A Vacation and A Staycation

I'm going to apologize in advance for this very long post--I missed last week while I was out of town attending Brooks' Hype Fest, so you get a 2 week recap. With Michelle as my witness, I did bring my laptop to California, with every intention of posting last Sunday. But in the evening when we returned to our room, we were both so exhausted that we literally passed out. I shared a daily recap on IG and even that felt inadequate--we just did so much in the 4 days we were out there. I recapped it all on a blog post, which you can read HERE. My RHT teammates continue to post recaps on IG and while I am amazed at everyone's creativity, looking at their posts, I can hardly believe everything we packed in those 4 days!

The smartest thing I've done in a long time was to work up until the day I left for California and then to take the week off work after returning home. This gave me a chance to rest and regroup. It was really nice to have time away from work to focus on other things--and there was a lot going on that needed my attention. 

Most importantly, I came home to a sick little pup. Cocoa is going to need surgery on that other ear and I am bringing her to the UW Madison vet school for her appointment on Monday to discuss the plan. I'll share more details next week. 

I had my foot ultrasound on Thursday. The pain has been improving and I can run on it, but it still lets me know that it's not right. Interestingly, the radiologist who scanned it told me that there was no plantar plate tear (woot!) and no neuroma (double woot!). There was some fluid around the joint and he suspects a bad bone contusion from when I landed on the rock a few weeks ago. I still need to talk with my ortho to confirm, but this is very good news. Obviously, I would have liked an answer, but at least all the bad stuff is ruled out and hopefully, I'll be back to normal soon. 

But Can I Run?

This knee injury is so not my fault. 

I blame the tree root that tripped me up a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the pain is getting worse. On Wednesday (see below), my run was rudely interrupted by searing pain in the base of my left knee, right below the knee cap. As the week went on, the pain lessened but any attempt to run (even to cross a street) made my knee angry again.  

On Friday, I saw a PT, who happens to be a friend of mine and she concurred with what Dr. Skiba told me last week. She noted that my kneecap was out of alignment and taped it for me, using McConnell taping. This is a rigid tape as opposed to the stretchier Kinesio tape we runners like to use. I felt immediately better. She also said I could try to run. I'll probably need to keep taping it for a while until the bruise resolves, but she thinks I'll be able to go back to using my Rock Tape.

Friday's run

Holiday Runfessions

It's New Year's Eve, but it's also the last Friday of the month, which means it's time for Runfessions! Marcia opens up the runfessional every final Friday of the month. It's a great time to cleanse your soles. Mine are plenty dirty, from running in the mud. What did you think I meant?

Let's get to it!

2021 Year in Review: Finding My STRONG

When I chose the word STRONG as my word for 2021, I clearly had no idea how deep I was going to have to dig to find my strong. At the time, I already realized that 2021 was going to be challenging. I think that after 2020, we were all crazy optimists and thought things were going to be better. We were so full of hope for the new year. Of course, nothing magical happened with the turn of the calendar. It never does. I know that and you know that. But it never hurts to hope, right?

The year kicked off with that turmoil in Washington D.C. and I started off the year battling anxiety and despair. But instead of succumbing to my feelings, I acknowledged them and vowed to "find my strong". At times, it felt as if the universe was out to test me on this declaration! I had a lot of personal struggles this year, besides that battle with depression and anxiety. There were some significant injuries--the tendon tear in my wrist, SJ joint dysfunction, and the broken ankle and foot. I didn't figure on starting the year with an injury bingo card!

I already reviewed my year of bling, so I'm not going to talk about races in this post. Instead, I'm going to use the outline of my original word of the year post from last January to evaluate how I did on my journey to find my strong. Did I find it?

Grand Tetons National Park

Bling Interrupted: 2021 races

2021 started off with so much promise for many of us runners. As more people received the Covid vaccine and case numbers started to decline, races began to open up again. After last year, I made a vow not to run any more virtual races, unless a live race I registered for was required to go virtual. I feel pretty lucky that only happened to one of the races I registered for.

