PT Showoff

Another bogeyman stared down in my recovery. I had a PT appt at 8 this morning so I had to get out in the dark and run on the streets if I was to get a run in. It was just getting light when I stepped outside, but I felt very ill at ease. The morning gloom flashed me right back to that ill fated run in Columbus when I first twisted the ankle. I did keep running, eyes peeled to the ground, and reliving that wretched step every time I went on or off a curb.

Ran an Art Museum loop. Mentally I struggled with demons, and just carried the anxiety with me. Physically, however, it went well. Ran it at a decent pace, getting to MLK Drive by the Art Museum in under 30 minutes, generally the bar for whether I'm slacking on that loop or not. The weather was a bit chillier but right in the middle of my comfort range, and most of the leaves have by now fallen. I felt sad about this as I ran by Irvine Auditorium. This building on Penn campus, when it towers over orange and red trees, is one of my favorite seasonal running sights, but I missed it this year. I missed alot of things this year.

A time of 54:23 for this loop of 6 and a quarter miles, and I did slow a bit at the end in the name of being careful after my ankle started to ache, but in good places.

Saw Maureen, my PT, after that, biking all the way out to Elmwood & Island Ave for a second workout to get there. She was very excited about my progress. She keeps records of what I can and can't do when she twists, pushes, and stretches my ankle - showing me all the things I am now doing that I couldn't do a week and a half ago. That is encouraging. She was also happy to hear that my run this morning seemed to be steady and gave me the green light to continue with the running. And I got more, harder exercises to continue developing my proprioflexion.

And for all my progress Reba calls me a PT showoff.