Phoenix mayor breaks his foot jogging

Monica Alonzo-Dunsmoor The Arizona Republic Feb. 21, 2006 03:50 PM

Mayor Phil Gordon broke his foot early Tuesday morning while jogging near the Biltmore with former Mayor Paul Johnson.

"I heard a snap and then I just went down," said Gordon, as he sat in his office later that morning with his leg in a cast and propped on a chair.

Johnson said that Reuben "Gonzo" Gonzales, the mayor's security detail, tried to get him to the hospital, but Gordon thought it was just a sprained ankle. Rather than seeking medical treatment, the next stop was a coffee house, where he got an Espresso and ice for his swelling foot. Gordon finally went to a nearby fire station and then to the hospital where X-rays confirmed a broken bone.

The mayor intends to stick to his daily schedule, but is expected to visit an orthopedic surgeon.

Johnson said he felt bad about the whole thing because Gordon had asked repeatedly ask him to "move over" while the two were running.

"Because I'm so tall I tend to wander in one direction," Johnson said. "It was dark . . . and he kept saying 'Move over,' three times. Then, I thought he just rolled his ankle. I've done it 100 times. But he was just grimacing through the coffee. I fully assumed he was overreacting."

Gordon often refers to Johnson as the "old gray mayor," but it was Johnson's turn to get in few playful jabs.

"The thing I like the most about this is I'm definitely faster than him now," Johnson said with a chuckle. "And he looks a lot younger than me, but he's breaking down a lot faster."

The doctor had good news for Gordon: The break was a clean one that won't require any surgery.

Gordon will be fitted with a boot cast that he'll be wearing for eight to 10 weeks, but will be able to walk on after a couple weeks.

Reach the reporter at monica.alonzo-dunsmoor@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2478.