If you read my entry about my last race, you will remember that I have been having some pain in my right foot. For a while I thought it was my ankle. I've elevated it, iced it and rested it but it wasn't getting any better. I stayed off of it as much as I could. I taught sitting down much of the time and stopped running. I'm in my third week of not running. I ran that 5k and one time on an elliptical to see how that would work. Both times were painful so I resorted to a running fast. It's been extremely hard thing. I've wanted to go running so many times. I've pretended my foot wasn't hurting thinking that would help convince Jeremy I could go. Both friends, family and Jeremy told me I needed to stay off of it and not run, so I minded them. I'm stubborn when it comes to things like this. I've trained so hard for this half marathon and I feel like I've been made to give up. I hate giving up and so this has been one of the most challenging things I've had to face. All the tough training was probably what got the best of me. My body wasn't getting enough rest to heal the muscles and so the pain began. I probably thought I was just sore so I just kept going. The pain started around the time I got some blisters on my feet which could have come from the long runs, from my new shoes, or from the nail person that took off my callouses! Sorry it's gross, but true. I didn't even realize there might be a problem until I was in lots of pain. I took the week off leading up to the September 5k but haven't been able to get back to feeling good. Jana said she thought it was a stress fracture because of my symptoms. I researched it and instead of going into deal, I'll just say I wasn't too excited about the results of my search. I was quite upset when I read things like 4-6 weeks of recovery. I then told my chiropractor, Dr. Rod, because he's a big runner. He said he thought it was just a soft tissue injury instead of a stress fracture because I wasn't letting my muscles repair after the long runs. It's my fault because I would do the long runs on Sunday instead of on Saturday. Then I missed the rest day after the long run because I didn't want to get off the schedule for the next week. I liked his diagnosis better but I wasn't all the way convinced with him because it wasn't getting better with the "rest" that I was doing. That's when fall break came along. My plans for the break were to really get ready for the half, but there were quickly changed. I made myself stay in bed and be lazy. I went to the orthopedic and got some xrays taken. He pushed around on my feet and I voiced my pain for when he pushed the hurt areas. He said he thought it was a stress fracture. While he was drawing pictures of stress fractures and explaining how they differ, I started losing focus. He said they occur on a scale from 0-4 where 4 is cracked all the way through the bone and I was probably a 1-2 but I would have to do an MRI to tell. I realized I was about to faint and I told him I was getting dizzy. I couldn't even listen to all he had to say because of my dizziness. I laid there a while. A lady came in and asked if she could do anything. She brought me water while I tried to regain focus and I finally was better. I heard Dr. Cullen in the hall and he was saying that he must have pressed too hard on my foot. I wonder if that's a normal occurrence. I scheduled an MRI for a few days later. If it comes out that it is a stress fracture I may be in a boot for a while.
Here's what I've found out about stress fractures. They vary in degree. It can take differing amounts of time for it to heal. Different things can cause them: 1.) lack of vitamin D or calcium 2.) shoes that are too stiff or old 3.) hormone imbalances 4.) running on hard surfaces 5.) not allowing time for rest 6.) increasing intensity of training too quickly.... Without too much detail for my own sanity (since it's late), I fit into these categories. Even though the definition and symptoms fit me, I'm really praying that I heal before the 21st!
I haven't let myself think about the MRI because I just want to get well and run the half. At my chiropractor appointment on Thursday, Dr. Rod said that he's not convinced I won't run. He's like me in the fact that he wouldn't give up! I paid $75 for the half. I want to run. I don't know if I really care about the money. Jeremy said he'd pay and walk with me. I want to run though. I put I would finish in 2 hr. 7 minutes. That's my goal. I want to run! I want to complete this twelve in twenty twelve but I don't want to hurt myself more. I WANT TO RUN!!!!
Cindy asked to take me to go to the MRI. My mom then said she would have taken me. Then Jana asked if she could come along if it wouldn't stress me out. I think we are all praying that the MRI is clear and that I'd be able to run next Sunday. What am I supposed to learn through this- that I run too much? that I need to keep with the small races? to take it slow and not push myself too hard? to regain focus?
After the MRI I will have a follow-up appointment Wednesday afternoon with Dr. Cullen so he can tell me what they found. This will require me to leave school early. This is another thing I'm stubborn about. I don't like missing school.
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Update after the MRI:
I got a little scared before I went into the MRI. Jana and Cindy were there to help me relax though. The technician was pretty friendly too so that helped. The hospital was pretty empty at 8 on a Sunday morning. I was glad I had people to go with me! Laying still for 45 minutes was on tough thing to do. The guy asked me if I wanted music. It wasn't that loud though so I didn't hear it half the time because of the noises that sounded like guns, jackhammers and motors. About 15 minutes into it, he changed the casing around my foot and then encased both feet. During this time I talked to him a little. He said, "so far so good." The second time was much longer and I felt the urge to twitch a lot more. I also had to go to the bathroom again because I was nervous. Jana and Cindy said they could hear the machine and they heard me talking to him when he was switching all the stuff around. He tried to make me as comfortable as he could with pillows and blankets, but you can only get so comfortable on a table! After all the imaging stuff was over he told me that he was going to print out all the pictures so I could take them to Dr. Cullen. He wasn't allowed to tell me what he saw though. I tried to ask him questions but he didn't want to budge. He didn't sound too confident that I'd be running next Sunday though. Time will well. While waiting, I'll spend the last day of my fall break in bed with my foot propped up while it's being iced.
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Update after the MRI readings from the doctor
Dr. Cullen said I can run on Sunday!!!! He said that the x-rays are clear. He thinks that I was having bad shinsplints. He told me I could run after I left his office and another time before the race. He also told me to take some pain meds before the race. I believe prayers have been answered!!! God is good. I don't think I was in that much pain for shinsplints! I'm so much better than I was a few days ago though. He told me to wear my old shoes for the race because he thinks the other ones that were made for the type of gaite I have, either are too corrective or I didn't wear them in enough before my long runs.
