It’s possible I compared myself to Kobe Bryant today.

Or maybe Tyrese Haliburton.

It doesn’t really matter which one. Both comparisons are equally accurate…or…ok, fine. Just equally wildly inaccurate.

But I’m seeing a new Chiro PT Doc. And he asked me about my Achilles injury. The one I’ve had since 2018 when I mistakenly believed I could run the Blue Ridge Double. Without consequences. Very. Long. Lasting. Consequences.

And the thing is, I’ve had this Achilles pain for so long, and it has become overshadowed by so many other injuries, that I don’t even worry about it anymore.

Like when Kobe tore his Achilles. During a game. Then shot free throws before walking himself off the floor. Under his own power. His own very impressive power.

And then Hali tore his Achilles. In Game 7 of the finals the year we were going to win a championship. And he thought he could Kobe his way up and off the floor himself. With a ruptured Achilles. Because Kobe did it. “Kobe walked. I’m gonna walk.” And he stood up and immediately realized he was not walking. He is not Kobe. None of us is Kobe.

Chiro PT Doc looked mostly confused by the story. Not a basketball fan, I guess.

My point is, I haven’t ruptured my Achilles.

Yet.

After eight years of fairly constant pain.

So I no longer consider it an injury. It’s just…pain.

Achilles pain.

That I walk on.

Like Kobe.

Kind of.

What I do consider an injury is my hamstring. And my forearm. And my lower back. Pretty much all the parts above the Achilles.

So I took all of this into my new Chiro PT Doc and ran him through the list. Starting with the Achilles. Which is how the inaccurate Kobe/Hali comparison happened. As I was trying to explain why I’m way more whiny about whatever is shoving a knife into my hamstring when I run or tearing the tendons out of my forearm when I try to pour my morning coffee. My COFFEE. And we agreed to work our way through the whinier parts first.

And we are.

I haven’t had anyone shove a knife through the back of my leg when I run in almost two weeks. Which is optimal running conditions, really.

And I can almost pour my coffee without whimpering.

Because I’m an excellent student. And super compliant. And only call him the bad names when he makes me do the single leg hamstring sliders.

But he gave me this cool t-shirt.

Because he knows how much runners love t-shirts. We’ll do pretty much anything for a t-shirt.

Like doing single leg hamstring sliders without punching their Doc in the face.

Or running on an injured Achilles.

Like Kobe.