Even though this year's racing season started off really promising for me personally, there still weren't a lot of live options and after the spring, I didn't have anything on the calendar except for a trail 10k in July and 2 trail races in the fall. If you read my blog regularly, you know that in July, I broke my ankle and foot after falling from the rope at CrossFit. I was forced to DNS that 10k and one of my trail races. The RD of the other trail race let me defer until 2022.

I do have bling from 3 of the 4 races I ran prior to my injury. Just as good, in a different way, is the bling I received this fall for completing a trail hiking challenge, my first hiking patch. I'm excited to share it all with you! There are links to the race recaps in each section if you want to read more.

I'm Walking, Yes Indeed

"I'm walkin', yes indeed,

and I'm talkin', 'bout you and me,

I'm hopin', that you'll come back to me...yeah..."

~Fats Domino

Another month without running, but September saw continued steady improvement on the healing and more crosstraining. I did have 66 miles of walking--not bad, all things considered. This month, I am participating in the Ice Age Trail Mammoth Challenge, which requires 41 miles, all on the IAT. As I mentioned in my Coffee Talk post, the biggest challenge for me will be finding time to get up to Wisconsin and on those trails! I'm happy to have this on the calendar since I won't see my ortho until the end of the month. Hopefully, then I will be cleared to run. 

Adjusting My Expectations

As promised, I nixed the running and cut back on my walking miles this week. Work continues to be busy and I am spending the entire day on my feet, seeing patients. I won't lie, in spite of wearing supportive shoes--Danskos and Alegria--my foot throbs at the end of the day. My ankle is mostly quiet, but at night, I have to position my leg just so, otherwise, it hurts. 

Sigh. When people ask me about it and I express my frustration at the slow healing, the response I usually get is: "What did you expect?"

At 3 months post-injury, I fully expected to be back running again. I'm not running and it will be a little longer before I can. I'm adjusting my expectations, continuing my alternative workouts to maintain fitness and build back my strength. I've pulled out the new running shoes that I was saving for my return to running and wearing them on my walks.

Running, I'm so ready for you.

I Miss Running and other Runfessions

Well, here we are again at the Runfessional. That was fast! It seems like I just posted last month's runfessions. Soon the snow will be flying--ok, I'm getting ahead of myself. Even though I'm not officially running, I do have runfessions this month. Thank goodness Marcia opens the runfessional. I need some absolution and an injection of positivity because, yeah, I runfess that this being unable to run thing is wearing on me.

It's Still Summer, Sort of

This is my favorite time of year and so far I am not disappointed with the weather we are having. Cool mornings and warm afternoons make for perfect running conditions. Oh, right. I'm still not running. But I have been walking and this weekend, I was able to get out for one last ski around the lake. 

My foot and ankle still aren't completely healed. When I push myself a little too much, they let me know about it. This week, I have a follow-up appointment with the ortho. I'm looking forward to getting another x-ray and evaluating just how much healing is happening. I know I'm not ready to start running again--although I may have tried a little bit. Getting closer!

Thankfully, I have a lot of alternative activities to keep me fit!

Ice Age Trail hike

Life is Better On or In The Water

As you might already know,  I was out of town last week, visiting my former Weekly Wrap cohost Holly. We were joined by our friend Teresa for a really fun Camp Hoho girls' weekend! I shared all the details on my IG. There wasn't any running but there was a lot of water time and a lot of laughs. I came home on Monday with a smile on my face and rode that wave (pun intended) into an extended weekend getaway with my hubs in Wisconsin. 

Because truly, life is better on the water! I have to take advantage of every opportunity to get out there and get wet. The season is way too short for us in the Midwest. 

Recoveryfessions

Disclosure: While I am well aware that Alabama is a high-risk area for travel, let me assure you that I, along with Holly and Teresa, am fully vaccinated. I wore an N95 medical-grade mask on the plane and in the airport, the same masks I wear at work. We did not attend any large group activities. If you'd like to see some of my vacation photos, check out my Instagram!

