Still so much to catch up on, but I thought I’d start with something a little bit useful 🙂
First, an important bit of backstory. On my wedding morning, I had really wanted to do a long trail run, but Mike and friends told me not to risk falling. So I decided to stick to the gravel roads in my neighborhood and head up Warren Road, a steady hill that surprisingly has less vert than when I do loops around the more typical undulating terrain in my area. I think of it as a pretty easy route, at only three miles, and since it’s all on roads and not trails, it’s one I consider pretty “safe.” But wouldn’t you know, on my wedding morning, I somehow tripped on puppy Sam (never done that before) and launched myself in a full-on Superman layout into the gravel!
My legs were absolutely covered in blood, but I realized that my hands only got a little scraped up, and reminded myself that I’d be wearing a big ballgown that would hide my legs entirely. By the time I got home, I thought it was kind of funny, even though Mike was horrified. One of my favorite stories from the wedding was how Mike did his best to bandage me up before we left home, as I laughed hysterically about how I had mummy-like bandages all over my legs. I posted an Instagram Story about my fall, and within an hour, had a text from my big brother: “Hey sis. We are going to grab some more supplies. [My girlfriend] can bandage you much more discreetly. She’d love to help.” So much for Mike’s bandage skills, but at least my big bro saved me!
I asked Mike to take this pic of me heading off to our wedding venue, looking not quite as put together as I would have liked! 😂
Less than two weeks after our wedding, I turned 40. While I would have liked to plan a big trip or party, the wedding planning was so much work that I didn’t feel like planning something epic… maybe I’ll do that for my “first annual 40th birthday” next year instead 😉 But this year, I kept it lower key. I was on a five week sabbatical from work, so although my birthday was on a Wednesday, I didn’t have to work. (I earned my sabbatical seven years ago with my promotion to director, and finally insisted on taking it this summer – and it was lovely!) I decided I’d go for a run, spend the morning volunteering at Meals on Wheels, treat myself to ice cream and a bookstore shopping trip in the afternoon, and then enjoy a special dinner with Mike once he got done with work.
The day started out amazing: I woke up to a gorgeous sunrise, with the sky streaked with pink, and Mike helped me leash the dogs for my run so I could get out the door quickly. I thought my birthday would be a good chance to reclaim that Warren Road running route, and prove to myself that my wedding day accident was a fluke. On the bright side, I didn’t fall this time! But just a tenth of a mile from where I tripped on my wedding day, this time, I twisted my ankle in a divot on the gravel road. I knew right away I had injured it pretty badly; I tried to walk it off, but the pain was so bad that I started getting dizzy. However, I was still a mile and a half from home! So I did a slow walk for about 1/2 a mile, and then a really easy jog for the last 3/4 mile, reasoning that I wasn’t sprinting and pounding my ankle, and it was probably better to get home and to the couch sooner rather than later.
Nothing says “welcome to 40” like an ice pack and crutches.
This pretty much reflects the rest of my day. Bye bye, day of volunteering and browsing the bookstore; instead, I treated myself to a new Kindle book (the new Taylor Jenkins Reid, Atmosphere) and curled up in bed all day. I finally got out of bed around 5pm to get myself cleaned up and put together, and when Mike got home, he took me and my crutches out to an incredible sunset dinner at Flagstaff House in Boulder. That part was spectacular!
The maitre d’ kindly tucked my crutches away so we could enjoy the incredible meal without thinking about my clumsiness.
Having sprained my ankle in Aspen last fall, I was pretty sure that’s what had happened again, and at least that made it easy to book a video appointment with my PT the very next day. And while it sucked to spend our planned camping trip in New Mexico on crutches, I was able to start walking with a brace the next week, and have been progressively improving since. We started with a lot of mobility work, then graduated to getting to use the Peloton and rower while figuring out a strength routine. Although I fell off the wagon for a while, I finally recommitted to daily strength a few months ago, and I used ChatGPT to help me design lifting workouts that were ankle-friendly while still giving me a good burn.
Although I was able to get back to strength pretty quickly, my PT knew that running was the priority. My first goal was just to walk… but once I was doing that, my PT let me get back to running in half mile increments on the treadmill (e.g., 0.5 mile the first time, 1 mile the next time, etc). Once I got back up to 3 miles, I got to try running outside on flat ground, when Mike and I were in Wisconsin visiting his family. (No flat terrain in our neighborhood, that’s for sure!) And then this morning, I was allowed to run outside on the neighborhood hill for the first time!
It felt sooooo good, and I’m excited to be able to get back into this routine!
But the linchpin for all this progress was definitely all that mobility work. My ankles are notoriously tight – a ski instructor friend once joked that I ought to qualify for an adaptive ski pass, because it’s a miracle I can ski at all with such limited ankle flex! 😂 But the last month of focused ankle mobility has made a big difference, and while I have always hated stretching, I’m now committing that I’ll do it before every run going forward.
And so that brings me to my bit of value add, as I decided to write down my favorite exercises into one quick five minute routine. I am committing to all of you that I’ll do this before every run going forward, as my 40 year old body apparently needs it 😉
- Ankle Mobilizations (bench or wall): For the bench version, put one foot up on a low bench or box. Keeping your heel planted, bend your knee forward so it goes as far as possible past your toes, feeling a stretch in your ankle. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax, and repeat 4 times per side. For the wall version, face a wall with one foot forward, the other slightly back for support (kind of like a calf stretch position). Keeping your heel down, bend the front knee toward the wall until it goes as far as possible past your toes. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax, and repeat 4 times per side.
- Alphabet Balance Drill: Stand on one foot, lifting the opposite knee to 90° so your shin and foot dangle. While balancing, “write” the alphabet in the air with your lifted foot, then switch sides and do it on the other side. (This works both the standing ankle’s stability and the lifted foot’s mobility; I also do it while brushing my teeth.)
- Seated Figure-4 Hip Stretch: Sit on the floor or lie down, then cross one ankle over the opposite thigh, forming a “4” shape with your legs. Keep your back tall and lean forward slightly to deepen the stretch. Hold for 20–30 seconds, then relax and repeat twice before switching sides.
- Sumo Squat to Calf Raise: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width, toes turned out slightly. Lower into a squat, then as you stand, lift your heels for a calf raise and hold at the top for a three count. Repeat for 10-12 reps.
- Wall Tib Raises: Stand with your back against a wall, feet 1-2 feet away. Keeping your heels on the floor, lift your toes toward your shins as high as possible and hold for a five count, then lower slowly. Repeat for 10–15 reps.
- Banded Ankle Pumps: Sit with both legs extended out in front of you. Loop a resistance band around the ball of one foot, holding the ends to create tension. Alternate between flexing your foot and pointing your foot, holding each position for 5 seconds. Repeat 4–5 times, then switch sides.
I’m hoping this routine keeps my ankles safe until our honeymoon. Next month, we’re going to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro and go on safari! As much as I want my redemption run on Warren hill, I’m holding off until after this trip 😉