Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Stress Fracture Vent Session


Post-Ironman Wisconsin sure did not go as I had anticipated.  I was limping around in my typical post-IM fashion for the first few days post race, but as all over muscle soreness disappeared, my heel pain increased.  By the middle of the second week after Ironman, my heel was so bad that I couldn't even walk on it.  So I sucked it up and made the doctor appointment, which gave me a referral to a sports med/podiatrist.  This lead to an X-ray and examination, in which the doctor concluded I indeed had a stress fracture in my heel. This meant a walking boot for 4-6 weeks, and of course, absolutely no weight bearing activity-No running.  Telling me I can't run in the fall is truly miserable-Fall is the best season to run.  Perfect temperatures, colorful leaves, crisp air-This totally sucks.  I had a plan to run my first 100 mile run in late April-I know April is quite a distance away, but I'm a week into wearing the boot and there is no relief quite yet.  I guess my hope of feeling back to normal after a few days in the boot wasn't entirely realistic.  The training plan I was going to start would start at the end of October, and I know now that there is no chance of that happening.  I guess I'll be playing the next few months by ear.

So what can I do now?  Oh, my favorite thing in the world-swim.  I am not a fan of swimming, not one bit.  But, it is the one thing I can do with zero pain so I am in the pool, and it's October.  Can't remember if there has been a season where I've swam through October-Maybe my swimming will actually improve this year :)  Besides that, I'm doing a lot of push ups, core work, and spinning on a bike (nothing outdoors though :(...clipping in and out of my pedals hurts too bad).  I tried an elliptical last Saturday, and truly did not feel any pain; yet I woke up Sunday morning in a tremendous amount of pain, so I'm staying away from it for awhile. 

Several people I've spoken to about this say this is a blessing in disguise.  If I recall the past few years, I  really haven't taken a significant break from running (last year I trained for and ran my first 50 mile ultra, ran everyday of 2012 and 100 days into 2013, and competed in Ironman distance triathlons since 2006...so not much time off of running).  Maybe this is my body forcing me to stand down for a little while, and that could be a good thing (I keep trying to tell myself...) but it really doesn't make it any easier.  I've gone through both the denial and anger fazes of this injury-and now I'm on to the depressed stage.  I truly feel bad for the people around me that have to listen to me vent and rant about this injury and not being able to run.  I am sorry and well aware that worse things could have happened-I just don't deal well with "resting" and being told that I cannot do something-it only makes me want to do it more.

Alright, another rant over.  Counting the days until the next doctor's appointment next Wednesday, and then my 4 week appointment after that.  Hopefully with a few more days/weeks of TLC this heel will be back and ready to rock-I have big plans for it in 2014 :)  

2 comments:

  1. Hoping you were able to get something in today!?! I know it is tough for you BUT you are very right...your body is probably craving this break. Let's be honest a boot is the only thing that can keep you from running (pain usually doesn't stop you!!) Fingers are crossed your next doctor's appointment goes well! :)

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  2. Your body is definitely due for an actual break from all that intense exercise though I know it is incredibly difficult for you...feel free to vent all day, every day till you are all good to go! :)

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