Well, winter is pretty much over, and I totally screwed it up right at the end. Every time I ran, my calves were sore for 3 days after. Since I was running twice a week, my calves were NOT sore for about 1 day each week. I kept thinking this should start to get better, that eventually I should be able to run without having sore calves for the next three days.

Finally in frustration I ran 3 days in a row.

In retrospect that wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done. My calves were very sore and I stayed off them the rest of the week.

By Sunday my calves felt fine. My left ankle was a little sore but nothing bad. So I joined the Sunday noon group and ran again. For an hour.

When I ended the run I knew I had made a big mistake. It's Thursday now, and I'm trying to be thankful (and hopeful) that I didn't permanently damage something. I have not run, I biked one day because that didn't seem to hurt, but by the end of the day I realized I was doing all the pedaling with my right leg, and I had the arch of my left foot on the pedal, so that the ankle wouldn't be flexing & extending with the pedal stroke. I'm SO tired of sitting!

Wouldn't you know it, the pool closed a couple weeks ago for window replacements and hasn't opened back up because they're trying to fix a leak. So I can't swim, can't go for walks, but I can sure feel sorry for myself!!

I know you are supposed to ramp up with the vibrams and I didn't really do that. I jumped right into hour and longer runs. I did go for a couple shorter runs but I got impatient. What's the point of running for 20 or 30 minutes? Well, that's 20 or 30 minutes longer than I will run all this week and probably next. (I only hope it takes just 1 or 2 weeks.)

The other thing was, when I first got the shoes I ran with a slap-slap-slap sound. I asked someone about it and he said the shoes train you to run on the balls of your feet to avoid the slap-slap-slap. So I was consciously trying to run on the balls of my feet and that's pretty much when the ankles went. I'll stick to slap-slap-slap from now on.

Since I started training in September, I've injured my right shoulder, my left shoulder, a tiny little muscle inside my hip (adductor maybe?), my left knee started complaining again, then my calves were constantly sore, and now the ankles. (The left one is really bad but the right ankle hurts a little too.)

I have a new goal for the spring: no more injuries. I'm confident I can finish the triathlon, and that's all I care about. I don't need to do it fast. I have no intention (or likelihood) of placing. I am done with the "training" mindset. From now on, my own pace, my own distance, and I probably should avoid running with groups.

I've had a lot of time to think about this while not running...while sitting around home waiting for supper because my ankle is so sore at the end of the day...my family is so sweet!

I've also gotten lots of progress on the 4 grants due between now & May 2!