Yesterday was the One-America Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. I had been hoping to set a personal record, and from my training seemed well on pace. I ended up being a couple of minutes short. We’ll have to see what the doctor says is actually wrong with my ankle, but the time I did set was slowed considerably by my running the last 5k+ with kind of a limping shuffle. I had a bit of an ankle pain — nothing really too notable — when I started. I chalked it up to the aches and pains of training. In fact, I felt really good as I got to the track. I entered the track just as a great song came along on my iPod (“Red Banner Rockers” by Randy — a song the majority of you probably haven’t heard of), and I started picking up my pace. But, by the time I left the track, my ankle was really giving me problems. By mile 9, I knew something was pretty wrong, but determination sometimes outweighs good sense, so I went ahead and finished the race. Now I’m gimping along. My in-laws had some crutches in the garage, so that will help me keep pace with the family as we pack up and head home. Poor Amy is no doubt having flashbacks to 5 years ago when I broke my knee skiing. I’m not terribly demanding when I’m all gimped up, but I’m not very useful in assisting with the children, so Amy considers it a taste of single-motherhood, a role she doesn’t much care for.
Aside from my injury and idiocy, the race itself was very well done. The organization is impeccable. The weather, against all odds, cooperated nicely — a bit overcast and cool, but no rain. Amy ran a good time. A friend of ours ran with Amy — using this half-marathon as her very first race, having only run 8 miles in the past and being a mere 7 months out from having had her most recent child. Some friends of ours came down from Cleveland and ran. One of them runs a lot of half-marathons and offered the opinion that this is the best or among the best of the races she has run. There are a lot of bands and other road-side entertainment and a lot of folks come out to cheer. One minor complaint I have, I suppose, is that a lot of the walkers seem to start pretty far up in the corrals. I’m not terribly fast, and started in the back of the pack, and there were 35,000+ participants, so I expect to deal with a fair amount of passing. But, it seemed like I was passing walkers well into the race. This isn’t a bother with one or two together, but when they start walking four abreast, it gets tough to get past.
So, hopefully I haven’t injured myself too badly. I’ll probably take a month or two off running, and then maybe I can get back in shape by next year to post a better time.
Medial malleolus stress fracture, maybe? Hopefully not. Hopefully just a sprain. Spraining the medial ankle is pretty rare, though.
It’s often the case that you don’t realize the extent of pain when you are warmed up. I hope you are doing better now and it was just a sprain or ankle twist and not a major injury.
Doctor says tendonitis. Gave me an Rx for antinflammatories and told me not to run on it for 6 weeks or so.
You call that idiocy? I ran around a track a time or two, just to prove I was in good enough shape for a little ol’ “fun run.” At the event, I limped after the first half mile, but I wanted that snapshot at the finish line. Thought it would be fun to share with friends later. Only the grimace on my face kind of ruined that picture. I ditched it quick. Couldn’t wait to recover and ditch the canes, which kept triggering waves of laughter at the office…
Ouch! I’d ask the doc for a prescription for some physical therapy. Six weeks is a long time if you don’t do some appropriate stretching and strengthening especially if you start overcompensating with the other side.
Sounds like you enjoyed the race anyway. I like to say that it is a 13 mile long block party.
Know what you are saying about the walkers. There are a few that can walk as fast as I run (jog really and glacially slow at that), but it seems like I always get stuck behind way too many walkers at the beginning of the race. Wonder how many minutes you lost with all the passing at the beginning.
Tendonitis is probably the best you could have expected to hear. Good as new in a couple of months, and hopefully much improved (walking with minimal pain) in a week or so.
This was my first mini. Had a blast. My wife and I are already discussing next year. However, I start training for a tri next week.
My second time running the event. You are right, the weather was perfect, cool and no wind. The race is really well organized and a lot of fun to compete in. This is, of course if you aren’t injured early on. However, I did set a personal best this year, topping last year’s time by a whopping 11 minutes.
What was your finish time? Indystar has clips of the finishes in short segments. We can all watch you cross the line.
My gun time finish was 2:57:45. (My personal time was 2:12:55. It took me 45 minutes to get to the starting line.)
Well, I didn’t “see” you, but couldn’t see all three exit lanes from the course. And, maybe you just had a cap on (because there were plenty of people limping over the line)? I hope you could see yourself.
Odd how many people interlaced their fingers with their hands on their heads after crossing the finish line. Looked kind of like an episode of Cops.
Just can’t see the attraction. Glad you enjoy it, but it isn’t for me.
I think this is a link to the right place. It’s the video for 2:53:55 – 3:09:24. I show up in the center lane just before 3:30. At 3:30, I am in a white shirt with sunglasses on, walking behind 3 women with their arms around each other (the one in the middle having a red shirt.) At 3:30, I start walking toward the right side of the screen. I don’t really seem to be limping that badly at that point.
And – people – actually – vie – for – tickets – to – be – able – to – do – this -to – themselves.
Incredible! ;)
40,000+. More people line up to do this than to show up at any political rally.
Actually Mike, the last rally for Obama in November in Indiana was about that number.
It seems like all runners usually have some type of bout with tendonitis if they run long enough. I have had several issues with Achillies tendonitis. I now know enough to keep it from becoming a long term problem. But a couple decades ago I got it in a 6 hour run in Columbus, OH. It felt funny at the 6 mile, but I continued for 27 more miles. It hurt even when idle for a week. After 2 weeks I could walk OK, but I didn’t race or run for about 6 weeks. The seriousness of your tendonitis, and your age will determine your layoff. Some of these injuries can be avoided by proper stretching. Some just seem to magically appear and you wonder what the hell you did to cause it.
Anyway I am glad to hear you finished, and wish you a quick recovery. The 1/2 marathon seems to have a big following now. They have 5000 in Saturdays 1/2 marathon in Fargo. I am going to walk and run the full 26.2, but the weather will suck at the start, 36 with possible snow flurries. The weather is definitely better in Indy in May.
I think one of our friends who recently moved from Lafayette is going to run in Fargo this weekend. Good luck!
Thanks for the wish Doug, I am back from Fargo, healthy and already able to run again. Getting to the start though, was hell. They messed up my registration, put me down for two pasta dinners and no race. $90 is a lot for two dinners (should have been 1 at $10). The logic of traveling 700 miles just to eat a $10 spaghetti dinner escaped them. So I had to get register and apply for a refund.
The next morning I had to travel in from Detroit Lakes, MN (flood plus the races had hotels all booked up weeks earlier). We were greeted by a 4 mile traffic jam on I-29. I took a back road and made it with about 15 minutes to spare. Some had to have started late.
Once the race started it was great, even with the new flood course. The Kenyans got destroyed by a runner from Rochester, MN. In fact only one of them broke 2:30:00. With 43 for the high and 35 degrees for the low, with some drizzle, it was probably not their favorite conditions. They still finished well. I finished about 20 minutes faster than I expected, at 5:23:00. I walk and run now, 30 years ago I could run under 3:30:00 consistently, but not anymore.
Strike three came this morning when they missed my result. But I contacted them as I knew my finish time and some of the splits, and they fixed that problem.
With some 20000 in the 5K, and 10000 in the half marathon,they probably grew a little too fast, and now they have to work the bugs out. At least they are very cooperative at fixing the problems so far. Maybe without a flood next year they can fix the bugs rather than worry about rerouting the course and other flood issues.
Hope your injury is healing now since a week has passed. Keep us posted.
What a hassle. Glad it worked out all right in the end. My ankle is a lot better. There is still some gimpiness, but I’m getting around o.k.