So you think you can run? Life throws curve balls into my training!

I returned home from Diva all inspired to train and make things happen. I ran my next weeks runs without a hitch and planned on running 13.1 on my Saturday run to prove to myself I could. I ran at our local park that has a 2.2 mile loop around a beautiful trail.. the temps were perfect and fall like. Upon finishing my 4th lap I turned the corner and headed up the hill to hear some chick whooping and hollering and jumping around like an actually race was going on... as I got closer i realized the chick was my very pregnant little sister cheering ME on on my final laps for my first half distance! If definitely put some pep in my step and I finished out my 13.1 with a bang! I now knew i could do a half. What a great feeling!

What didn't feel so great was the ache I started feeling in the top of my right foot. I gave it a couple days, but it didn't go away so I went to an Orthopedist only to find out I had a stress fracture and tendinitis. WHAT? NOOOOO? I'm JUST getting on track for my training... so many long runs ahead of me!!  Because tendinitis is an issue with inflammation I also went to my GP to discuss options of anti-inflammatories for my FMS. He felt Meloxicam was the best fit for me, I'm not sure he listened to me that I was training for a marathon and going to be running, because I later learned that I shouldn't have been running while taking it!

How do you bling up an ugly boot? Cute Socks and Hair clips!

  The running groups I belonged to on Facebook and my mentor circle I chatted with all encouraged me to take my training to the pool for water running. I met my running buddy, Nicole at the pool a few times... and we talked and water ran and water ran and talked, along with all the sexy senior citizens that do water aerobics. We learned that on Friday mornings the local Navy reserves came in and did their swimming and training, guess what day was our favorite day to water run?!?  BTW, Did you know it takes like THREE HOURS to run 3 miles in the water?

October and December I might have had 6 water running sessions and zero walking or running sessions and still I hadn't told myself Dopey wasn't going to happen. In December I was out of the boot but still had pain so I asked for a cortisone shot in my foot. If you've never had one you won't understand the pain... it's not just the needle going into a none meaty area of your body.. as they push the gel substance into you the pressure builds and it hurts... I dropped the F bomb a couple times and apologized to my doctor, but it felt like my toes were going to explode!

So what do you do to "train for a marathon" when you can't run and swimming sucks? You get a tattoo for the cousin and Charity you are running for of course!

With the birth of my nephew the week of Christmas, Christmas and New Years,  training in December was a wash... so I was going into Dopey not having run in months, and only having about 75 training miles under my belt.

Lessons learned : Had I been training and adding the miles gradually all along I might not have had the stress fracture, had I had the right shoes it might not have happened also... I was running in Asic gels which were fine for short distances, but I really need the cushion of Hokas for anything longer than 6 miles now. ALSO recovery shoes... I noticed my foot pain the day after when I put on regular flip flops... NEVER wear non supportive shoes after a long run, if ever... OOFOs are my go to recovery shoes now, I live in them. Also, Water running DOES NOT substitute actual running.. it might keep your muscles limber and warm, but it doesn't keep you trained for a race.