Got super awesome news at my sports med doc on Friday. After a month and a half of limited physical activity due to fear that I suffered (another) stress fracture/reaction in my left foot, it was determined by an MRI that there is no break!
I was super stoked obviously but a little confused by what it could be. I mean right after the LA Marathon back in mid-March, I could hardly bear weight on it and attempting to run on it only brought on pain/soreness after a couple of minutes (even after taking the initial week off). She told me there was some "effusion" and "synovitis" in the joint and in the base of the fifth metatarsal (basically: inflammation) but no signs of a stress fracture which was our biggest fear.
So I have been given the green light to start running again, albeit conservatively. I have been prescribed a week's worth of Naproxen (a powerful anti-inflammatory) and told to regularly ice and pop Omega-3's. Done and done. I was initially going to wait out the full week for the Naproxen to do its thing, but I figured it was a victory to even hold out a couple of days (which was all I could manage), so I finally got to hit the trails today.
6 miles or about 60 minutes of running with several walking breaks thrown in on a very moderately graded trail. Probably more than I should have but I kept paces very conservative and just enjoyed being out and about in nature again. Whenever the foot started feeling sore, I eased up and threw in a walking break. I was all smiles and gave plenty of "morning's" to mountain bikers and hikers out there.
I won't be able to run two big races I had on schedule. Not going to let this bother me. Right now, it's all about being able to go out, do my thing, get a little dirty and work my way back up to shape. No hurry, no worry.
