First run back

I saw Dr. Picklesimer at Eastover Foot and Ankle and he gave me a compression-like sleeve to go around my ankle and the go ahead to start "running" again.  I say "running" because I need to start by just running a mile slowly and very slowly build from there.  I was again surprised that I was ready for this next step, I thought running would still be a little ways off.  This past Thursday was my first attempted run, unfortunately I couldn't seem to run without limping (limping and pain were the two things Dr. P told me that should make me stop running), I only got about 150 yards or so from the front door before turning around.  I wasn't overly disappointed with this because I didn't expect to be running quite so quickly and that at this point all of my training is focused on 2013, my fitness fell off too much while my ankle was healing to have any races where I'm going to be at the level I was earlier this year.

I made my second attempt at a run on Saturday.  This time I was able to run without limping and with no pain (there was some discomfort, but no pain) and I ran all of 3/4 of a mile, probably at nine minute mile pace.  I was very happy to be able to run again, but it's a really weird to be happy about running less than a mile at 9 minute pace, when just two months ago I was able to run 12 miles at 7:15 pace.  But I do realize this is the way it has to be for now and the only way to come back is to come back, building back up slowly, even if it's hard to fathom being happy with a 3/4 mile run.