“In early July I fell while running on a trail in Hendricks Park. The emergency room referred me to Slocum Center and I met with Dr. Routhier the next week. She and the other helpful, encouraging people at the center diagnosed the two broken bones in my right foot and ankle and helped me through the sequence of appointments and provided the succession of footwear to support me during the early healing process. They also showed me how to do some exercises to strengthen my injured ankle. I returned to my regular (if limited) gym workouts two weeks after the injury. The recumbent bike was about the only machine I could use with the cast, but it gave me a good workout. A few weeks later, the more flexible boot allowed me to add elliptical-type machines. I kept up with nearly daily gym workouts. Then, about two months after the injury, Dr. Routhier gave the okay to start working back into running. She gave me the “Return to Running” guide, which laid out a nine-week, very gradual approach to getting going again. The schedule helped me feel patient with the need to let my injuries continue to heal while slowly moving from walking to brief bits of jogging to more and more run-like exercise. The schedule also proved quite accurate in showing how I could progress over time. Within eight weeks I began working four and five mile jogs into my workout schedule. So, now, mid-way through November and a little over four months after my fall on the gravel running trail, I am again able to do several miles of up-and-down jogging in my hilly neighborhood, including the park. I’ve also made several visits to a favorite seven-mile route on Pre’s trail in Alton Baker Park. I alternate these workouts with my gym workouts and am now doing essentially what I was doing before my fall. I feel no pain in the affected foot and ankle area. I continue, even now, to use a gel-type cold pack on the area after workouts. I’ll add that as a 67-year old runner I very much appreciated that Dr. Routhier understood my wanting to get back to running as soon as possible and that she encouraged me from day one to work with that goal in mind.”