Ping...! - pop...! Or twang...!

Now here's the question, did it go ping....! Or did it go twang....? Well I am not actually sure, as felt like a tiny balloon had just burst inside the centre of my calf, quiet near the top, just under the knee joint. What also had burst were any hopes of a long run tomorrow, and possibly the marathon. So possibly this is ping, pop or twang could have serious repercussions.

It came out of the blue, no warning, no tell tale sign. It just went ping...! Like an elastic band had snapped. Or did it go crack...! Like someone had pulled a Christmas cracker...? I know that I have pulled something in my calf, even though it doesn’t cause me any great pain. So there is no need for me to put in an Oscar winning performance and roll around on the floor in agony, like a multi million pound premiership footballer. In fact when it happened, I just came to a halt with a hop or two. Grimaced and said: "Oh Bugger...!!" politely like Hugh Grant in 'Two weddings...' And James May after pranging a Ferrari Testa Rosa.

My left calf was solid, sore to the touch. There was a pain there, not severe, but a pain that was of more inconvenience rather than trauma. My lower leg had locked, and I could not move anywhere as I had lost the ability of free movement. However, I could hop about on one leg like Long John Silver, minus the parrot and crutch, or I could shuffle sideways like a crab, which proved to be highly amusing which ever direction I chose to shuffle.    

It was the last rep of a hill session, when it went twang...! Despite it being a crisp frosty morning, one were the sun was beaming, I had warmed up well. The roofs were white over with frost, and the woods once again had that Christmas card look about it. The group fartlek session had started well, as we had set off at a easy pace. I was feeling good, and I felt like Bambi, as I had a sudden urge for, roast venison with new potatoes, mange tout, and wild mushrooms. Not forgetting sticky toffee pudding for afters. Well that will teach me to have breakfast before my Saturday morning run.

The hill sessions began well, but on that final eighth rep, as I accelerated, then out of the blue it went pop...! Touch wood, I do have a good record when it comes to injury, and when I do break down, I do it in style. My shopping list of action hero type injuries include, cutting my eye open, a gashed my chin, a fractured rib. I have knocked a few teeth out, and grazed my knees, elbows and ego. I have knocked my self out, knocked myself dizzy, and I have even had a verruca on my big toe.  So my tip is, if you are going to injure yourself make it worth while and do it in style. However, out of all my injuries, I have only been hospitalized once, and that was when I spectacularly cut my eye open, and had to have it stitched.

The nurse sat me down in Sandwell A+E, and produced the biggest needle that you had ever seen. For someone who hates needles, this was a huge needle. She told me, "that I will feel a prick..." I hate to say this love, but I ready have, as bashed my head in front of my running buddies an hour earlier. So in comparison, today's injury was like Rambo getting a splinter. It could have been that the fibres of the muscle in my well turned ankle, were as tight as the strings on Jimmy Pages Les Paul, and after one riff too many, the string had snapped. 

There is nothing to be worried about. The injury like Pages guitar will be repaired and once more we will be back in tune, and putting in classic performances again. One thing, I can chuckle to myself, and a wry smile appears on my face as I hobble down the road. A packet of frozen peas, a hot bath and rest will get me back on the road to recovery. So whether it went ping...! Pop....! Or twang....! The only pain is being sidelined and not able to run for the foreseeable future.  I will have to take a step back and start all over again, but at least the song remains the same. 17/2/08

Tags: Training

Post Views: 82