I have gotten pretty deep with you guys this week! Whew!
Thank you so much for all the kind words on my posts from Tuesday and Wednesday. Yesterday’s post was pretty hard to write but just like I thought sometimes when I sit down and write it out it allows me to let go of some of it. It doesn’t mean that it has completely go away, but I realize some of the things I need to learn to let go.
I don’t know how I would get through some of these things without your awesome support!
I am going to step back from the deep posts now, I need a break and I am sure you do too!
This week has been a lot of craziness but I have also overcome a lot of things. I have finally figured out my workout routine (for now) which I am prepared I will have to adapt again in a few weeks, but it makes me happy.
I am starting to find enjoyment in being in the gym again AND I am finally feeling like I am starting to get my old running self back. Let me clarify when I say “old” I am meaning my body is slowly coming back not that I am adapting my crazy habits that I had before.
This post has actually been sitting in my pending folder for quite some time.
I didn’t want to really post it before I knew for sure I was ready to say it. I am recovered from my femoral stress fracture.
There were days I never thought I would be able to say those words. There were days when I remember saying to my husband “I will never run again.” I knew I was being dramatic but that was the only way I knew to express the hopelessness I felt.
I am ready and proud to say that – I AM BACK!
This picture was supposed to depict me celebrating….yeah It didn’t turn out quite as planned, but you get the idea.
Before I jump the gun I want to clarify that I am not back and ready to train for a marathon again, but I truly believe that my leg is fully recovered from my femoral stress fracture and now it is a matter of slowly easing back into running.
I am still keeping my per day mileage during the week at no more than 3-4 miles and then adding a bit more on my Saturday run. This will probably stay pretty stable until February then I will try to step it up slowly.
As many of you probably know, a May marathon in hopes for qualifying for the Boston Marathon isn’t happening. I know when I first wrote my post on my stress fracture I was still set that I had time to train. If I wanted to really push myself and attempt for a lesser goal I could, but at this point in our lives I think it is better to improve slowly.
The May-June time frame will bring a lot of change so I’ve decided to put that dream on hold a little.
I say “on hold” but I hopefully don’t mean for too long. As soon as I feel my body is ready I will slowly begin adding small speed work in but that isn’t anytime soon. At this point I will work on improving my speed but slowly and not all at once. This is the smarter and safer thing for me to do.
I am 27 years old (almost 28) and I have plenty of time to still reach my Boston qualifying dream. It is still a large goal but it is still my main goal and with smart training I know it can happen!
There you have it. After almost 5 months, a lot of cross training, some running, and a lot of struggle I have recovered from my femoral stress fracture, something I at one time thought would never happen!
“Today, I will overcome. Whatever is placed in front of me, I will overcome. Whatever I know or don’t know, I will overcome. No matter how many times I fall or fail, I will overcome. Life did not create me to stand on the sidelines, I was created to overcome. Today is my day and I will overcome!” – Richard Rogers
In case you missed some of my previous posts on my femoral stress fracture:
Not All Workouts “Work Out” (my very last workout)
I Have a Femoral Stress Fracture
An Update on My Stress Fracture Recovery (Around 10-12 weeks)
Week 14 Femoral Stress Fracture Recovery Update
You can find a complete list of all the posts I have done related to my stress fracture here.
What have you overcome that you are proud of?
What are a few of your long term goals?
WOW! I have also had a femoral stress fracture and now am dealing with a stress reaction and SO SO happy its not a stress fracture. You can read about it here: http://www.healthyregardshayley.com/are-you-getting-enough-sun-to-avoid-a-stress-fracture/
So tough and takes so long to recover from those plus lots of patience, so proud of you girl! I also want to run Boston and go to Kona for the Ironman World Championships.
Kona Ironman World Championships!? wow! that’s awesome girl!
Hope you get better soon! I’m glad you caught the stress reaction soon enough before it got worse!
Your boston time will come! Always so hard to push things to the future when you just want to do them now. I know I want to complete another marathon myself, but that probably won’t happen for at least a year if not two years. Right now I have a lot of business related stress that over the next 6 weeks I can foresee myself wanting to rip my hair out, I have to keep my game face on for that and once it is over I will be able to be proud of myself for trying to handle it like a ‘lady’ hahaha.
Yes I have to keep telling myself to have patience and it will come!
Good luck keeping your game face on!! You’ve got this! 🙂
First off – congrats on your recovery. I know this has been a long and difficult journey, complicated by job, money and other struggles (oh and the snow and weather!). So it is great to see you reflect in your blog so many things you have learned.
My big ‘overcome’ is obesity, as I have written about in the past. My weight is one of the central themes in my life.
In terms of goals, I too would like to qualify for Boston – and I have 20 years on you! 🙂 It wasn’t until this year that I ever seriously gave it any thought, and it is a secondary goal to still being running marathons in another 5, 10 or 20 years if I choose!
Thank you Michael! You sure have been there every step of the journey.
I love reading about your journey because I think it is so awesome!
Good luck on your goal for Boston! I hope we both have success in the coming years 🙂
Yay!!! Congrats! My last long run training for that marathon (that didn’t happen) was August 31st – 18 miles. I too have been recovering since then and I can’t believe 6 months have passed! Crazy. I’m so happy for you and I know you’ll still achieve your goal one day. I still want to run that marathon I couldn’t last August. I don’t think for 2014, but maybe 2015. Best of luck!
Yes I remember you were dealing with something similar right around the same time! I am glad to hear that you are on the mend as well 🙂
Woot woot! Congrats 🙂
Thank you Annie 🙂
YAY :). I couldn’t be happier to hear you say this. You rocked that recovery, now keep it up!
Thank you Megan! 🙂 Yes it was a crazy ride, but I made it!
That’s awesome news!
Super great news! I have had so many injuries over the years (in 2009 I had a stress fracture in my foot and then a torn ligament in my ankle and spent a total of 6 months in a boot). After that I really changed things up. I am still learning the exact running/x-training program that will keep me injury free. But I am most proud that I am willing to let go of old ways of doing things (because they clearing were not working) and embrace new ways! My goals for running in 2014: stay injury free and have fun! Keep up the awesome work!
YES YES YES!! LOVE THIS! So proud of you girl you making it through! I am hurt right now and this is so inspiring to me!!
Thank you Hayley!! 🙂 Hope you make a full recovery soon!