After several days of pain in my foot and limping around, I couldn't deny any longer that it might be serious. I tried though! Last Saturday night, I went out with friends, and after a couple of martinis I was convinced my foot was healed. Then I did hot yoga on Monday night telling myself I would modify the poses to keep from using my foot too much - but of course I did not modify. My foot hurt even more after yoga. They don't say yogatoes for nothin'.
Soooo, I made an appointment with a podiatrist for Wednesday morning. He spent 5 minutes asking me how it happened, where it hurts, etc. He said it's a stress fracture. I would need to stay off of it for 3 weeks. Then he took x-rays to make sure. When he came back from studying the x-rays, he said he was wrong. From the look on his face I said, is it worse? Yes, he said, it's a hairline fracture. Your metatarsal bone is like an eggshell right now and could break all the way with too much impact or flexing. He said no running AT ALL for 6 weeks.
What? This can't be. I haven't NOT run for more than 15 years. I run. I can't just stop for 6 weeks. Doesn't he know the Rock n Roll Half is coming up in 8 weeks? Yes, he's sorry, but I won't be doing the RnR.
He was a nice doctor but I pretty much hated him at that moment. Hate is a strong word. I had a million feelings racing through my body, and that was just one fleeting moment. Mostly I felt anger at myself for letting this happen. I felt like a small child being told the day before Halloween that I couldn't go trick or treating that year. It's not fair - I love the RnR races.
The nice doctor said maybe 2011 just isn't my race year. He said it's ok and that it could have been worse. I knew on the rational level somewhere far away that he was probably right, but I was standing there in his office holding back a wall of water and emotion. I managed to say thank you and ask a few questions about treatment. Nope, the icing won't really help at this point. Don't take any more Ibuprofen because it deters bone healing. Yes, you can take Vitamin D if you want, but you don't necessarily need it - your bone density is fine.
Just lots of rest (whooppee). He said I had a choice of wearing a medical boot for 6 weeks or promising to wear only stiff-soled shoes like my Dansko's to keep my foot from flexing. Yup, I'll wear Dansko's. What can I do for exercise though, walking? Well, you can take easy slow walks, but don't take off speed walking for 5 miles. You can cycle and swim. Great, I hate swimming anywhere except the beautiful warm waters of Hawaii. Cycling it is!
So it's been a week of not running. I miss running. I was watching joggers on the trail today outside my window at work. Ahhh, what perfect weather for running it was. I guess I'll appreciate it more in June when I'm back on the trail again.
Anyone up for cycling?
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