Summer Running - Fun in the sun? or Can't handle the heat?

Hello and welcome back!

I can't believe how long it's been since my last blog, though it has been eventful.

Running was starting to improve two weeks ago. I was actually starting to believe, but something has been stopping me from running since the weather started to get warmer. I've been suffering terribly from swollen ankles. I have had this problem for years, in the heat or if I've been on my feet for too long. Recently, the problem has caused me a considerable amount of discomfort.

My feet feel tight, I can't stretch them, when I press on the area they feel solid but if I apply pressure they are spongy and leave an impression of my finger before swelling back up within minutes.

Running with my ankles swollen like this has become very difficult. Despite feeling tight, I struggle to pull my trainers on and if I can and do get out to run; my feet feel so heavy as if I have wights tied round them!

I decided to visit my doctors, so I made a telephone appointment (I missed it because I was in a lift with no signal and they only tried me once) so I went to my local walk in centre. After waiting about 40 mins I was spoken with by a nurse who was behind a bullet proof screen and didn't even look at my ankles. She tod me to make an appointment for blood tests. So I did. the following week I booked an appointment for blood tests, waited 15 mins to be tod that I really should see a doctor. So, I made an appointment, again. Waited about 30 mins to be seen, I was asked all the relevant questions, only to be told they don't know what it is and should have blood tests and an ECG. (can you see a pattern here?) So, yet again booked in the the nurse, I went to the hospital and had my ECG. I've now had the blood tests (even though I hate them!)I'm now just waiting for the results. I have a follow up appointment in two weeks to get my results and see where we are going from here.

In the meantime, I can put tube bandages on them over night and they go down to a relatively normal  size by morning. It's not an ideal solution, but for the moment it's making it manageable.

So, all in all I've missed quite a few runs. I have joined a gym for a month just so I have other activities I can do in the meantime while I'm in between runs. By the time it runs out I should be back on the roads again and at least on 8-9 miles - a good few miles behind schedule but at least I'm not going to be too far behind.

I'm hoping to write another blog this week as I've got alot more I want to talk about but it's 1:15am and I'm literally falling asleep as I type.

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Just keep running, just keep running!

Chrissy