Ankles and Calves – My Next Project

Feeling like I’m about to leave another plateau behind. I had another great run last night – not faster, just better. I truly believe there is a perfectly balanced way to run without any pain or injury, but it takes persistence, focus, and English bulldog determination. It’s turning out to be all about correct posture and alignment radiating from the core outward.

When I’m in doubt, I start with the centre! Now that I’m back into my regular run schedule, working towards a 10k, that ankle pain is nagging me again. I’m already seeing relief with focusing on not letting my toe slip outward. I’m starting from the centre – with feeling an inward rotation at the hip and letting that radiate down the leg to my foot. Two runs and no new aches or pains elsewhere so I’m going to keep working with this. I don’t believe that I need to put some kind of support in my shoe just yet.

My calves are building up pressure quickly – not gait-changing, just intense during the run, and worth figuring out. I think I’ve officially swung the anti-heel-strike pendulum too far in the opposite direction. I’m in love with my vibram-soled minimus shoes but these are known to be the culprit for calf injuries mixed with too much, too soon. I read a suggestion to let your heels touch the ground to take pressure off your calves. I applied this theory, along with the image of “Pancake Feet”, and although I still felt my calves working I was definitely not feeling any intense pressure.

Add heel touching pancake feet with my new left leg alignment, and I forgot I even had that nagging ankle pain at all!