Back To Work

I made it through the first week of work since my accident.  It sure felt good to be back on the floor at the taekwondo studio!  My students and co-workers have been incredibly supportive, and I'm grateful.  When you work in the same place for 12 years it is easy to take it for granted, or let the annoyances (small and large) make you forget what led you there in the first place.  I know I'm lucky; I love what I do, and my boss (Grand Master B. C. Kim) is also my mentor and friend.

My foot feels pretty good.  It is still swollen, and by the end of the day it is pretty achy, but it feels good.  I have remained pretty close to barefoot; my injured foot is still protected with gauze and an Ace bandage.  At the gym I wear my old standby Vibram Five Fingers ("toe shoes") on my good foot.  When I'm out and about I'm wearing flip-flops, but it keeps sliding off my injured foot.  I guess you need all your toes to make them viable.  After the stitches come out I'll go get some more substantial sandals such as huraches, but I will white-knuckle it through the next 1 1/2 weeks with what I have.

So what am I gonna wear on my feet for running?  Good question.  I had been running in Vibram Five Fingers KSO Treks, but I don't know if that's gonna work at first.  This winter I acquired some Asics street running shoes that I think will be okay in the short term.  They are designed to correct over-pronation (rotating your ankles outward as you run).  As soon as possible I would like to go back to a minimalist-type shoe with not much heel support, preferably my VFFs.

One concern I have had is balance.  The shape of my right foot has changed, so balance is gonna be different.  I have been casually playing with simple exercises such as balancing on my right foot.  Yeah, balance has been affected, but with the simple things I've done so far it isn't too bad.  I did a few steps of slow jogging on the matted floor of the TKD studio, and it felt fine.  Of course that was only a few steps, but taking them was good for my confidence.

So I'm back in taekwondo, and I now know that I'll be able to do everything I want and need to do for my work and my martial arts training.  Hell, I might have to go compete in a tournament just to test myself.  I have promised myself a trip to my beloved Forest Park on the weekend after my stitches come out, and I'm waiting impatiently to get out there.  I'm gonna have to start out very slow, very low miles, but I AM gonna start.