Brandon Gleason, the Hamline University runner who was struck by an SUV while on a training run last winter, is running again and slowly healing roughly five months after his accident.Gleason (pictured), who was ranked #6 in NCAA Division III in the indoor 5000 when he was struck, lost both his indoor and outdoor track seasons to the injury which broke his right tibia.
"It has been almost five months now and I have made tremendous progress my doctors have said," Gleason told DtB recently. "As far as activities go, I have no restrictions other then pain or what my body can handle."
"I got the go ahead to run on May 8th and I started up," the Kasson-Mantorville grad continued. "Just real easy running maybe 10-11 minute pace. I would run two days on and two days off and I would say I did this for about two weeks. But after that, I had such knee pain that I took off until June 11 and then I started to run 3 days on and 1 day off. During the week of June 11 I ran 12 miles, week of June 18 I ran 20 miles, week of June 25 I ran 20.5 miles."
Gleason did suffer another set-back, but planned to be back on his feet soon. He still has a torn meniscus and a deep bone marrow bruise at the top of his tibia, which his physician, Dr. Mike Torchia -- father of Gopher runner Mike Torchia -- thinks time will heal better than further surgery.
Despite the start-and-stop rhythm of his return, Gleason, who spent nine days in the hospital immediately after the accident and walked with a cane until late-April, is pleased with his progress.
"I never thought that I would have been running on May 8th, not even three months since the accident," he admitted. "My doctor told me that if 100 people had this same accident, 95 of them would still be using crutches, and would be on restrictions from work and other activities for at least one year."
At no time during the ordeal has Gleason never thought he'd have to give up the sport he loves.
"From day one up to now, I have always said I will be in Sports Illustrated for making a comeback," he joked. "But in all honesty I never had a chance to even think that a comeback wasn’t possible and this was because my teammates and other teams from across the state as well as the nation said that I would be back and be back faster. Therefore, that is why I think I have recovered the way I did, and it was due to what doctors call PMA – Positive Mental Attitude."
Gleason plans to don the red and gray of Hamline again next fall for his final cross country season.
"Currently, I have one cross country season and two track seasons (2 indoor and 2 outdoor)," he said of his eligibility. "However, I plan to use my season of cross country and only one season of track (one indoor and one outdoor). The reason for this is because in the winter of 2010 I plan to go to Brazil to student teach and I do not want to be a 24/25 year old undergrad."
"I plan to run the fall 2008 season of cross country," he said. "This is because my body is used to doing a year cycle which means a good summer of training, leading into fall, then winter and then finishing with a spring. Therefore, by taking a year off of school and just focusing on running and making a comeback, it will allow my body to get back to a cycle."
Related content ...
Brandon Gleason Update -- February 21, 2007
Hamline's Brandon Gleason Hit by Car, Badly Hurt -- February 14, 2007
Photo courtesy of Hamline University.
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