Plantar Fascia Tear: Week 10

Week Beginning Thoughts: 
I want things to be normal again. I feel like we're constantly either sick, dealing with a work overload, traveling, or fitting random miscellaneous things into our mornings, evenings, or weekends. Whenever this has happened before, I've been able to rely on my training schedule for some stability, but this injury has thrown that out of wack. Here's hoping for good news at the doctor's on Thursday. I'm ready to move on to the next phase of recovery.

Still, checking out my training log, I'm really proud of everything I have done. It would have been so easy to say "whelp, I'm injured" and just sit the fit life out for a few months. Instead, despite the fact that I've been unable to run since September 26th, I managed to log a TON of workouts, including 42 miles on the Alter-G treadmill. 

This is what perseverance looks like.

Monday
Planned: 30min Alter-G
Did: 4.06mi in 30min @ 85% bodyweight
Was hoping to add bootcamp or swimming to this in the morning, but went to bed sick early last night and didn't bother to set an alarm. Still had a lingering headache all morning (probably dehydration + not really eating anything but saltines), but made it over for my 30min Alter-G session at lunch. Run went well. I ran at 85% bodyweight and, for the first time, felt a need to slow my Alter-G pace, though I'm unsure if that's because I'm recovering from illness or because I'm forcing myself to carry more of my own weight. 

Also, I've successfully hit 1000mi for the year (something I worried I wouldn't be able to do after my injury in September). 


Tuesday
Planned: bootcamp, 10KTuesday on Alter-G
Did: bootcamp, 6.23mi in 46:54 on Alter-G @ 75% bodyweight

I really like lifting days at bootcamp. I feel strong and capable, because I don't have to modify any of the exercises to suit my injury. Plus, our instructor is the perfect blend of encouraging/supportive and challenging. Starting my day off with his bootcamp always puts me in a great mood. 

1, 2: 18lb
4, 5, 6, 7, 8: 26lb
10, 11, 12: 35lb

dem lunges... brutal!

I followed up bootcamp with several hours of work, and then a session on the anti-gravity treadmill mid-morning. I've gotten used to the feeling of breaking up my work day, and it's much easier when things are busy, but not insanely busy. I feel comfortable going into ATC, setting up the Alter-G for myself, and have a "routine" of sorts of keep me occupied. 

The first mile always flies by, and then, just like the Chicago Marathon last year, I find myself counting down the miles, one by one, until my time (or, in today's case, mileage) is up. Running on the Alter-G isn't really enjoyable, but I pass the time by listening to audiobooks (since I can't set my iPad up on the dashboard because it falls too easily... and, when it falls, the emergency stop falls with it, completely derailing my workout). I realized today that what I really wanted was a friend to talk to while I ran. I've been able to keep up relationships with emails and message apps, but I miss just talking to people. 


Wednesday
Planned: 30min Alter-G
Did: nada

Late night at the Lady Gaga concert with my dad (that's right; my dad's cooler than your dad) = no early morning workout. 

Going on vacation = need to compress work = skipped taking two hours of our my day for an Alter-G run. 

Thursday
Planned: 1000m swim, PT
Did: 10min @ 8mph @ 90% bodyweight on Alter-G, PT
PT reiterated that he would have cleared me about three weeks ago at this morning's appointment, and said he didn't expect to see me back again (since I have a doctor appt this afternoon). He had me run through the bulk of my typical exercises, some at increased difficulty, and noted that, "once you're at 85-90% bodyweight on the Alter-G, you're basically running for real". 

Other comments/feedback I got from him:
-a VERY confident "you won't have any problems with this foot again"
-a VERY confident "you're fine", with a note to "ease back into running", but acknowledgement that I'd already been doing ~15mpw with the Alter-G, which will help tremendously

When I saw the doctor, he essentially agreed, so I'm officially moving on to the next phase of recovery-- a self-guided return to running training plan. 

Based on the info I've gleaned from the doctor, my PT, hours of internet research and medical journal reviews, and talking to a former pro runner friend who had a full PF tear, I'll be moving forward with:

• no plans for any goal races or true training plans in the foreseeable future
• limiting runs to every other day, at a max
• icing for 10min post-run
• going through my PF/calf stretch sequence from PT before each run
• staring with a few 1mi runs, then 1 and 2mi runs, then 1, 2, and 3mi runs, until I'm comfortable with (3) - 3mi runs per week
• no speedwork/workouts in foreseeable future

Friday
Planned: bootcamp
Did: run/walk intervals for 1mi and bootcamp-- total running = 0.98mi @ 10:30/mi
OMG OMG OMG OMG. I cannot even begin to explain how amazing it was to be back running with my friends <3 

a picture is worth a thousand words

Something that was really cool is that our bootcamp instructor, obviously, is aware of my injury. When he saw me getting out of my car and putting on my running vest this morning, he came outside, smiled at me, and waved us off. 

I'd been hoping for another kettlebell workout, but ended up with a circuit (which was enjoyable). It's been forever since B and I have been at bootcamp together! 

3x through:

1) 15lb dumbbell curls to OH press

2) leg raise/toe touches

3) single-leg squats

4) ab wheel roll-outs (uggggghhhh)

5) mat sprints push-ups (not quite ready to go from 0 to 60 on the return to activity front)

6) jump rope (I did this, but at about 50% effort)

7) suspended kneeling tricep extension

8) side step-up with hop on 24" box

and then

my loop runs were more like "loop jogs", but still felt great to get outside :D 

While I felt totally fine during all activity, my right (injured) plantar fascia swelled up a but and had a light ache for the rest of the day. This was SUPER discouraging. Ugh.
Sat/Sun:
Planned: 10000 step min
Did: 10000 step min
An on-the-go weekend kept me from scheduling anything "real", but I logged over 10000 steps each day thanks to a combination of diligent walking, some "hiking", and general existence... Though I had some left calf soreness on Saturday (maybe from single leg squats?), it didn't keep me from doing anything. 


Week-ending Thoughts:
I'm so inspired and excited by taking this next step towards recovery, and am so grateful for the little bit of additional freedom I have for activities. <3