Fractured From Stress

The last few days I have had an annoying pain on the top of my left foot. As soon as I wake up and take a few steps, or sit for longer than fifteen minutes and get up to walk around it immediately presents itself. It's not excruciating, but it isn't a day at the park either. Usually after about 4 or 5 steps the pain lessens and then leaves. No big, right? WRONG! Apparently.

Last night I went for an amazing run. There was a a good breeze blowing, a bit of a sprinkling most of the time. Not too much, not too little, just right. I went sans ipod in case the rain picked up so it was just me and my thoughts. My pace felt good and strong, so I checked my watch to see how I was doing. What? I remembered hitting the button on my watch when I left, but there it was plain as day....00:00. GRRRR. Oh well, I know where I usually am at at this point in the run, it really feels like I am ahead of my usual pace, and I feel strong, so I will start it and set a goal to be back at a certain time. Now, go! So I did, with the strong breeze filled with rain droplets that kept me and my thoughts company. It was a great run. One for the books. I even got back eleven seconds under my goal. If I had actually turned the watch on at the beginning I am sure I would have been looking at a Personal Record. Fast forward to a half hour later. I was sitting on the couch reading story books to Evie. We got up to get her ready for bed, and OW! Starting to sense that I was playing with fire I decided to call Nate's "brother" but technically cousin, Chip. He has a degree in sports therapy and is also now a PA. I figured he was my go to guy on whether or not I was imagining this nonsense. Three minutes into the call he tells me I need new shoes. Whew! That's it? I can handle that. Then he goes on to tell me that I need to stop running for 3-4 weeks because it sounds like a stress fracture. What? Are you serious?


(this is not my x-ray. It is just an image off the internet of a stress fracture on a left foot in the general area of where I feel my pain.)


He said based on the fact that no trauma occured to the foot, I am consistently running, it only hurts after I have been resting and it is on the top of the foot, his over the phone diagnosis is that it is a stress fracture and to take it easy. If I don't it will only get worse and then I will be in a cast and won't even be really walking let alone running. I think he told me that because he could hear the "but I don't wanna stop running" and "it can't really be THAT bad" in my voice. So, he resorted to putting the fear of Chip in me. I am sad to say that it worked. Stress fracture are small cracks on the surface of the bones caused by consistent pounding, aka running. The reason it hurt after I was resting was because my body was working on healing it and I was essentially rebreaking it. Good times.

Now, I am not an idiot. I know there are worse things in life to have handed to you. A piddly little stress fracture that takes you out of the game for a month is nothing to cry over. My running career has been handed far worse before, but that is a story for another time. However, I would be lying if I didn't admit to being bummed just a bit. Okay, a lot. I have two, count them, two races on the books for the next three weeks. Let alone the fact that I LOVE running. Thus, the being thoroughly bummed. Heaven help my family, while I can't run. He did tell me it would be okay to take a bit of time off and try to stay race ready on my elliptical. I am hoping that the non-impact of the elliptical will let me heal but also keep me a little on my game. Oh and bet your booties I am off to the running store next week for some sweet new shoes that hopefully will help me prevent this crap down the road, the running road that is. Cross your fingers.