BUT, instead of running my heart out on April 16th, I ended up laying on my couch watching the race on TV, nursing my bum foot. Yup. That’s right. I got injured right before the big day. Can you say stress fracture!?!?!

My sweet Norman comforting me

Let me explain. My first race was the PF Changs Half Marathon in which I ran an 8 min/mile average, my second race pace was the Mountain to Fountain in which I ran a 7:30 min/mile. Pat Tillman was to be my third race and I shot for a goal around a 7:20 min mile race pace. I had been training on and off the treadmill for the past month for the Pat Tillman and if you remember I got new shoes recently that were considered more minimalist and race friendly. I had worn the new shoes several times while training on the treadmill and I loved them. The Monday before the Pat Tillman race I figured I had better test the new shoes outside.

Well, if you remember from my Stress Fracture 101 blog, transitioning from the treadmill to the road should be done slowly… I had been alternating between the two in a safe manner, but the curve ball here is that I went outside with the new shoes for the first time on Monday and attempted to run my race pace (7:20min/mile)! I ran the 4.2 miles on Monday in 31 minutes flat and I felt great! No unusual pain or any sign at all of an injury.

UNTIL the next day.

I was barely two minutes into my run the next day(Tuesday) when all the sudden I felt pain in the top of my foot. I immediately stopped and just figured it was a tight muscle so I took it easy,walked instead, and did TONS of stretching. The next day (Wednesday) the pain was still there so I opted to walk again instead of run and I got a massage later on. The massage didn’t help at all, which clued me into the fact that I wasn’t experiencing a tight muscle, but rather a strain or pull of sorts. So Thursday rolls around and I do more walking and stretching and I felt a little better…there was still some pain but not nearly as bad as Tuesday.

THEN FRIDAY! Oh dear! So the race was Saturday and I figured that I should test out my run seeing as how I hadn’t ran since Monday. I’m on the treadmill and I start to run a 7:30min/mile. I feel okay for the first mile…my pain was at a 3 on a scale of 1-10. BUT then in the middle of mile two, out of nowhere… the pain rears its head again and this time, IN A BIG WAY! Pain level 9. I tried to push through it one mile more, but it was too much! I stopped the treadmill and ripped off my shoe… only to see my foot swollen and every vain pulsating bright blue from mid shin all the way down covering the top of my foot. Oh NO! What happened? Within minutes I went from running and feeling okay to barely being able to walk.

I instantly got online and searched for what this pain could be. I researched at length. I call my other friends that run to question them. I even call my old physical therapist to get his opinion. After all my investigating, it was clear…I had myself a nasty stress fracture. There was no way that I’d be racing the Pat Tillman Run the next day.

Disappointed. Mad. But mostly sad. I cried like a weeny.

BUT I am grateful for the health I do have. It could have been worse right? And as I limp around on crutches the past couple days I feel humbled, but thankful.

This experience will only widen my understanding and knowledge base and make a better personal trainer and athlete. 

I am determined to come back even stronger from this and I am dedicated to keeping my attitude of gratitude!