Listen to your body …
February 15, 2009
February 15 was supposed to be the morning I ran the Vancouver First Half 1/2 Marathon for the first time. Unfortunately, despite my best intentions, injury has delayed this goal another year.
My training started slowly and progressively. I had a solid 10 Km base going into the autumn of 2008 and my body was feeling strong. Despite freezing weather in Alberta over the holidays, I managed to keep up the training and started out the New Year with a solid 1.5 hour run.
Unfortunately, ever looking for another endorphin-fix sport, I did a skate skiing lesson later that first week of Jan. This was my first mistake … getting away from my regular activities. My body balance is fragile after years of abuse playing team sports … I should have known better!
At the beginning of the 2 hour lesson I noticed that something did not feel right in my rented boot. But I had to keep up with the group, and though my poor technique was probably exacerbating the problem, I persisted through.
By the time I got home after the 45 minute drive, my foot was painful and swollen. I duly iced then went to bed.
The ensuing days of working on my feet did not seem to be too bad. I continued to ice and and only ran a short 30 min run. I never would have suspected a stress fracture was settling in.
The following week, while at the doctor’s for a routine visit, I got her to take a look at my foot – it just wasn’t right. She agreed and prescribed an x-ray and a bone scan.
I completed another two 1:45-2:00 runs over the coming weeks while awaiting my results. No serious pain while running. No night pain. No next-day pain. I iced after the runs and all seemed to be okay.
Then I got the results of the bone scan. Stress fracture to the Cuneonavicular joint.
It was a bit strange, but it was after I received the fateful results that I started to be aware of a dull ache when I was going to sleep and again when I woke up in the morning. Walking in shoes with poor support was out of the question. Walking barefoot on a hard floor was torture. The cumulative effect of my runs must have been exacerbating the stress in the joint.
I had to face it … I had a stress fracture and it was time to be a good patient.
It has now been over two weeks since I last ran. I can tell it’s still not right, but it does feel as though it’s on the mend. I’m doing my best to do my exercises and also have been applying Arnica cream.
It’s definitely difficult being a patient. It’s sometimes hard to find time for my exercises … now I know how my patients feel.
As it turns out, February 15th is turning into a beautiful day. I had a 40K ride instead of the run … around Stanley Park and out to UBC … it was beautiful with the sun glistening over the water. I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful place! With my stiff bike cleats on, I didn’t have an inkling of any stress fracture.
I ended my ride at the finish line for the race. Seeing some of the runners limp over the line at the end, I was glad that I listened to my body. There were definitely a lot of strong finishers too … any many of them well into the prime of their lives. This was all the inspiration I needed to set a new goal for next year … where if I listen to my body, I’ll manage to put in a strong finish too!
Helen Ries