Slow & Steady Wins the Race :-)

Still taking it easy, but not on purpose.  Today had class all day, got home after 8, so tried to get a quick 3 in.  I'm going to try and do 5ish tomorrow, to at least have 1 semi-long run this week.  

Last .5 miles I did a quick mini speed workout of 3 repeats of .1 miles at 8.0.  

I ran OUTSIDE and I actually saw little bit of that big yellow ball up there... what's that called again?  Supposed to be more of it this weekend and I am PUMPED!  Golf course here I come!

Got in a quick 3.6 miles outside before we head to Portland for golfing and the Portland half.  Getting some race anxiety. Also wishing I had broken in my new shoes more, because after running in those the last 2-3 times the old ones do not feel good.  But I don't trust the new ones to do a long race in them yet.

The good news is that I tried to run super slow, except the last few minutes or so, and my average ended up being 8:59, which is less than my goal race pace.  I would say the goal is to stay under 8:45, but 8:30 averages would be my "big goal", in TFA talk. 

Now that the weather is turning nice all of a sudden I am freaking out about what to wear though!  I think I need to get some capri tights, I'm worried my long tights are going to be too warm but that its still too cold at 7am for shorts.  Hmmmmm......

Splits: 9:07, 8:59, 9:02, 8:41 (avg)

I saw the sun today and i loved it!!! I wanted to go for a run so bad today, the sun and a little warmth (60) was calling me but I settled for golf, figured its about 2 miles walking. golfed a 65, that's right, on 9 holes!! its hard to believe, but I am THAT bad! 30 over par is NOT good!

anyway, race anxiety time is here. just want to make my goal so bad! but I know I just need to keep reminding myself that I want this to be the slowest half I run this year, so if I don't make it this time I will next time. time to try to sleep. 5am is awful early for me!

Good news or really really really really devastatingly bad news first?

Good news.  I did it!  Shattered my goal (perhaps shattered is the key word? or broke?) of beating 2 hours.  Its amazing that a year ago almost exactly I ran the Whidbey Island Half Marathon in 2:06:42 (9:50) and this year I beat that time by 18 minutes in 1:48:23 (8:16).  And I am confident that time would have been at least a minute or two faster had the below not occurred.

I have a broken fibula.  I am devastated.  I'm guessing that the "shin splints" that bothered my left leg last week since last weekend's run was really the start of a stress fracture, which culminated at mile 7 of the race.  I was feeling GREAT until mile 7, overdressed because it was the most beautiful day ever, out enjoying a really nice race.  At mile 7 my ankle hurting a lot, and I contemplated quitting, but I don't quit, which I now know was a TERRIBLE decision.  It hurt a lot and its all I thought about, but it was bearable.  At mile 12 I almost cried because I knew I would finish, but that was premature since at mile 12.5 was probably when the actual break occurred, as the pain was no longer bearable and I hobbled to the finish line as best as I could.  Terrible timing as that was one of the one hills up to a bridge of the race where there was a terrible headwind as well. 

Praying that it was a tendon strain or something minor I hoped it would be better this morning (but deep down I knew it was probably a stress fracture, never thought it was an actual BROKEN bone). Couldn't sleep last night because it hurt so bad, couldn't really walk, so decided this morning to head to the ER.  They did x-rays and sure enough, broken fibula.  Poor doctor had to see my enormous bawling breakdown when he told me I couldn't run for 6 weeks. 

On a splint/soft cast/crutches now - see the orthopedist on Friday and I'm praying I'll get a walking cast. 

I have so much more to say about everything, and I just hope I can be positive and not get too depressed through this. I cant even imagine not running, I'm going to need to do some upper body exercise or SOMETHING or I will go crazy, I know. 

Why did this happen?  I dont feel like I upped my mileage quickly at all.  I do feel like it was a mistake to run hard last weekend and this weekend, and that I should have switched to the new shoes sooner.  But other than that, I honestly don't know why this happened or how to prevent this from happening in the future.  Perhaps I'm susceptible to bone issues (I read something about this being related to abnormal periods, which I've always had, sorry if this is TMI!!).  I'm just really depressed, Rock n Roll is for sure out, I just hope I can run again someday and that this never ever ever happens again.  Has this happened to anyone else?  If so, any tips, ideas as to causes, etc. would be so greatly appreciated.  I'm going to have to fill those hours of running doing something!

Splits: 8:04, 8:11, 8:21, 8:39 (the hill!), 8:17, 7:56, 8:02 (when it started hurting), 7:58, 8:04?, 8:23, 8:27, 8:15, 8:41

Garmin was hard to decipher since I did a bad job and pressed splits and had it automatically make splits.  Big mistake.

