Workout day 46, @postaday 27.
Ten days from now is the anniversary of my “OH, SNAP!” Achilles tendon break. I had been on a pretty good fitness roll at the time. That day I was wearing my brand new Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs) and celebrating Kid1’s regional science fair victory. One leap was all it took t0 break the tendon and with it my neatly scheduled routine of morning workouts, job, family, and social life. I had been riding my bicycle for about six months, so that was still fresh, new and fun, too. I was steadily getting more fit and trim. What could possibly go wrong?
Let me add that the VFFs were not to blame. When I was a kid, I stepped on the thick bottom of a broken soda bottle which snapped like a mouse trap into my foot, severing my tendon. The time bomb went off about 45 years later.
I think we all know people who use illness and injury as a way to get out of work and get more than their fair share of coddling. I loathe that kind of behavior, and absolutely did not want anyone to perceive me as someone like that. I wanted to get right back to work, but there are rules in place to protect the employer and the employee, so I was on a forced mental break. I didn’t write the Great American Novel, but my husband and I made the most of it. I joined him when he took the girls to school, and we spent mornings at Halona Blow Hole watching the whales and talking about life and our jobs. There was a lot up in the air. Gannett, which owned The Honolulu Advertiser, the daily newspaper where John worked, announced it was selling it. We definitely had things to go over.
Here we are a year later. We made it through a pretty interesting year. John is working at the new paper, I moved into another position in my organization, and last July I got back on my bicycle. After a few overly ambitious fits and starts at 24-Hour Fitness Hawaii Kai, I am now back into my Monday-Friday Butt-Crack of Dawn routine, with bicycle rides punctuating the weekends.
I’m not walking as well as I used to, and every day I feel the injury. Heel inserts are a constant companion, and some days I just need to get my feet up and rest. Holding still is no easy task for me. But it does give me pause to think about what there is to be grateful for in life.
Lavagal 
that was one of the highlights of a bang-up year. i’m counting on having fewer bang-ups in 2011. you’re on a roll with the never-ending fitness challenge. you need to make next month’s challenge against ME, so i’ll go a month without skipping a single day’s workout. what’s the saying, “fall down nine times, get up ten”? you’ve gotten up very well this time. you will the next time, too. i’m confident it won’t be anytime soon.
You’re on, John! You can be my next 30-day challenge partner. That will be days 61-90 for me!
Honestly? I really thought I might want to sleep in today and skip it. But doing that for a cold is something a sissy would do. Getting to bed early? Now THAT’s an idea!