After suffering through some heavy downpours in Indiana that set me back a day when I stopped to let my blistered and raw feet heel I developed a new pain in my left ankle. I wore an ankle brace and then added a tightly wrapped ace bandage around my shin as I realized it fit the description of shin splints.
In New York I took foolish pride in being able to rotate my feet to change direction through dense crowds and quickly get where I was going no matter how packed the train platform or group of people waiting for “SHOWTIME” to finally start in the park. I wouldn’t mind as I stepped on uneven surfaces or rocks and awkwardly slanted my ankle to find purchase. Caitlin often called out “are you alright?” to which I would always reply curtly “yes I’m fine” like an asshole. I was fine. These things didn’t bother my feet or ankles, but apparently 34 days of 25-40 miles on varied surfaces can.
The tight wrap I’ve applied to my shin has limited circulation and caused my foot to grow to a fat size 11 from a 10 or perhaps even larger. I am able to continue, but I am careful to do stretches that seem to ease any attacks of pain and I change my route to follow roads with nice shoulders where my left foot won’t be constantly falling unevenly off the road and struggling to find balance while also propelling the cart over a bumpy surface.
I am excited to join the Katy Trail tomorrow, though it presents its own challenges. While it is a flat crushed surface of rock that will be great for walking it offers few camping options and I may well resort to stealth camping and risk rangers or cops kicking me out in the middle of the night.
Tomorrow I hope to make Defiance Missouri. There is a small Methodist church there, Pleasant Hill Memorial. Perhaps they will allow me on their lawn *fingerscrossed* .
I can’t wait to make it to Jefferson City and rest with my parents and Caitlin. The 5 lbs of uncut Burgers Smokehouse bacon I ordered should arrive there this friday. It will be a good week of rest.
Hopefully upon examination by my mom, a doctor, and possibly x-rays we will find that I do not have a stress fracture in my left leg. I don’t want to be forced to end the trip by an injury, but I’ll accept it if that is what comes to me.
Edit: Upon speaking to Dr. Mom I decided to go to Jeff City via car for medical examination and rest at my parents house. This eases my fears of my left leg suddenly breaking all the way through on the Katy trail and my foot hanging limply as I scream *shudder*. If all is well and I just need rest I will return to St. Louis in 12 days and keep walking so as to not cheat and skip a portion of the journey.
6 Comments
<3 Hope your ankle turns out to be okay Honey. So proud of you for making it this far! And it's okay – I'm a worrier, so I'm sure I poked you every time you were even on the verge of loosing your footing on our various walks. You're a very capable walker, as we all can see. But I don't think that's really "foolish pride," I think that's just part of being a New Yorker (some do it better than others, as we know). Can't wait to see you soon and make you sit down and rest! (If you don't I might threaten the bacon :p)
Good Luck Tim, that is a seriously swollen foot. As cool as it would be to say I walked across America, saying it while standing on a prosthetic foot would not be worth it to me…
Tim, I am hoping for the best for you. Hopefully, a week of rest will be the cure. But no matter what happens, you have already done an amazing journey. Keeping my fingers crossed that you can camp at the church. Jim has some stories about some interesting camping sites. He once woke to a deer hopping up and down and snorting because apparently Jim was sleeping in its spot! Looks like you have lots of incentive to make it to Jeff City!
Once you make it to the Katy Trail, I can recommend a great place to stay!I’m sure old Cooper would be very welcoming! Seriously, I’m sorry you’re having these problems and think you’re making the right decision to take an extended break.
That looks not good… A friend of mine who is a strength and conditioning coach read this portion and suggested a couple things, granted it’s shin splints. Before walking take some time to do a couple stretches.
1. Before walking, stretch out tibialis anterior by plantar flexing your bare foot against the ground.
2. Another good one is to, while sitting, dorsiflex in order to contract tibialis anterior for 2s per rep. Do about 10 reps. That warms them up, and teaches them to relax.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Great comments by all. Sending positive vibes your way. Have some great R & R. You’ve earned it!