A Dangerous Deuce?

Weather Report: Sunny, 75°F, 65% Humidity, Winds: SSW @ 8 mph; feels like 77°F.

Run 1: 4.7 miles in :37:48 min. @ 7:00 a.m.
Pace: 8:03 min./per mile avg.

Slightly warmer, but considerably less humid, today's "muggy" doesn't feel nearly as oppressing as yesterday's did... at least initially. I set out with the intention of going four, maybe five miles. About two miles in, I was becoming increasingly conflicted: while I was being seduced by the breeze to consider going longer, I also began to feel a familiar twinge behind my left ankle.

Quickly shaking off the illusion of invincibility... that I could actually run six to seven miles on this day, I became concerned about my left Achilles tendon, as I had, only this past March, missed about three weeks of training due to a strain of that same part of my foot. I do not want to experience that type of extended layoff again (if it can be avoided), so I made an internal compromise and headed back finishing my run having clocked just a little over four and a half miles.

The last time I saw my orthopaedist about my Achilles tendinitis concern he felt along the back of my ankle feeling for "knots" or "bumps," which he said would be tell-tale signs of a tear, or more serious injury. The diagnosis was to take some time off and, if I wanted to, wear maybe a brace. I have continued to wear the brace, but probably need to spread out my running while varying surfaces more frequently... unless things get more dicey!

Weather Report: Partly Sunny, 73°F, 50% Humidity, Winds: WNW @ 13 mph; feels like 73°F.

Run 2: 1.7 miles in :20:00 min. @ 6:30 p.m.
Pace: 11:46 min./per mile avg.

Twelve hours after my first run of the day, I through caution to the wind, in an effort to be supportive of my wife's running program, and laced 'em up for a daily double. Anne has been doing a great job maintaining her pace of late, and I, too, enjoy getting out for a run together. During our time on the sidewalks, my knees did feel unstable and I had to wear a less well designed ankle brace (my others were soaked thanks to our rain, but I'm counting (hoping, praying) that these aches and pains that some Ibuprofen and ice can soothe.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!