It might be the last Friday of the month and the Runfessional might be open...but when you're not running, are your 'fessions even runfessions? You know I always have stuff to runfess. This month and last month...not so much. I am on the road to recovery (pun intended) and so instead of runfessions, I have a few recoveryfessions...

Because I've never been very good at sitting still...

Injured and Can't Run? Fluid Running H2Go Product Review

 Disclaimer: Fluid Running H2Go system was kindly gifted to me from the company. All my opinions are my own.

Earlier this summer, I broke my ankle and foot after falling from the climbing rope at CrossFit. After I fell, I initially thought I just rolled my ankle, but the x-rays proved me wrong. I was sentenced to at least 6 weeks in the boot and told that it would probably be 3-6 months before I could run again.

An avid runner, I went through all the emotions. Sad, angry, anxious, fear of gaining weight--you name it, I felt it. After a couple of weeks of a full-blown pity party, I made up my mind to find activities that I could do. The last time I had an injury that kept me from running was over 5 years ago. Back then, I did stationary cycling and pool running, but it was all on my own. With this injury, I discovered that my local park district has pool running classes. I also learned about Fluid Running. 

Just Keep Swimming

As I continue to heal and feel better, this week I upped my cross-training, adding rowing to my injury recovery regimen. I tried walking again this week, but this time, out of the boot. I couldn't move too fast, though. And I got out on the lake on my SUP, on a perfect summer day. It sure would have been nice for some waterskiing...sniff sniff. While I am so happy that are so many activities I can do, I had the realization that it really is going to be a while before I get back to running. That is a bitter pill to swallow. 

I see the orthopedic surgeon next week and I'll have more of a plan after that. For now, I'm taking Dory's advice from Finding Nemo--Just Keep Swimming.

Monday's Fluid Running session

 

My Injury Bingo Card

Coming home after a fun vacation away is tough, wouldn't you agree? I also had this past week off work, but with the broken leg, there wasn't a whole lot that I could do. I did my best to get some activity in almost every day. Mentally, that helped a lot. On Thursday, I saw the orthopedic surgeon for my follow up.

He was fine with everything that I'm doing and agreed with the strategy to let pain be my limiting factor. He was also pleased with my progress and re-xrayed my foot and ankle. There wasn't much change in the images because it is early in the healing process. 

However, the orthopedic surgeon thinks I may need surgery on my foot.

Surgery was not on my injury bingo card this year. Of course, neither was a broken leg. Actually, I don't remember signing up for injury bingo at all. I must have clicked on one of those phishing emails or something...

The fracture in my foot is displaced and he says it's unlikely that it will heal on its own. If I wasn't so active, he said he would allow more time for it to heal before deciding on surgery. He said healing could take up to 6 months and that doesn't come with a guarantee. Even if I have surgery, it will be a minimum of 3 months before I can think about running again. In the meantime, I can continue to do non-weightbearing exercises.

As you can imagine, I was pretty devastated by this news. After seeing the ortho, I needed some time to process this information. I spent much of the day on the couch, foot on a pillow, and Cocoa by my side. As the day went on, I was feeling better and ready to move forward. I do have my moments of melancholy, though. I sure miss running!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation While Healing from a Broken Ankle

Greetings from beautiful Door County Wisconsin!! Before I broke my ankle and foot, my son and I had all kinds of adventures planned for our week away. While our plans were modified a bit, I was able to do a lot more than I expected, even in the boot. I won't deny a little bit of sadness about not being able to run on the trails up there. However, not lacing up my running shoes actually gave us time to do things we might not otherwise do. 

This trip was so good for me, mentally. I promise that I didn't do anything stupid, although there were a few times that I came close...

No filter on this photo!

What An Runner Does When They Can't Run and I Tried it! Rx Plant Bars

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Trigger alert: I have included 2 photos of my foot in this post. If you find this disturbing, you may want to scroll on by or skip the post altogether. I'd be happy to forward a copy of the post without the photos, too. 

