Stress Fracture

Back in September '10, I was almost ready for my first half marathon.  I had worked so hard, going from someone who could barely finish 3 miles to someone very close to running 13.  My foot started hurting...  Shooting pains in the foot near my ankle.  I had it x-rayed, and the inept doctor told me nothing was wrong...  That maybe I needed a wedge in my shoe.  So he put a wedge in my shoe and told me to run.  "Ice it if it swells."  What a doctor that was. 

I did, however, complete that October half marathon and two more, the Dallas White Rock Half in December and the Renaissance Half here in Ridgeland in April.  I have had some minor issues with the foot - hurting and swelling after long runs.  But nothing debilitating. 

And now, as I finished up the first two weeks of marathon training, my foot starts swelling.  Not so much hurting, but major swelling.

I made an appointment with a NEW doctor at the sports medicine clinic and saw her Monday.  She looked at the x-rays from September and the new ones and pointed to the stress fracture in both x-rays.  The new ones with a worse case than the September ones.  I don't understand why the first doctor didn't see this.  So I have an MRI tomorrow to see what I'm looking at as far as running goes.  Could be as little as several weeks of no running to up to 6 months. 

I was devasted by my swollen foot back in September and the possibility of not completing this first half marathon that had become such a reachable goal for me through all the hard work.  This time, I wasn't as devastated.  There will be other races... other marathons.  And I'd really love to get this foot fixed before I start a marathon training program, obviously.  I had only completed 2 of 18 weeks.  It could have been SO much worse.  I could have been a week away from the marathon.  For that I am very thankful.

Even though I know all that, and I can surely see the good things about finding this out now, I still have my moments.  I realized today I couldn't run the Watermelon Classic on the July 4th with my kids (they were excited about it.)  That was a sad moment. 

I went into the bedroom and saw that the power light was on on the treadmill.  I went over and turned it off and wondered when would be the next time I turned it on.  That was sad.

And I was folding clothes tonight and folded up my running clothes from the last time I ran and put them away in my running clothes drawer.  That was the saddest I've been so far.  My mind started wandering... What if the MRI shows something bad and I'm out of the running game for the whole next season of marathons?  What if running a marathon just isn't in the cards for me?  As I shut the drawer, I wondered When will I open this drawer again?

I've never been an athlete.  Never.  I was a cheerleader, but I wasn't even a good cheerleader.  I can't jump.  I'm not flexible.  I'm scared of things flying in the air towards me.  I get motion sick worse than anyone I've known.  I'm not even really a fan of sweat.  It's just so ironic to me that I actually find this sport I love and this happens.  I asked my husband tonight, "Can you believe I actually have a sports injury!?  HA!"  He said, "That is pretty unexpected." 

I know running has become my thing.  It was so hard to do for me.  It does not come naturally.  I have to work so hard, but I can work hard.  And I can do it.  My training was going so easily.  I really thought this marathon was going to happen.  I thought that 13.1 sticker was going to be replaced with a 26.2. 

It will.  I'm doing everything in my power to make it happen.  I have a great doctor now... The foot specialist at the sports medicine clinic.  I have an awesome God who answers prayers and knows my heart and its desires.  So... I guess this is a to-be-continued situation.  And it will be continued....