June Races... What did you call me? Kankle?!?!?!?! Um what's a "Kankle"? What the heck is a "Calcaneus"? Who has an extra patella for me?

WTF is a "Kankle"?

I found out it is what rude people say about fat people who are overweight (or pregnant women) when their ankles are so swollen you cannot see their ankle.

That's what my good dear friend Rick called me the other night. Great friend, huh? So I walked into the bar restaurant, and Rick is like some sort of bad-as* martial arts guy who has a "trained" eye for looking at the human body. He said my ankle is seriously swollen (can't see the ankle bone), called me "Kankle", and told me to get it checked out. Well, no sh*t.

Anyways in all seriousness, my right ankle is bothering me MAJORLY. My coworkers are saying I am walking funny. Grrrr.

I had a watchacallit. X-ray done last week. They said both my legs are fine. They being doctors at Columbia Presbyterian. Good thing the doctors are 2 blocks from my office. I love Manhattan. Anyways, I emailed my TNT mentor Wade and asked him what he thought. He recommended I see a sports doctor and/or physical therapist. I also asked Ramon the head TNT coach, and btw both of these guys have done like a gazillion Marathons and Iron Man events, so they are normally USE to pain. I on the other hand AM NOT USE TO ANY TYPE OF PAIN, other than perhaps a wax at the salon. I bruise very easily. Anyways they are nutz. They told me to run it off, but it really does hurt.

So Wade recommended Michael who is my physical therapist. Thank God I have a great medical plan. And Michael just happened to be another TNT running coach! Man, these runners are everywhere! It's like a secret hobby that people do in their spare time. Who would have known? Anyways, I see Michael, and luckily his office is VERY close to my office. Like less than 2 blocks! And he is very nice, patient and good with the therapy.

My right heel continued to hurt, so obviously I am concerned. So many of my friends and acquaintances have already donated it would really sad if I had to give their money back because I can't finish the season! Worse yet, it's like you set your mind to do something and you get blocked. I was not happy but not stupid. I emailed my medical at the work to find a good sports doctor recommendation. So I saw Dr. Roth who was a bit far - on the Upper Eastside - but I managed to go see him. (Look at me complaining about traveling from East Midtown to UES!). Anyways, I see him and we schedule the bone scan. He told me he is concerned that I have a "stress fracture" in my right heel. It's like a hairline crack in your bone that cannot be detected via an X-Ray and hurts like a biaaatch.

So here's the schedule:
6/15 Bone Scan
6/20 5K Corp Challenge
6/21 Call for Bone Scan Results

And...boooooooooooooooooOOOOOOooooOOOOOOooooooo!

Dr. Roth was on vacation, so the backup doctor or someone read the report. She paused and I have this sick sense of knowing when sh*t is not right. Silence. Then proceeds to ask me: "Well the important thing is how do you feel?" I told her it's still bothering me a little, but the peak of the pain was when I literally cried home like a baby after the 10K race on 6/9.

Faster than Velocity

WABC Father s Day Fight Against...June 17, 2007 Kwong, Elaine F28 New York, NY
5.0 54:04 10:48 4308 1326 418 44.7 %

NYRR New York Mini 10K June 9, 2007 Kwong, Elaine F28 New York, NY
6.2 1:14:30 12:00 3033 3033 1036 40.7 %

Japan Day June 3, 2007 Kwong, Elaine F28 New York, NY
4.0 40:23 10:05 3362 1228 431 47.6 %

Let's put it this way. When I finished the 6/9 race, I was on 67th St. right infront of Tavern on the Green. It took me 45 minutes to walk back to 50s/Broadway. Good thing I had my shades on so nobody could see I was literally drowning in my own tears from the pain.

Every step hurt. The best part was when this couple was pushing their baby's cart and I didn't even notice they were right behind me - on my a**.

Anyways, a "stress fracture of the right calcaneus" meant I had a crack in my right heel which would finally explain why my right heel hurt so damn much. So I read up on all I could find on what better than Google what's out there. They say rest is 4-6 weeks from injury. I also found out that stress fractures happen when your muscles give out and your bones start working. Scary. So I must be a lot mentally stronger than I am physcially. I hope I can still do the race!

Oh yea, and I hope my parents don't read this. I know Mom won't because she's not exactly computer savvy. Dad will kill me. Sorry Dad! :)