So I regret to write this post but I have another stress fracture. This time it’s in my metatarsal (4th) bone of my right foot. Opposite side to the pelvis one in May of 2014. How did it happen? Well about a week before the 5Km Canadian Championships I felt a significant pain in the front of my ankle. Felt like something pinching or a sprained ankle that I never sprained. A visit to a sports doc and he was 98% convinced I did not have a stress fracture in my ankle and diagnosed some early OA signs in the subtalar joint. I progressed within a couple of weeks to be able to go on the elliptical, step mill and stand in yoga poses plus downward dog without any pain. Within 3 weeks everything was pretty much pain free except hopping. But knowing I didn’t have a stress fracture I ventured out with the goal of 4K as 3mins run and 1 mins walk so I could get a rhythm going. Cuz that’s better than 1/1 for 2km. Knowing I wouldn’t be totally pain free and wanting to see how it felt AFTER I kept going despite pain in my whole foot. The first minute was fine:(. I don’t know what takes over my brain when I set out for a run but something sets in me and this time I was unwilling to give that up. Mistake #2. Mistake #1 was running when I still felt some pain with hopping and light drills. I got home and could not put weight on my foot again fully. On went my boot I had bought for episode #1 a few weeks back and a quick text to my awesome GP and I had an X-ray done and booked for a bone scan a week later at the first available appt. The metatarsal lit up like a Xmas tree on the scan. 

  
How frustrated am I? Very. Why? Because I’m mad at myself for trying to run when it hurt to hop. Frustrated that I didn’t request a bone scan initially as I know my body. But is it worth my time to act this way? No it’s not. What I learned from my last go around is time heals regardless of whether I am angry or happy so may as well be happy. Focus on what I can do (cycle, weights, modified yoga, pool running if I so choose but I don’t cuz I hate it😩). Hopefully in 3-4 weeks I’ll be back on the elliptical and able to walk. As for running I’m not rushing this at all and am happy to wait 8-10 weeks or whatever it takes to be more than 3 days pain free. 

Yes I will live to run again. Will I race again? I’m not sure I want to give it up but clearly the added intensity combined with the poor mechanics of my right foot post bunion surgery may not be able to continue. I’m not making this decision yet but I may just wait a good year of healthy slower running before I start back to intensity. Here I thought just racing 5km’s would protect me from this injury. Clearly I had that wrong even though I had a great coach to guide me. With each major injury I learn more about myself and what I perhaps need to accept as I get older. 

The other thing I’ve learned is my nature does not do anything “easy”. I push and even when I think I’m not pushing I always am. I am a body that likes to stay in motion. I challenge myself often and finish what I’ve started. In many aspects of life this is a good quality. When it comes to running it may not be so good!! 

Here’s to the next 6-8 weeks of becoming a really good cyclist and weight trainer! And continuing on with life cuz that’s all I can do while I wait to get back on the roads.