Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April, 2014

A Runner's Least Favorite Words: Stress Fracture

This is what a bone scan image of a tibial stress fracture looks like. After two months of pain (and denial) in my right shin, I finally know exactly what's wrong. I went to the doctor about a month ago, and he recommended easing back on my running. With the Boston Marathon just weeks away, I cut back and focused on cross training. In the two weeks leading up to Boston, I only ran three miles. I haven't run at all since Boston. When I got home from the race, I called my doctor and asked to get an X-Ray of my leg. It came back clear, but because my leg wasn't getting better, he ordered a bone scan. As soon as the image came up on the screen, I was pretty sure it was a stress fracture since there was a glowing white spot in the exact place of my pain. It is still sinking in that I won't be able to run for 4-6 weeks. Today has been a roller coaster of emotions. But I'm trying to be positive. I am trying to focus on the fact that I finally know what is wrong

Burgers, Cannoli and Meb

I couldn't capture everything from my Boston experience in one post. So here is some randomness I wanted to share...and some things I just want to remember. There were so many little details about the race that I want to remember, like the yellow and blue fire hydrants in Ashland. There were daffodils everywhere along the course and tons of them at the finish. They were planted by a group called Marathon Daffodils who planted thousands of bulbs last fall so the yellow flowers would line the course in honor of the bombing victims and to preserve the spirit of the marathon. Their goal was to have 100,000 daffodils along the course on Marathon Monday. Monday night, after the race, there was an open house for the runners and volunteers at Fenway Park. It was fun to see the park, the World Series trophies and meet some of the other runners. Scott, the hubs, got to his waiting spot before the race began, so he got to wait for me near the elite's fuel table.

Boston Marathon 2014 Recap

You know that feeling you get at the end of a marathon? Not the one where you feel like you can eat anything and everything the rest of the day and not feel bad about it. The other feeling. The one you can't quite put into words that makes you want to run another one. Double that feeling. Then double it again, and you still haven't captured what it felt like when I crossed the Boston Marathon finish line on Monday. From the moment I walked into the Hynes Convention Center to pick up my number on Friday to Tuesday night when I last walked past the bare bleachers, fading finish line and other hints of that incredible journey on Boylston Street, it exceeded my expectations. I still haven't figured out how to put it into words and capture it all, but I'm going to try. I flew to Boston on a red-eye on Friday morning. The one good thing about taking a midnight flight is that I didn't have any problem adjusting to the time change. My body fell into step with the tw

Never Give Up (1 week to Boston!!)

The one week countdown has officially begun. Yep! One week from today, I'll be running the streets of Beantown. Maybe then it will finally sink in that I really worked my booty off, believed in myself and qualified last September. Maybe. It has been difficult to get excited since I'm logging all my miles on the elliptical and the stationary bike. I might go crazy and ride an actual bike tonight and brave the waters of the swimming pool tomorrow to mix things up a little. I'm planning on making the most of the race, no matter how my leg is doing. I think I might steal my mantra from Dean Karnazes: This week is a busy one. But I plan on posting about my Boston adventures, so stay tuned. The adventure officially begins on Friday! In the meantime, it is (past) time to announce the winner of the Spartan Race Entry Giveaway! And the winner is: Greg Pochron!!!!! Please email me at candice@runnerd.com, and I will send you the information to register for the race of

There is good in every day

I've been thinking a lot about injuries as I try to nurse my leg back to health. This is the first time an injury has impacted me this much. It isn't just a physical inconvenience. It has messed with me mentally. Not just because running is my release and my feel-good drug. It has affected my confidence in myself as a runner. I'll admit it has been hard to see running posts on Instagram and to hear about people's runs and races. I have a friend who suffered a stress fracture last winter. At the time, she expressed how hard it was to see running posts and hear her friends talk about running. I now understand that feeling. The feeling is a little bit of envy mixed with a whole lot of sadness and longing. But I'm trying to focus on being happy for others and their accomplishments; I'm trying to be supportive and encouraging. This ultimately makes me happier. It's truly amazing what focusing on the positive can do in any situation. Yet I soooo long for tha

Because I'm happy...and a giveaway

I had a happy run this morning. I love those kinds of runs! My leg is on the mend and letting me run without too much discomfort. The fact that this was only my second run this week has helped give it time to heal. After my little five miler on Tuesday, I got sick and spent Wednesday and Thursday feeling lousy. I finally feel a little more like myself today. Here's hoping we can all stay healthy around our house for a while. We're certainly due. So I didn't tell you much about my Saturday run. In a nutshell, it was hard. That morning, I did something that caused my SI joint in my back to lock up, and then I attempted a long run while in serious pain. Then there was the wind. I ran the first seven miles against a serious headwind, so I asked the hubs to take me up the canyon in hopes that the wind would be heading in a more cooperative direction for the rest of the miles. Nope. The wind was gusting up the canyon, so I ran another eight or so with a headwind. I had a