Many of the pieces are clicking together

Many of the pieces are clicking together... not all of them, but many.

I ran 3.4 miles today at 8:15 min per mile average pace.  That is not in-and-of-itself impressive in any way, but considering my recent history it wasn't all bad.  I ran this 3.4 miles without calf pain and without having to stop.  That is the good part.  I really could have kept going, but I decided to stop so I did not put any undue stress on the calf or the tendon.

To recap:  It has been almost 5 weeks.  5 weeks since my calf started to REALLY hurt in the middle of a run.  So much that I had to stop.  I was training for the Little Rock race that was only one week away, so I laid off for that whole week.  Then I ran the Little Rock race and re-injured/further injured the calf/achilles at mile five and then I had to limp the other 8 miles.  I laid off again for two weeks after that race, then went for a run last Monday.  I had to stop and walk at 2.5 miles.  -- Calf pain!  So, I laid off again until today.

I decided I would go for a slow run today. I did not want to push it.  Besides, I am not in such great shape.  I have gained much of my weigh back and I have not done ANY cardio in 5 weeks.  But today felt pretty good.  My toe nails are not black any more.  The ones that fell off are growing back.  My cardio at that relatively slow pace was good.  I definitely could have gone farther and faster (from a cardio perspective).  I had no blisters or chafing.  No foot, ankle or knee pain.  No IT band pain.  No pain at all.  My phone was working.  My music was playing though my bluetooth headphones that were operating properly.  It was not freezing cold nor oppressively hot.  It was a good day running.

When I got home, I realized that my calves were very tight and I am limping a little.  I even iced for a bit.  I think I will ice again and who knows... I MIGHT even do some stretching... tomorrow.

The essential oils and balms and salves seem to make my family agitated.  They seem to always have some comment about how I smell when I apply them.  Also, I have no way of determining definitively if these "treatments" did anything to help me heal.  So, for what it is worth, my plan is to pray, ice, rest, massage, and return slowly, taking it lightly.  I have had a nice rest between races this time.  The next race is April 22 in Utah, but the race after that one in Indiana is only two weeks later.  Not much rest time, so I am praying that I remain healthy so that I can ease my way back and then continue to improve.

Who knew the calf, for someone who runs, is so complex... or maybe I am just making it more complex than it needs to be? - and likely making more of it than I should.

Anyway, I am feeling hopeful that I am on the mend.