Postpartum: Week 8

Week-beginning Thoughts:

• Writing on Thursday... lol

Monday

Did: 3.5mi double stroller walk, Stroller Strides 360

Tuesday

Did: 6.31mi @ 9:35/mi avg, Big 5, 1.7mi treadmill walk, Stroller Strides

Wednesday

Did: Stroller Barre, 1.5mi walk

Thursday

Did: 3.5mi double stroller walk, calf stretching, doc visit

Had an official doctor's appointment for my Achilles today, since it's still lingering after almost three months. Dr. Google and my experience were correct: I've got insertional Achilles tendinitis, and have been treating it properly. I've also been prescribed a night splint and topical anti-inflammatory gel to help. Best part: I'm clear to keep running, but just avoid heavy hill work/speed work, though the doc isn't concerned at all about the risk for rupture. Hooray, peace of mind. 

Friday

Did: 3.5mi double stroller walk, calf stretches, Stroller Strides

Saturday

Did: 6.73mi @ 10:05/mi avg, Big 5, calf stretches

This run was hard. I feel pretty defeated when I'm only running about a 10K and wishing it were over after 5K... What happened to my marathon mama mentality? 

Sunday

Did: 4.5mi stroller run @ 10:00/mi avg, Big 5, calf stretches

This run was hard too, and I had to break it into segments to get through it. Blergh. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 17.54mi run

Week-ending Thoughts:

Maternity leave is great, really, but I'm struggling to feel satisfied each day. While I'm enjoying this "floating in limbo" feeling to some extent, it's also really frustrating to not feel any forward progress towards anything. I'm kind of ready for this Achilles thing to heal up already so I can get into some sort of training, maybe a 6 or 8 week program for the Thanksgiving 5K? 

Oh, look, another week with a foot injury

Week-beginning Thoughts:
The "Good Attitude" Bank has had way too many sizable withdrawals lately, and is starting to run low. For now, though, call me the Cross-training Queen.


Monday
Did: DIY bootcamp, 60min Peloton class
Considered going to bootcamp today, but bailed because: 1) I didn't want to have to modify anything/admit my injury to other people and 2) it was storming and I didn't feel like driving in it. That sounded like a pathetic excuse even in my own head, so I got up, went downstairs and made myself my own DIY bootcamp routine:

I got frustrated that I couldn't do push-ups without hurting my foot (bending it in that way is really the only thing that stresses it), but was pleased that I could do some slow high-knees and butt-kicks in place. 

Of course, only burning 100 calories wasn't going to be enough to get me through the day. I planned on taking a quick evening break at work to trudge through an hour on the elliptical, but got the BEST surprise ever when I walked into the office gym: PELOTON BIKES!!!!

I've seen ads for Peloton on ESPN. Basically, it's on-demand spin classes. Your bike is hooked into the interwebs and you can virtually attend live classes or "participate" in pre-recorded ones. This was EXACTLY what I needed to motivate myself tonight. I felt so incredibly strong for pushing through the intervals, making myself sweat, and getting something done despite my current situation. 

Thanks, Peloton leader Matt!

Tuesday
Did: 2mi walk, 45min Peloton class
I made it out the door to join the 10KTuesday crowd, planning on getting a little normalcy/social time in before I walked 20-30min. They even walked the first quarter mile with me. <3 I wore "normal" shoes (not my usual VFFs) because keeping my heel elevated limits the flexion of my foot, which feels MUCH better on my injury. They were weird. I don't wear normal shoes ever. I'm either in flip-flops, work shoes, Ugg boots, or Vibrams. 

I did a couple short bouts (<50') of "running", just to see how much and where the discomfort was. If I change my gait a bit and run without rolling through, it's almost okay... but wearing normal shoes is beyond weird. I felt like I was running on layers of rubber instead of pavement (owait, I was), and my feet felt like I had a sock wrapped around them at the arch. Overall, just an odd sensation. But, I was glad that I could "run" a bit. Looking forward to what the doc says on Thursday. 

