Well, what a great day. It was the first time where it wasn't raining on me while running. I found my big toe was hurting a bit too much with the ankle brace on, and I really haven't felt any ankle pain since Tuesday, so I said "Eh, why not!" and braved the run with no brace. I was amazed that as long as I stayed at my slow pace, there was no pain at all. However, If I started a pace of anything quicker than about a 12 minute mile, pain would come back. This is obviously a great sign, and I'm hoping that within a week all pain will be gone. The Dr. I saw said it should take 4-6 weeks for things to get better, and now we are at the end of week 5.
This forced time off has shown me a few things about myself. One, I tend to eat more when I don't run. I believe it's so I can get the same endorphin high out of it. Two, I am officially declaring myself a "runner" now. As I have run on and off for almost 20 years at this point (Mostly off) I would run strictly to lose weight. When I got to the weight I wanted, I would still do it, but eventually lose interest and not care and just give up. This time, every day I couldn't run, I missed it. I legitimately missed it like you would expect to miss a loved one or good friend. I would see other joggers and get envious and jealous. Sure I may have swerved into puddles to get them soaked, but that was only the envy in me coming out.
Over all it was a good day today and I'm looking forward to the run tomorrow where I may try the full 8 miles.
The McDavid Ankle Brace # 195 is EXACTLY what I was looking for. It is esentially a VERY SLIM "Boot" that goes around your heel and ankle and provides amazing support. Think of it like a slimmed down, more flexible, version of a hockey skate. You lace it up (Starting in the middle of your foot and ending above your ankle. It then has three straps. Two of them go over and under your foot and tightens on the side of your ankle. The other goes around the top of the brace. It is "Level III" support, whatever the hell that means. Here goes with what you want to know. Any additional questions please ask in the comment section.
Q: "Can you easily put on a running sneaker over the McDavid Ankle Brace # 195?"
A: YES!
Q: "Does the McDavid Ankle Brace # 195 stabilize your ankle well for running?"
A: Yes. Before I had my injury about 5 weeks ago I was running 8 miles a day 6 days a week. I just tried running the past two days, doing 4 miles, and had some pain towards the end of the second day. I took a day off, got this brace, and ran 7 miles today with very little pain and no pain, at all, after the run.
Q: "Is it easy to put on and take off the McDavid Ankle Brace # 195?"
A: No, not at all. This is where the Ice Skate comparison comes from. As you need it to be tight around your ankle, you really need to sit down, loosen it up and yank it off. It is a necessary evil of something that works so well though, so it is easy to look past.
Q: "Would you recommend the McDavid Ankle Brace # 195 for runners getting over a sprained ankle?"
A: If your medical professional clears you for running, then absolutely I would!
We have often talked about the colorful character know as "The Dr." on Remember Whens-days. As you know, many have questioned why this man wears an athletic supporter every day of his life even though he hasn't done a physical activity since the invention of the internet. Some people say that it is "Good prior planning for the inevitable" and others say it is "Total stupidity". Whichever side of the fence you fall on, perhaps some background should be known.
It was like any other day in upstate NY, it was a warm and sunny 85 degrees or so and looking across the street I couldn't help but notice the Dr's dad, my neighbor for about a year, was mowing the lawn with his shirt off. The Dr's father was a portly bald man with a lust for life and great self body image. I couldn't help but notice how honestly joyful he was as cars would pass, give him a "Honk, honk" or a cat call and he would simply respond "I'm mowing my lawn." He really seemed to be enjoying nature on this day and I'm not quite sure if you can see "Happiness", but I tell you watching him doing "God's work" with his shirt off while getting all the attention from the passing motorists was about as close as it could come to being materialized. As I saw him in his glory I politely shouted out the window (I was about 15 at the time)
"Put your god damned shirt on, people are trying to eat."
Well, the string of obscenities that left his mouth at me should not be heard by man or beast. His grin left, he turned off his mower and went inside. Now you are probably thinking.
"Did he go in and just wail on The Dr's nuts for hours on end...and that is why he has this strange habit?"
Unfortunately, no. That wasn't the case. The Dr. came out of the house all set to play hockey in the streets about a half hour later though. Visions of Wayne and Garth saying "Game on" is about what the situation looked like. In that day the Dr. was known for his goalie like abilities and horrific gas. Not quite as bad as his brother's that had a tendency to not just stink, but linger for an unnaturally long time.
The Dr. got all suited up and we started to play. "Game on". After about a half hour or so the Dr's father who clearly had a drink or ten since our polite discussion, came out and called us both a bunch of Mary's for wearing pads. He grabbed the goalie stick and baseball glove from the Dr. and then remarked how he isn't a "F'n P#$%Y" like the Dr. and myself. I'll never forget the next few seconds, it seemed to come right out of a movie.
The Dr. took his hockey stick, said "Are you sure?" his father eloquently responded "Homo!". The Dr. did a slap shot and like a heat seeking missile it hit his father directly in the nuts. If the Dr. had tried to make that shot 1,000 times, 999 of them would not have been that perfect. However, what we had just witnessed was time # 1,000. I shouted out "NUTS"! His father crumpled like a cheap suit and down he went. He literally crawled back into his house with his "tail" between his legs grimacing in pain. The Dr. and I were on the ground laughing so hard we couldn't contain ourselves. It was perfect justice for him being so rude to us!
It wasn't all beer and Skittles though. You started to see the smoke coming out of the Dr's ears at this point and thinking "What if I were to get drunk randomly and go into goal with no padding...that could have been me!" Soon after that, the Dr. has warn an athletic supporter every day like he was putting on his underwear..."You can never be too careful." he always says.
Now enjoy the video below. Please note the unnecessarily awkward helmet and over enthusiasm after the test is performed. While this isn't The Dr. It very well could be. After the test stick around to see what 1988 Rookie of the Year candidate had his cup "Splintered" by Jack Clark.
