Okay, It's Time

It's time to let you all in on a little secret....I broke my foot.

Well, I might have.

About 4 weeks ago I came back from a 3 mile morning run and my 2nd and 3rd toes on my left foot were stiff. When I walked it was annoying that they didn't seem to bend, but it wasn't necessarily painful. But after 6 miles on Saturday, I could barely walk to my car. Since it was Labor Day weekend and I didn't want to wait until Tuesday to walk again, I sent my family to church Sunday morning and I headed to an urgent care clinic. I was walking like I had a stick up someplace so I was hoping for some answers!

The PA I got was fabulous even though she was from another country, was having severe allergy problems, and had a cough drop in her mouth. When I told her I was a runner her first question was if I was wearing the correct shoes. Just the question she should have asked! I told her the short version of the running store selling me B width when I wear D and the fact that I'm dumb enough to not have noticed until I was 9 1/2 miles in. But that had been 3 weeks earlier. After x-rays (and the tech asking if I run in the correct shoes) the PA told me she thought it was Morton's Neuroma. Actually, she said she hoped that's what it was. But to make sure she wanted me to see a podiatrist. She gave me a fashionable shoe and sent me on my way.

4 days later I went to see a wonderful podiatrist...minus the shoe. It just made it hurt more. His first question was if I was a runner. When I told him I had a half marathon in 5 1/2 weeks he asked me if I was training in the right shoes. I love that everyone knows how important it is! He pushed, prodded, bent, and tickled my foot and I had no pain. When I showed him exactly what I had to do to make it hurt, he found the spot and really went to work making sure it hurt. He told me he had also thought it was Morton's but because the pain was on the top of my foot, it couldn't be. I wanted Morton's because it would heal faster than a stress fracture. After x-rays, we didn't know anything else. Stress fractures don't show up for 3-4 weeks after the pain starts.

He told me I was done running for at least 6 weeks.

I told him I planned to run the race.

He told me I couldn't run for 6 weeks.

I told him I was going to run the race.

He told me I was done running for at least 6 weeks.

I explained to him why I was running the race. Tracy and John, Mitchell, LLS, and TNT.

He leaned forward and looked me straight in the eye. "Are you in good enough shape to show up that morning and run the race?"

I leaned in and looked him in the eye. "Do I not look like I am?"

He laughed and I liked him even more.

I told him that no matter what he said, I was going to run, walk, or crawl the race. And then I told him since it was in San Francisco I knew I wasn't going to be running the whole thing. I know that I can't run straight up. He offered me a deal. No running until race day, and no running for a while after. I took the deal and shook his hand on it. He put me in a boot that instantly took the pain away and kept me from turning my knee out to compensate. Even though it's helping, I'm still trying to embrace the boot.I'll let you in on another little secret. I tried to run once. I don't always have the boot on when I'm in the house, so I thought I'd at least put my shoes on and walk to the halfway point to meet my friends. I sat on the floor and laced up my shoes. As I was getting up off the floor I bent my foot wrong and fell back down in tears. So maybe the doctor was right. I have been very careful since then. The doctor told me I could ride a bike so I have done that a few times. Our running schedule has gym days on Wednesday and Friday so I am doing a little bit of working out. But obviously not enough since I gained 5 pounds in 5 days. Life has also gotten a bit crazy so making time to go to the gym hasn't been my top priority.

Sigh...

This morning I changed that. The race is two weeks from yesterday. We fly out on the 15th! Shawn had my bike down and ready to go. I got up at 5:20, put my shoes on with no pain, and climbed on the bike. Luckily I noticed the flat tire before I got too far. I sent my friends a text that I'd try again tomorrow and headed in to get back in bed. But the rubbing of my thighs were saying, 'get another bike, get another bike'. We do have several. I went back in and grabbed Shawn's car keys and moved his car out of the garage so I could get to the other bikes. I was pulling Kennedy's down when I gripped the tire really hard to keep it from falling and hitting my car. And, it was flat. Strike two. So I did what I didn't want to do. I rode McKinley's. She has the seat on her bike that I had to use when I had my broken tailbone. It is the most uncomfortable thing in the entire world. If my tushie was a size 2 like hers I wouldn't have a problem. But my not size 2 tushie just can't get comfortable on it. But you know what? I got on it anyway. I circled the college pretty quickly looking for my friends. As I was trying to decide whether to circle two more times to get in 3 miles or just head home, I saw them. It made me a little teary to see them running and know I couldn't. But I let them know I was there and went 3 miles with them.

It felt good. It was cold!...but it felt good.

So what's going to happen to me in San Francisco??

I'm going to finish that race. I don't care how I do it, or in what time, but I will finish. So many of my friends and family have believed in me and donated to my cause. I will prevail!!

I'll be taking at least a month off after the race and then I'll start training for a local half marathon. I need vindication. I need a better time. I need my running partners to see what I'm capable of! Okay, not really on the last thing:C)

So there's the ugly truth. Until then I'm half walking/half limping all around town. And getting all sorts of new nicknames.

Crip-Not my choice.
Hop along-Again, not my choice.
And the one I do like???
Bootsy-Given to me by the man, John Whitaker.

That I'll answer to:)