Did another Peloton class at the gym over lunch. It's amazing how much these things can vary. Monday was a "power ride", which was all about endurance. Today was more intervals and worked in some arms. I didn't enjoy it as much. 

Also, today's instructor was a weird cross between Ross from Friends and Derek Zoolander.

Wednesday
Did: bootcamp
Every time I take a break from bootcamp, it's hard to go back. It's just SO much more convenient to stay at home, not have to drive, not have to conform to anyone else's schedule, etc. 

...but, every time I go, I love seeing our instructor, classmates, and not having to think about what to do, how long to do it for, etc. Plus, I'll never stop mid-workout when I'm at class, but I'll totally bail out at home. :P

Quick circuit today. Loved the shorter work period. Had to modify a couple things because I couldn't do them with my foot, but, overall felt good to get out and be with people.  

Thursday
Did: 2mi treadmill walk, doc appt, 2mi treadmill walk
Doc appt confirmed that this foot thing is just a minor muscle issue and will resolve within a few days. I got what I wanted/needed out of it, and am glad for the reassurance. 

Got in four miles of walking to "do something" today. Foot it literally feeling tons better each day. I'm starting to believe I could run SIngleton if I wanted. 


Friday
Did: 60min Peloton, 1mi run @ 9:07/mi, 0.62mi walk
Seriously considered bootcamp, but opted to stay home in the morning in case little one was still sick. Also, didn't feel like getting up. :P

Instead, I spun through yet another Peloton class. I'm gravitating towards the endurance/power classes, and really enjoyed Alex as an instructor today. Lots of sweat. Lots of awesome. 

Oh, and I tested my foot out on the treadmill! Was able to do a pain-free mile without too much trouble. Still, after considering my options, I decide NOT to bother doing Singleton tomorrow. Without a goal, there's no point to just running four miles unless it's with friends, and none of my training partners were doing the race. 



Saturday
Did: 3.1ish mi run with stroller @ 10:14/mi avg, baby shower, housework
Met up with B for a super easy 3ish miles with the stroller before Singleton. Felt a bit harder than I expected, but my foot wasn't the limiting factor. I think part of it was trying to navigate tricky sidewalks with a stroller, and part of it was just the normal "getting back to running after time off" struggles. Had some soreness in my right hip afterwards-- probably something stressed by cycling and aggravated by returning to running. Not a big deal, but just more aches and pains of the athletic life. 

Cheered in some friends who were running the race, and then spent the rest of the day hosting a baby shower and running around cleaning the house/adulting.

Sunday
Did: 4.54mi w/stroller @ 9:41/mi avg, Big 5, ~2mi walk with stroller... chalked up a teammate's driveway to celebrate her BQ!!! 
I'd wanted to run 8 today, but my husband dutifully told me that was a complete dumbass (not badass) move. While I've kept up my cardio with the bike, I still have a recently-healed, vulnerable foot that wouldn't appreciate me pounding it into the ground for over an hour. Opted for 4-5 run and 1-2mi walk with the stroller, and my cardio was glad for it. 

#team

Total Weekly Mileage:
8.71mi (run), 48.27mi (bike), ~8mi (walk)


Week-ending Thoughts:
It never ceases to amaze me how, once an injury heals, my mind snaps back into shape and wonders why I was ever bothered in the first place by being off for "such a short period". When you're in the thick of an injury, it's hard to see past it. Every day, you're reminded that you can't do what you want to do, and you see your friends and teammates getting stronger and faster, or, at the very least, getting OUT there... while you can't. You miss the training, but, more than that, you miss the camaraderie. 

It's easy to forget that the same people you see succeeding while you're sidelined have ALSO been sidelined before. They came back from it. You will too. And all of this time off will just be memory. 

