Date: 2003-12-28
To: Fu%$ the Drama (FTD)
Miles today: 0.0

Gather around kiddies, its story time¢¦Over the first weekend in November Ben and I hiked the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We put in some good mileage hammering out 14.5 miles the first day, followed by an 18.5 miler, and we polished the trip off with a light 8 mile hike back to the car. This was our shakedown hike before the AT where we tested some new gear, recipes, etcetera¢¦For the preceding months I had been very diligent in my training; running and weight lifting three to four days per week. Aside from the minor aches of high mileage days, the trip went exceptionally well until the last mile. As I was nearing the end I began to feel a deep ache in my heel. I was soon unable to take a normal step with my right foot, and finished out the hike with a minor limp. At the car I put on my sandals for the ride home, and experienced no further serious discomfort.The following morning my right foot was rather stiff, and when I put on my right shoe and began walking it felt like my sock was on fire. My right Achilles had become inflamed throughout the night. For the next three weeks I took Motrin and the family doctor prescribed a NSAID, which eliminated the ¢socks on fire¢ feeling, however, there was still persistent discomfort.I visited the podiatrist and it turns out I strained my Achilles in my right foot and have mild tendonitis. The inflammation extends from the underside of my heel, where the achilles connects to the bone, to several inches up past my heel. It is not the worst case the doctor has ever seen, but it certainly is not the best either. He believes I won¢t be completely healthy and able to hike or run again until April.Here comes the drama¢¦What is going to happen with hiking the AT? Ben and I have had several serious ¢heart to heart¢ discussions regarding this untimely predicament. Although we have planned the trip together, we also have our own interests in mind, to a certain degree. Again, it all comes down to our window of opportunity and the belief of ¢go big or go home.¢ Ben will continue as planned beginning his hike on February 1, 2004. I will not.Instead I hope to begin hiking on or about April 25, following the conclusion of the winter academic semester, as long as my achilles is back to normal. Fortunately, my window of opportunity is a bit wider than Ben¢s. I still have 1.5 years of school that I can fit an AT trip into if worse comes to worse. Although I cannot fully speak on Ben¢s behalf, upcoming police academy obligations and officer certification requirements restrict the time frame Ben has to do the AT. It would be folly for him to not go because I cannot, an issue we have discussed at length. Regardless, we will both hike the AT, ¢go big or go home,¢ but it will have to be completed on separate occasions.Although words cannot enunciate the many emotions I have felt over the past several weeks, I have run the gamut from crying out of frustration to being so angry I broke a 2x4 in half with a clenched fist. Never before in my life have I ever had a problem with my achilles tendon. Not after years of competitive running, swimming, climbing, diving, hiking, or any other sport I have participated in. Then with three months to go until the AT, my achilles gets screwed up. Making the choice to delay my start of the AT has been the most personally difficult, emotionally taxing, and anti-climatic decision of my life. I am just truly bewildered by these shitty circumstances.In the meantime¢¦There is no need for me to wallow in self-pity. I am more determined than ever to overcome this injury and set foot on Springer Mountain in April. In an effort to expedite the recovery process I am continuing to take anti-inflammatory medication, the podiatrist gave me a knee high removable cast to wear when walking (it stabilizes my entire Achilles), I have taken a month off of work to rest the foot, and I am dipping my foot in a bucket of ice water for 5-10 minutes every hour I am awake to decrease swelling. So far there has been steady physical improvement, however, a lengthy period of physical rehabilitation remains.A wise person once said, ¢all things happen for a reason.¢ Quite frankly, I find that line to be a load of horse shit right now, but perhaps they do. Maybe something greater will come out of this for Ben and myself, I sure hope so. After all, I do suppose that hurting the achilles now, is better than doing it two days onto the trail. However the providence may work out, I choose to remain optimistic about the present situation and focus not on what I have to go through to get better, but where I know I will be in April.In the meantime, I will continue to prepare my equipment, itinerary, and food selections throughout the ensuing months. After all, ¢failing to prepare is preparing to fail.¢ As for Ben, I know he is putting the finishing touches on food preparation and miscellaneous tasks. As it stands I will be driving him down to Amicalola Falls and look forward to supporting him in whatever way I can from home¢¦until it becomes my time to hike.Andy