Remember when
I told you I was injured? After almost three weeks of no activity and the pain still lingering, I knew it would ease my mind to go to the doctor. I found a new practice where both are the doctors are runners and have a specialty in sports medicine. My suspicions and research were accurate; it was a
stress fracture. While the X-ray didn't show it (
even after approximately 3+ weeks with the injury), my doctor didn't think it would be necessary to spend the money on a MRI when the treatment would be the same. The treatment?
The boot. And only upper body work outs and swimming.
Cross training. I hate cross training. As of now, I'm in it for two weeks, and then I have a check-up from there.
My fears?
After accepting that I was not going to be able to run the
RunRaleigh half (
that had already been paid for) and achieve that PR I had been hoping for, I'm scared of losing all the endurance and speed I've worked so hard for. I'm scared of gaining weight back that I've worked so hard to lose. I'm scared my leg will never be the same. I'm scared of this happening again. I'm scared of how long this might take to heal. I'm scared I may not be able to run that 5k for
BFW in May.
I'm scared of a lot. Being scared adds to stress. My primary form of stress relief is running. This has been a really difficult time for me.
[My last long run prior to the injury. Pushed through calf tightness which was likely a precursor to/sign of the fracture]
How did this happen?
It wasn't the shoes. I was running an average of three days a week, two short runs and one long run, which I don't consider overtraining. I was cross training at least one day per week. I was running exclusively outside (
no treadmill). My only guess what that I was pushing myself too fast and not resting and stretching enough. My running partner pushed me to be faster (
not by telling me to be, but just by being quicker); therefore my long runs were at a quicker pace than I was used to. My short runs were all quick. Even running three days a week, I was constantly pushing myself to be quicker. Since many of my runs were during my lunch break, I didn't stretch properly after. My routes always involved hills. I'll never know for sure.
Where do I go from here?
Swimming. I'm open to any and all resources on aqua jogging. I did one session last week, prior to seeing my doctor, which involved alternating between kick boarding, backstroke, and aqua jogging. I didn't feel like it was a work out at all, and I felt a dull ache in the "bad leg" after (
possibly due to the increased leg effort with the kick board). I'm a terrible swimmer, but I don't have a problem trying (
if I can get over the judgement of that lifeguard always watching me ;)). Since I thrive off of training plans, I am going to try to (
as strictly as possible) follow
this plan from Peter Pfitzinger. Biking is out for the time being, especially while I'm in the boot. I'll also be pulling out all those
pinned workouts that I have yet to try. I'm guessing I'm looking at another four weeks before I can comfortably do anything else...
Tell me about injuries you've had!
How did you get through them? What swimming or core/upper body workouts would you recommend (even Pins!)?