Day 2 of this nightmare.  And I am going CRAZY.  Yesterday after the doctor I had to go to class, I knew I couldn't miss, and let's just say the UW campus is rather big.  Even with new access to the disability parking lot, walking from my car to my class seemed like a marathon, when it couldn't have been more than a quarter mile.  Then today I decided to go into work, ended up staying about 5 hours until sitting was bothering my ankle.  I just cannot handle these crutches.  I HATE CRUTCHES.  They are such hard work, so at least I guess I still feel like I'm working out!  My arms are going to be much buffer at the end of this.

Things I hate about having a broken ankle:

1) Its a beautiful day and I want to go RUN.  Or at least go outside, do some yardwork, enjoy the sun.  I can't.

2) I can't do ANYTHING.  I dont know what I would do without my husband, he's been so wonderful and has been doing everything.  How you would do this alone I have no idea.  I need to invent a way to carry things while doing the crutches, this is the worst part. 

3) Moving anywhere is HARD.  I found that I didn't want to drink anything because going to the bathroom is such a chore!  Did I mention we have a "tri-level" style house, so there is no bathroom on the main floor?  Luckily its only about 5 stairs down to the bottom level where there is one, but STILL.  See #4.

4) Stairs are IMPOSSIBLE!  I am just not good at this crutches thing.  I have almost fallen a billion times, that will be wonderful, having TWO broken ankles!

5) My body hurts.  Oh yeah, my ankle hurts most of the time, its difficult to find a position where it doesn't, especially if I'm "elevating" it like I'm supposed to.  But I'm talking about my armpits, my biceps, my triceps, the area under my arm thats all chafed from the crutches, my abs (??), the blisters on my hands from using the crutches, and the new bruises I have from running into walls trying to use the crutches! 

6) I'm BORED!!!!!!!!!!!  Its really really really boring to sit on the couch all day.  Beyond boring.  Yesterday I watched 3 different Oprahs while I did my homework.  OPRAH.  The last time I watched even one episode was..... never??  Blah.

7) I miss eating!  Ha.  I'm still eating, probably better than ever actually, so everyone is right, that probably is going to be the great thing that comes out of this.  But I've definitely had to restrict my calorie intake, as I know how easy it would be to gain a bunch of weight during this time, since I used to make up for running 30+ miles a week! 

Okay okay okay, I'm sure everyone knows this already, I'm clearly not the first person to ever break a bone!  Just please please please please PLEASE give me a walking cast on Friday!!!

Day 3 of the Terribleness

My ankle actually feels better today!  That gives me hope.  Maybe I will get a walking cast on Friday??  But I know not to expect too much, that seems like too much to hope for.

I have to go to two classes today, from 1:30-7 today, so this should be a long, exhausting day.  We'll see how it goes. 

Plus its so annoying when people are constantly asking me "what did you do?" and I have to say "I dont know!".  I need to make up some amazing story that involves saving someone from a car or something exciting!

Last, this is Day 3 of no caffeine.  Have a tinge of a headache which is probably related.  Miss that warm coffee drink in the morning but its not like I could make it or carry it to the couch myself anyway!  All the sites call it a "bone robber", and despite all those studies showing caffeine helps you go faster/longer in runs, its probably best I cut most of it out. 

Well its day 5 of the awfulness, and no relief in sight.  Just got back from the orthopedist, and despite my begging no aircast and no walking cast for at least another week.  Plus I have to have an MRI because he, like me, is wondering why my leg broke for no reason.  So now I'm worried about all the reasons that could cause that until that's done with. Fun times!

Day 5 of no caffeine as well, so at least I've got that going for me.  I am drinking some green tea right now though but I'm not going to count tea. 

I am sick of the couch and sick of the crutches!

Day 6 of the boringness!!!!!

Yesterday I had a pretty nasty spill at the end of the day - I had just taken Cooper to the park so he could play and I could walk a bunch on the crutches (I want to maintain/grow my ability to walk in those), so maybe I was fatigued?  Anyway, I fell down the stairs going to the basement, so only about 4 steps, and no real damage, but it certainly scared Justin! 

I've never watched so much tv in my life.  Most of the time I just have something on in the background that I'm not really watching, but STILL.  On the plus side I'm already way ahead on my homework for next week and think I'll do some work work this weekend too.

I did start to walk a little bit on my cast (despite doctor's orders, hopefully he's not a fastrunningblog member, ha!).  I've learned that walking on the cast on the stairs is WAY safer than just being on those crutches.  I think they're a little too tall for me too, which also probably makes me more wobbly, but its the closest size the hospital had. 

Almost one week down out of 6 weeks (hopefully that's all!).

