7/07/2010

The treadmill of doom.


Long ago and far away, RJ used to be a runner.  A hardcore, thousand miles a day, faster than the speed of light kind of runner.

But life, as it tends to do, got in the way, and it's been years since he ran regularly.

So, for Father's Day this year, the boys and I (I'm still waiting for them to chip in their share, by the way.  Deadbeats.) got him a new treadmill, so it would be easier and more convenient to take it up again.   

I'm not very good at surprises (or able to lift a treadmill by myself in order to purchase it), so I arranged for a sitter, bundled RJ off to Dick's, and let him pick out his own.  

A very earnest and uninformed young Sales Guy was there to help us.  RJ had many, many, many questions about the various types, models, differences, features and benefits of all 20 treadmills on display.  Sales Guy had no clue, and kept talking about the training he was going to get on THAT model next week.  Next week was going to be a busy week for Sales Guy.  Anyway, we narrowed it down to two - A Sole, and a (according to Sales Guy) fairly new player in the treadmill market, a Livestrong.  I was all for the Livestrong.  It was WAY cheaper.  I mean, Lance Armstrong is an icon, right?  Surely he wouldn't make bad equipment.  Plus, those little yellow bands are cool.  All the cool kids have one...

We decided on the Livestrong.  Good deal, good equipment, harrowing trip home with it tied into the back of the car, even more harrowing trip down the basement stairs because we can no longer use our outer basement door.  But we did get it home, and set up.  RJ could not wait to use it, and went for a brisk two mile run that very night.  

And, he hurt himself.

Badly enough that he had to go to the doctor, who diagnosed a torn Achilles tendon, and recommended six weeks of rest, anti-inflammatory drugs, and frequent icing.

Never one to be wasteful of such a lovely new toy, I decided that I would take up a bit of jogging myself, because after all, I have found myself with a bit more free time lately.  And I'm tired of being fat, but that's another story all together.  

Anyway, I got myself hooked up with the Couch to 5k program, and commenced with the running.  It was fun.  It was exhilarating. I loved it.  I did it every day for a week.

Until the day when I woke up, and my heel looked like this:



So yeah.

Guess what?

It appears that I have exactly the same injury that RJ does.

On exactly the same foot.


 Of course, I didn't go to the doctor for mine.  Google is my doctor of choice, and we diagnosed the same (if not quite so severe) injury that RJ has.

So...

Anybody need a good treadmill?

I've got one for cheap.

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