if I could race is not good mental preparation either.

            Some people may question whether it was smart to race and typically in this situation I would not race nor would I advice anyone to race. But looking at where I was in my season, the fact that I had traveled all the way down there to compete made me weigh the pros and cons. I got looked at by the guys from St. Vincent’s and they did not think there was a big risk of me tearing it. Racing would set my healing time back a day or so but I was planning on taking a few days off after USA’s anyways. On race day the tendon was better than the day before so I did not think I was doing anything too crazy. Plus I told myself if I felt any signs of something bad happening I would step off the track.

            Though my Achilles was extremely mad at me for racing in the days after, I am very glad I raced and stand by my decision. Looking at the glass as half full, through the ordeal I was able to work with the guys from St. Vincent Sport Performance and figure out what might be the underlying cause of my Achilles injuries. That in and of itself was worth it! They did an amazing job of treating my injury and I even came home with a bunch of exercises to help fix the problem. Instead of treating the actual injury they also looked for the cause. My Achilles’ have become a point of great frustration for me as I can’t seem to figure out why they continue to cause me problems. But now I have a possible cause and a solution to the problem and I am extremely optimistic about that.