10.10.10

So I ran another half-marathon. It was a personal worst, but I expected that going in, so it wasn’t a disappointment or anything. At some point in my training, I sprained my ankle. It’s an inside sprain, which apparently is rare (thanks, Dr. Google). I think I probably incurred it while dodging around people on the sidewalk/seawall who act like I’m invisible and won’t move to the side. Seriously, Vancouverites, what is wrong with you? It’s like a game of chicken out there.

Personally, I treat the sidewalk like a road: keep right except to pass. This doesn’t seem to be normal behavior. There are the meanderers, who do a sort of erratic s-curve thing down the middle, seemingly oblivious to the fact they’re in a public space. There are those who insist on walking three or more abreast, creating a fence across the sidewalk. There are the chatters, who stop and talk in the middle of the sidewalk, sometimes with strollers or bikes placed strategically so there is no way to get around them. But the worst offenders, in my opinion, are the ones that walk to the left, so that they’re coming straight at you, like a car going the wrong way. And then they stare you down and refuse to move. I don’t know how many times I’ve moved as far right as possible without falling off the sidewalk and continued forward, just to see what will happen. And inevitably it’s either I end up having to move off the sidewalk (if this is a possibility) or the other person begrudgingly moves an iota just before walking into me, but not so far that they fail to graze my arm as they go by. I’d love to know what’s up with that, so if this describes you, please enlighten.

Anyway! As you probably know, the cure for a sprained ankle is rest, but since I had this race coming up (it was a Challenge!), I just kept plugging away, albeit more slowly than I would have otherwise. The major consequence of it is that the longer I run, the stiffer it gets. And then my leg gets tired because I’m compensating (trying to not to limp-run and cause secondary injury). So the first half of the race went pretty well, but in the second half I slowed down quite a bit. But, in a curious turn of events, it turned out that both my challengers bailed 😉 (they did the 10k), so despite my really slow time, I won the challenge! My prize? Pancakes & bacon at IHOP.

Now for that much-needed rest. Will be walking in lieu of running until the ankle is healed.