Plantar Fascia Tear: Week 3

Monday
Did: PT, wore normal shoes briefly for a work presentation
I'm feeling more confident about things. No pain when walking. This is good. Maybe I'll be able to volunteer to walk a single 5K leg at BC this weekend... since my team is now down THREE runners. Two of us are booted, and one has calf tendinitis and can't run more than a mile without pain. WEEEEEE.

Tuesday
Did: PT, doc appt, and an emotional breakdown
When I went to my follow-up with the doctor today, I was in great spirits. I thought I was progressing well and would be given the OK to walk a leg of this weekend's Bourbon Chase. 

What the doctor said:

"Alright. So, this sort of injury is rough. Recovery is going to go much slower and take much longer than you want. You're going to cross-train your way through it, though. We're going to keep you fit and sane through cycling, swimming, and a lot of floor/core work."

We talked about tendon/muscle injuries, the structure of the plantar fascia (which was partially awesome because the doctor also has an engineer degree and spoke in my language), and how this sort of injury heals. 


Based on the key words and phrases I heard ("2-4 weeks in a boot", "(2 to) 6 months to recover", "the more you can keep load out of the tendon, the faster it will heal"), here's what I got out of it:

"You are not doing as well as you thought. All initial estimates of 1-2 months were completely wrong. You're not going to run again for a year. You should go back in the pegleg. You can't walk anywhere. EVER. Your life is over." 

After a complete breakdown, some therapeutic chats with various athlete friends, and a reevaluation of what actually transpired, I calmed down. The biggest struggle for me is the though that this is going to last beyond Thanksgiving. In my head, I had a 2mo estimate, and now that there's a chance that it's longer, I'm really struggling with adjusting my expectations. I don't handle deviation from plans well at all.

Vent:
Cross-train? That's doesn't fix my problem. It's not a one-for-one swap or easy alternative. Running isn't just fitness for me. It's my entire social outlet. You can't exactly bike along with a running group at 4:30am on the track, or hilly sidewalks at 5am. I can't take my baby on my bike with me and meet B for a long run on the greenway. All of my friends do running races, not bike races. Running is something I can hop out my front door and do at any time of the day (which is imperative to fit it into my life). Nothing else is. 


Wednesday
Did: PT session, ran 1.2mi in 10min on the anti-gravity treadmill at 40% bodyweight
Talking with my PT made me feel better today. He helped me focus on the fact that I am making great progress, and reminded me about how this injury heals. 

First you crutch until you can walk in the boot. Done
Then you walk in the boot until it's painfree. Done
Then you walk in shoes until that's painfree. In-progress
Then you start light jogging until that's painfree.
Then you jog longer... then run easy... then run longer... then run hard. 

So, in the grand scheme of things I'm doing alright. I heard back from my doctor with some clarifications, and the big takeaway was "if you can do something painfree, it's alright... unless your foot is sore the next day, then don't do it". 

We did a lot of balance board things, some quad and calf exercises, massage, ice, and, the best part: THE ANTI-GRAVITY TREADMILL.

I GOT TO RUN!!!! 

I was pretty nervous about this, considering I still wasn't completely sure what my doctor had meant yesterday, but trusted my PT and my own research enough to try it out. The first few steps felt weird- not painful, just a "oh, whoa, this is what running feels like" to my entire legs. Then I felt into a groove, and it was amazing. 

This was the "hardest" workout for me in awhile. None of the tasks were something I'd call difficult, but I was definitely feeling muscles in my leg and foot working that haven't been asked to in awhile. Here's to getting stronger. 

Thursday
Did: Caroline's Hurt Foot Fitness Party
I hate that it's not running, but it's something. If I'm going to be sidelined, I need to take the opportunity to continue strength-training in some capacity... 

I'm also planning on returning to bootcamp. It'll give me something a few times a week to do with B, and a social-ish outlet that revolves around fitness. I spoke with the instructor, and he's able to give me modified workouts that keep impact and weight off of my busted foot. :)

Progress.