One of my fiercest rivals growing up was running. I was the antithesis of athletic and nothing distressed me more than mandatory miles at school. But just over a decade ago, a friend convinced me to sign up for a race, and I caught the running bug .
Soon I found myself casually running 5Ks and the occasional 10K. In 2016, I threw my name into the TCS New York City Marathon lottery, half-hoping I wouldn't score a spot. But I did, and before I knew it, I was a three-time NYC marathoner, having not only crossed the finish line in 2016, but also in 2017 and 2020 (although the finish line that year was symbolic, since the pandemic meant the race was held virtually).
Even so, my relationship to running was complex, both emotionally and physically. I never exactly liked the actual act of running. And it was never easy for me, since knee, foot, and leg issues of every kind plagued me throughout every training.
Yet there was something about the thrill of racing — or maybe it was crossing finish lines — that kept me going. While training for the United NYC Half in 2021, however, a different level of pain set in: a nagging ache on my inner left ankle, heated and sharp at times. With COVID-19 still very much present in our lives, the race was virtual that year.
By the time I'd crossed the 13.1-mile marker on my self-created race route, I could barely walk. I went to my physician, then physical therapists, podiatrists, and orthopedic surgeons (yes, multiples of each!).
After a series .
