Matt Guild

It has been a long haul since I did something to my ankle back in December while trying to complete a speed workout on a treadmill. It was kind of ironic that I got hurt on the treadmill since I was there to avoid the icy footing outside as I revved up for what I hoped to be a return to 5 minute mile form. At first I thought it was something minor but by the afternoon I could barely walk. Then it was seven weeks before I felt able to attempt running again. Though there was some pain I thought things were getting better so I signed up to go to indoor nationals in mid-March, thinking 4 weeks of training would be enough. It was enough training so I didn’t embarrass myself at the meet but it wasn’t enough time to let the ankle heal and nine and a half hard laps of the 200 meter track later it was apparent that I had set myself back a bit in the recovery. I returned to easy training when I probably should have taken time off. At least I was smart enough to cancel plans for the Burlington Invitational in May but I signed up for the Vermont Senior Games track meet in June to make sure I qualified for next years National Senior Games and then mixed in days off with a minimal amount of training so I could participate in the USATF Masters National Track and Field Championship in July. When the final event of that meet was in the books I finally admitted to myself that I needed to take time off and let the ankle heal. After four weeks of no running I started easy running at the end of August and ran just fast enough in the Vermont Senior Games 5k and 10k road races in September and August to qualify and mixed in a 8 mile run at the Front Porches Half Marathon event. Even though I can still feel something not quite right in the ankle when I balance on that one leg, it feels better than it has since December and I am considering running in the Dee Run tomorrow just to take part in a local community event. With a forecast for rain and a rugged cross country course it could be a recipe for disaster but somehow the chance seems so remote to my little brain is severely tempted.