Alternative Titles:

Musings of an Injured Runner

They See Me Rollin'

I'd Kick Myself If I Was Able To

Sitting on the Sidelines is No Fun

Act Your Age Not Your Shoe Size

Getting Wet

Maybe it was the strawberry moon--did you see it?--but things kind of flip-flopped this week. We got a ton of rain--the drought is over! Everything is green again, but yep, the mosquitoes and biting flies have come to life in the woods. My insect repellent doesn't seem to be holding up to the challenge.

On the plus side, my wrist responded well to the steroid injection that I received last week. I am so grateful for that! While I know that my wrist isn't healed, it's been interesting to see what I can do without pain. I wear the brace most of the time for comfort but have stopped wearing it when I run and work out. Oh...and I tested it out behind the boat this weekend!

Monday's rainy run

I Wouldn't Make a Very Good Soldier and other Runfessions

It has been A MONTH. I've been feeling high and happy that summer is here and that restrictions are lifting. And then...well, that's what we have the runfessional for. I'm cleansing my soul and soles here today. Thank goodness Marcia opens up the runfessional on the last Friday of every month. It seems that I never have a shortage of things to share. 

What do you have to runfess?

This is not Murph, but it may have been the WOD that pushed my tendon to the breaking point...

I Can't Have One Without the Other

Running and lifting, running and lifting, go together like birthdays and gifting, this I tell you sister, you can't have one without the other... ~apologies to Frank Sinatra.

After getting my final diagnosis this week of a tear of my flexor carpi radialis tendon--that's at the base of my right thumb--my first thought was, well, at least I can still run. But then it hit me: over the past couple of years, I've become so much more than a runner. As long-time readers of the blog know, I've been strength training and doing CrossFit as a means to supplement running and to prevent injury. Running was always my favorite way to move my body. I identify as a runner, not a CrossFitter. 

Then I hurt my wrist and with that came the realization that while running is still number one, strength training and CrossFit have become essential activities in my fitness regimen. Much like I do with running, with my strength training, I set goals and I train to achieve them. With this injury, I've had to cut back on my training and I miss it. After I got the news this week that confirmed the tendon injury, I felt really sad. That surprised me, because like I said, I can still run. But you know what? Running isn't enough anymore. 

There, I've said it. Now, I know. I promise to behave and let my wrist heal so I can get back to ALL the THINGS. 

The lake is calling...

Sort of Sidelined

A few months ago, I developed pain and swelling at the base of my right thumb and wrist. I mentioned it to my rheumatologist, who performed an ultrasound and didn't find anything amiss. She referred me to a hand specialist, 'the guy' that she would go to. At the time, the pain wasn't terrible and it wasn't preventing me from doing anything except handstands, so I dragged my feet on scheduling an appointment. 

Out of the blue this week on Monday, I felt a sharp pain in my wrist. It felt like a rubber band snapped inside. I don't remember doing anything out of the ordinary, but maybe that Kettlebell Circus WOD on Monday morning pushed the already angry tendon over the edge? After a restless night, I woke up on Tuesday in a lot of pain. I slathered my wrist in my CBD salve, wrapped it up tightly, took some ibuprofen, and went to work. Later that morning, still feeling pain, I finally broke down and scheduled with the specialist. After an x-ray and an exam, he told me that he was putting me in a splint and that he wanted me to see 'the guy', an imaging specialist who would perform a musculoskeletal ultrasound on my wrist. He said I could still work out but nothing involving the wrist. And that includes waterskiing.

Welp. I didn't cry, but I sure wasn't happy. While I don't have a firm diagnosis, he thinks it's the flexor carpi radialis tendon--tendinopathy or a partial rupture. I'll know more after my ultrasound next week. Hoping for the best case scenario.

Go big or go home, I say. Although, I won't lie...I'm pretty bummed out about this injury. You don't realize how much you use your hand until you can't. I'm glad I can still run though. Can I just say how weird it is to be a runner with an upper body injury?