"I love it when a plan comes together . . ."

I'm so lucky!!  Okay . . . in an unlucky sort of way!  But lucky none the less!  Yesterday I went for my first run since surgery!  And it went perfectly!

The day before I had gone to my doctor for another post-surgery checkup.  My doctor was pleased and told me I could start walking some!!  Hahaha!!  I reminded him that the week before I had called and ask for their okay to walk and they had said it was okay as long as it didn't hurt.  He said, "Okay . . . well . . . just keep doing the same thing then.  And maybe you can start increasing your distance a tad."  I ask him what he meant and he suggested I maybe try to walk a half mile or so. 

I just started laughing!!!!  I then told him I was already walking 4 miles and was having no pain . . . just some swelling afterwards that was gone by the next day.  He just shook his head.  I reminded him THEY had said I could start walking as long as it didn't hurt and I was simply following what they said!!  Hahaha!!!

I told him my running gait wasn't like what he might think of as a "running gait."  Explained I had more of a shuffling sort of gait where I honestly didn't get "on my toes" at all.  I ask him why I couldn't try running some and see what happens.  He finally said "okay" but I had to promise to stop immediately if it started hurting at all and I agreed.

The lesson here for everyone is you sort of have to "push" your doctors!  Their normal instructions are always quite conservative . . . and that is okay.  But don't EVER just accept their first suggestions!  Negotiate!!  If they hold firm then do what they say . . . but push them!!

Okay . . . so yesterday I ran!  I was so excited because a snowstorm was suppose to hit about noon so my first run could be in the snow!!  Honestly . . . running in a snowstorm is my very favorite time to run . . . bar none!  So I waited until the roads were covered and then headed out!

I really was going to "be good!"  As I started running I was just focusing on how my toes were feeling.  Was there any pain at all?  No . . . none!  So I kept running . . . 1/4 mile . . . still no pain!  1/2 mile no pain!!!  So then I started thinking about how far I should go!

Before this last foot surgery I had really focused on going into surgery in really good physical condition.  I had worked quite hard the last few weeks to get my endurance up as far as I could.  Then, after surgery I stared exercising again within a few days!!  Even with my cast I found a way to plank!!  And once my cast came off I re-joined the YMCA and started using the stationary bike.  And as soon as I could I moved up to the ellipse machine and finally the AMT machine!

And last week when to doctor had told me I could start trying to walk normally (before this he wanted me to keep all my weight on my heel!) I added walking outside along with the ellipse workout.  And started off walking over 3 miles! 

So I had really maintained my aerobic capacity to a degree.

So yesterday I just kept running . . . maintaining an awareness of how my toes were feeling but more thinking about my pace and how far I could keep running.  And the answer was about 1 1/2 miles before I first had to walk!  Then it was a walk/run interval until I stopped . . . at 4.3 miles in about 58 minutes . . . not bad at all really!  And my toes never hurt!

It was an awesome run!  The roads were white . . . no cars . . . and only my tracks in the snow along with a few bird and squirrel tracks!  I love the silence . . . . sort of a loud silence plus some wind to blow the snow around some!! 

There is just nothing like running in a snowstorm!!