MILLY VOICE

Well this has been an interesting twist (pardon the pun)! Winter is here, as is a slight bone injury, but also, a whole heap of psych for the year ahead.

Ankle Issues

Post TAR, I was enjoying the chilled-out nature of minimal training, recovery and running for the total pleasure of the sport. Arguably, running where the watch doesn’t really matter is kind of the reason why I do it anyway. Listening to podcasts, running involving bakery trips - it was freeing, fun and a great way to watch the season change further.

As I limped my way down from the Balcon Sud in the rain the previous week, I was aware of two things.

The life of a shepherd looks fairly peaceful (we had a brief conversation on my way down)
This pain in my foot was like no other. Something definitely was awry.

Nothing that the imminent bakery visit didn’t help appease (nothing stops that appetite). But I was recommended to get an X-ray, which brought up a feisty ligament popping off a tiny chunk of bone. Something on the lines of an avulsion fracture. Joys. Running was to be out, no question. Embracing the recent snowfall on skis? - no way.

Sexy bootee to wear day and night for 4 weeks? Why yes!

Well, this is new. Not really doing anything. The most significant injury to date. So how to deal with this?

Moody Mildred

Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t deal well with injury (I mean, do any of us really?). I like the feeling of running on trails, and I don’t think too much about how my body does it. Now I have to focus a lot on my body, and the concept of ‘oneness’ with it all feels literally and figuratively disjointed.

Also, the mind game is also tough. Post TAR (50km race in the Alps), I had felt sad and a bit empty it was all over. It was an awesome, memorable and a superb day. The hard work paid off and the joint first woman position was wonderfully unexpected. It went by in a flash, and I missed the memory.

Now, the weather has got cold and I have a bone injury. What?!

But it is good to be tested. Reminders to look outside of yourself and stop whinging. The fracture itself could have been a lot, a lot worse. So now it’s about dealing with it properly, and getting pretty psyched for next year. It’s also a great time to spend with mates, chill out, and realise that actually, there is other stuff to do and enjoy, than just running (as much as I really, really love it).

The plan

Swap sports and become an MMA fighter.

Just kidding.

Start healing, getting stronger and start doing it right. I feel lucky to have some awesome people looking out for me, including my coach Donnie Campbell and my gosh, I am going to try and do this recovery right!

After all, I am starting to put together a pretty cool plan for next year, and I will be damned if I let injury get in the way of it.

One of those plans? Near to doubling my longest distance. More info to follow…

So ahead there may be some posts about recovery, some moments of just spilling those feelings out on here (I mean, when in Rome), general meanderings about the philosophy of the sport I love the most, and otherwise, the bits that happen next.

Time to put the best foot forward and all…

Thanks to Irne for the photos. Irne is a sports masseuse in the Alps.