Bum Leg getting X-Rayed

Well I decided to see an Orthopedic doctor and find out what the hell is going on with my left shin. I haven't run since Monday but can still feel an occasional twinge of pain from my leg. It does feel better than earlier in the week, but there's obviously something still wrong. I've internet researched it into the ground and it seems to be one of two things-- shin splint or stress fracture. The symptoms of both are very similar, so I can't tell by web self-diagnosing alone what is going on. I decided rather than sit around and do nothing, I can at least have a doctor tell me what's wrong and advise me on how to proceed.

I'm very bummed but trying not to get too down about it. If it's just a splint, I should be good to go again after a couple of weeks. If it's a fracture though, it'll be two months or more off, which means I'll probably lose all of the conditioning I've built up for myself to this point. I'm kicking my own butt for continuing to run on it when it first started bothering me. I should've stopped then but nnnnnoooooo, I had to keep going. All I managed to do was delay my healing time. GGGRRRRR!

I try to remind myself that I went six months without running at all while pregnant, and I still managed to kick myself into gear enough to do the half marathon nine months later. No matter how long I'm off of it, I intend to keep my fitness up with weight work and biking, swimming, elliptical... anything to keep my heart strong. Who knows, maybe I'll turn out to be a better runner with all this cross training. It's just so frustrating though because I worked so hard to get to this point and I don't want to have to start all over!

I won't let this deter my marathon dreams though. I'm going to do what I have to to get this leg healthy again, and I'll s-l-o-w-l-y reenter my training, stopping at the first sign of any reoccurance. I have 5 months before I need to start serious marathon training, so that's plenty of time to get back into shape (assuming I can get going in a couple of weeks, that is). Even if it turns out to be longer, I'll stay steadfast and determined to press forward.

here's to hoping it's a splint...!

From Gasparilla to the Sidelines

Update on the Gasparilla 15K-- it was a blast. My time was 1:30:01, which equates to a 9:40 min mile. I was very pleased with that, and actually just had a great time running that morning. The weather was beautiful, cool and slightly breezy, with some clouds to keep the sun from being a nuisance. There were only about 4000 runners, which made for a pleasant, non-crowded race way. I told Adam after I finished that was probably the most fun I've had running. I put a lot of pressure on myself before the half marathon, and this time, I was just coasting. Plus, 9.3 miles is a lot more fun than 13.1!

Two weeks after Disney I strained the shin muscle of my left leg, probably from running on bum shoes. It's been agitated since, but it would always stop hurting after I got going. Lately though, it's started irritated and stayed irritated, and I've finally admitted that I need to stay off of it, probably for at least a week. It's going to be hard to do, considering how I've followed such a strict running regiment for the past, oh, call it 8 months. But, the risk of doing further injury is too great, and I don't have any long distance races pending. Now is the time to get it healthy again so I don't damage it to the point that it'll take a long time to heal.

Unfortunately, I'm bowing out of the Sarasota half marathon next weekend. I really wanted to do it, but with this leg the way it is, it's just not worth the risk of further injury. I had two great races at Disney and Gasparilla, so this Sarasota race really doesn't mean that much to me. I'll just rest and look forward to a walk-in-the-park 10K March 16th.

Isn't it awesome to look at a 10K as a walk in the park??

Countdown to Gasparilla

This Saturday, February 9th, I'll run the Gasparilla 15K in downtown Tampa. I'm excited because this 9.3 mile run seems like a walk in the park after the half marathon training I've endured over the past 6 months. Since the half marathon was on January 12th, I've only needed to maintain a scaled down training schedule over the past few weeks. Two weeks ago I ran a 9 mile long run, just to assure myself I had the distance covered. The weather forecast this weekend calls for about 60 degrees, low humidity, and lots of sunshine Saturday morning. Should be a great day for a 15K.

The first road race I ever ran in my entire life was the Gasparilla 5K in 2006. Adam and I ran with our friends Peter and Stacy. I remember thinking then how exciting it was to race as compared with just running solo, and from the moment I crossed the finish line, I was pumped about road racing. I also remember thinking how incredibly long a 15K sounded, and a half marathon seemed damn near impossible. The full marathon? Inconceivable.

Now here I am, two years and one baby later, getting ready to have a great time running the 15K, with a half marathon under my belt and a full one in my sites. You've come a long way, baby.

Training Considerations

I've been thinking a lot about my training for the marathon, and trying to decide if I want to work with a coach or group or just try to do it on my own, like I did for the half. The problem with training alone for a full marathon is it will be so lonely, plus it'll be hard to stay motivated alone. I think I could really benefit from training with a group or coach. My friend Erin worked with Team in Training when she ran her marathon. She said the benefits were great but the fundraising was very hard-- Team in Training requires you raise $3000 for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. That's A LOT of money! I'm not good at begging for bucks either, even if it is for such a worthy cause. I'm concerned that worrying about the fundraising will distract from my training, but having a coach and support from others with the same goal would really be wonderful. Well, I suppose $3000 isn't THAT bad, I just need to find 100 people who'll give me 30 bucks, or 30 that will give me 100! Apparently Team in Training pairs you up with a patient who'll be benefiting from your fundraising, which would definitely be a huge motivator.

It's a lot to consider. I'm also considering just joining a running club, like the Fishhawk Road Runners down the street from me, and just hope someone there will also be training for a marathon this fall. Odds are, someone will, since Brandon also hosts a marathon in December.

In the meantime I'm just trying to keep running 3-4 days a week and get a long run in on the weekend. I found a maintenance training schedule that suggested to rotate a 6, 8, 9, and 10 mile long run schedule if you have considerable time before marathon training begins. I did 6.5 last weekend and plan to do at least 8 tomorrow.

My next race is the Gasparilla 15K on Saturday, Feb. 9th. I thought about doing the half marathon on Sunday morning but the start time is 6:00am, and I just really don't want to do another 4:00am wakeup at this time. At least the 15K doesn't start until 7:30am! It should be a really nice run too, on Bayshore Blvd. right by the water. It's rained on Gasparilla the past two years so let's hope it holds off this year.

311 Days to Go

Last Saturday, January 12th, 2008, I completed the Disney Half Marathon. Two days later, I decided I wanted to go for the ultimate goal-- to run the full marathon in 2009. I've fully committed myself to the idea, now I just need to put my training in an effective holding pattern until late August, when I'll kick in the marathon training into full gear.

I already feel excited and anxious to embark on this marathon journey. Unlike the self doubt I had prior to going into the half marathon, I believe I can do the full marathon now. I know I have the mental stamina to make it through the training and through the race itself, so as long as I stick to a good training schedule, I'll have the physical down pat as well. I didn't realize until I ran the race this past Saturday what having this kind of goal did to enhance my life. I feel strong and full of confidence, as if there were very little I couldn't do if I put my mind to it. It's an amazing feeling, and I want to keep making these types of goals for myself. It's more than just running a race; it's a life changing event.