I saw the doctor this morning and it's official. I have a stress fracture in my right leg below the knee. The radiologist said it was a severe stress fracture and the doctor said it was rare to get it so high up the leg. I have some pretty good shin splints, too, according to the bone scan.
I stopped running since my last long run June 7. I knew then that I had done something to my leg, and when it still hurt to go down stairs three days later, I knew it was worse than usual. I'm to abstain from running or long distance walking for 4 more weeks, and then check in again with the doctor. I'm really not supposed to do any fitness activity until the pain subsides; at that point I can ride a bike or swim.
Because I have suffered with shin splints for so long, and now have a stress fracture, the doctor recommended that I stop training for any races this year and look towards a spring marathon next year. He thinks I should start from scratch and build my base slowly and gradually. I agree with this approach as much as it pains me to say it.
I told him I assumed this is what I would have to do and I'm ok with it. But then I blurted out how I'm not really an athlete, but I loved to run, and I'm a really slow runner (jogger, if you will) and just wanted to progress and look where it got me. Ugh.
My neighbor let me borrow her mountain bike for a few weeks. I rode it a little tonight to give it a try and it was fun. She uses it to commute to work and it's decked out pretty nicely. She's looking to upgrade to a "hybrid" bike and keep the mountain bike in reserve for the winter. She's a serious biker, so I really appreciate the opportunity to give her bike a try. I just might break down and get a good one of my own.
Not only will it be fun to ride with my sons casually, but I seriously could commute. Columbus is getting to be more bike-friendly (not on the roads but at least with trails). There is a bike trail a few blocks from my house all the way to downtown so you don't have to ride in traffic. Our office building has a place inside to store bikes. Our bus system has bike racks where you can stow your bike if you want a ride, and we have a bus stop very close to my house. It looks like it is only about 10 miles to work but I could be reading the map wrong. If it is, then heck, I could run that far! Riding should be a piece of cake!
Speaking of cake, I guess I will have to lay off all the good stuff I was able to eat when I was training. That will be HARD. I am going to get fat, I know it. As soon as I stop exercising my body goes into full gear storing up the fat.
This has been a hard lesson to learn, but I think I got the message: you really do have to take it slow and listen to your body, no matter how much you think you should be going longer or faster. I feel like such a dork (but I think at work people think I'm an athlete or something), but it won't be the first time. I'll survive and come back fighting strong. Just a little slower!
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