One week down.... 5 (hopefully!) to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weighed myself today with one shoe, all my clothes, and the plaster cast (all that has to weigh at least 1 pound if not 2-3), and it was 141, which made me happy, as I have been very concerned about gaining lots of weight during this whole ordeal.  If I can just stay around 140 I'll be happy.  I definitely miss the flexibility of that extra 500 calories I get to eat a day from running/working out/ just walking places!  Its definitely a challenge to eat only 1,400 calories a day, and it definitely eliminates any treat, even fake treats like my sugar free pudding on a caramel corn rice cake.  Or a cadbury egg, which I am dying for today!

Happy Easter to all! 

Day 8. I am desperately trying to get ahold of a free or <$40 exercise bike off of craigslist. No one emails me back!  I need to do SOMETHING!

Day 11.

 Reading every one's blogs made me so sad that I'm not running.  And the weather has been soo nice lately and its supposed to be 70 this weekend! My tulips are growing!  They're the first thing I've ever grown!  I'm just sad I'm no longer progressing and not running the marathon.  Woeess me. :-)

MRI tomorrow.  Hopefully it will show nothing - that it was a stress fracture and not something a lot scarier.  I did go back and read that as far back as March 2nd I complained about my left shin (though I was complaining about my SHIN not my ankle, though I'm no doctor!).

Stupid craiglist guy is screwing me over, he posted his free exercise bike and I snagged it and was supposed to go pick it up tonight and now I think he is having second thoughts (probably wants to sell it instead of giving it away).  But I really really really want an exercise bike! :-)

Day 12.  Had my MRI today.  Man I'm glad I didn't have to go all the way in the machine, they let me go feet first and only my legs in there.  I would not have enjoyed being in there - the space was SO tiny.  And if those sounds and having to hold completely still isnt' something to make a perfectly normal person want to have a panic attack, I don't know what is!

Day 15.  2 weeks down, 4 to go.

How can I change my blog options so I can enter bike miles? I see other people can do that and I can't for the life of me figure out how to do that.  Anyway, I finally got an exercise bike off of craigslist, so I did an hour of that today, said I went 10.75 miles.  I was not sweaty at all, (it said I only burnt 200 calories) but it was nice to do SOMETHING finally.  

Doctor called - I don't have cancer or anything else scary!  MRI came back fine, it was a stress fracture gone bad.  So that is EXCITING!  He said I could walk on it, just stop if its hurting.  He didn't seem too interested in talking to me or answering questions which was frustrated.  And no appointment for 3 whole weeks, so I'm just going to pray that they just take the cast off a week early!

32 minutes on the bike, about 6.2 miles

30 minutes on the bike, about 6 miles

33 mins on the bike, 7 miles

50 mins on the bike, 11 miles

37 mins on the bike, 8 miles. 3 weeks down, 3 weeks to go (hopefully!)

I am certainly looking forward to being done with this cast.  Although my ankle is hurting less and less, which is very very nice and makes me feel hopeful (though it gets tired really easily when I'm walking or trying to do yardwork like today) but all these other parts of my leg are now bothering me which makes it twice as annoying.  I have to walk in this weird way since my ankle doesn't bend so the back of my knee feels strained all the time. The cast cuts into my shin (especially where it ends) and hurts my shin and right below my knee.  My outer foot feels all weird probably because theres no arch support or because I'm walking weird.  Plus my toes are exposed and they got soooo dirty while I was trying to pull weeds earlier (just imagine how ridiculous I looked, you can't really squat which made it verrryyy difficult!), when the cast comes off my foot is going to be disgustingly dirty!

Anyway, complain much?  I truly am trying to look on the bright side. I went to see Jerry Seinfeld on Friday night (randomly got invited a few hours before the show) and it was HILARIOUS, I wish I had it on tape so I could keep listening to it!  But one of my favorites was "your life sucks, my life sucks, (well, mine doesn't suck as much as yours), everybody's life sucks! But the good thing is, is that great and sucks aren't that far apart. Everything either sucks or is great, there's no in between. And sometimes, they mean the same thing. Imagine you're walking down the street and you drop your ice cream cone. Sucks! But what do you say? Great!".  Anyway, much funnier in person, but it reminded me that everybody's life sucks, not just mine! hahaha. But that its easy to turn sucks into great. 

Another one of my favorite quotes of his before I go to bed: "Single people think marriage is about intimacy. But what marriage is about is trying to be together and not saying the words "I hate you"! Because you can't say that. So instead you say things like "WHY DON'T WE EVER HAVE ANY SCOTCH TAPE!"

20 mins on the bike, 4 miles. feeling sluggish and tired. blahhhhhhh im sick of this.

day 23? 20 mins on bike 4 miles. ankle was bothering me a little which bothered me! this week there have been times when it feels GREAT and I have hope it will heal and then it will suddenly start hurting again and send me back to my depression. I have a dr appointment next friday and I am just hoping beyond hope that he'll just tae it off that day, even though that will only be 5 weeks.