As suspected, my bone scan confirmed stress fractures. Fractures in each of my tibias.
My doctor has advised me to stay away from weight bearing activities as much as possible while resting up. I am to walk for necessity only (not fitness) until the pain disappears. Once I can stand, use stairs, and walk without pain, I can start walking for fitness, try the eliptical and see how things go. If everything is progressing alright and pain free, I can slowly start back in to running.
She suggested using a stationary bicycle to maintain the cardio status I had worked up to, but to be cautious not to jump full force back in to running once pain subsides. I was cautioned not to think I could hit the ground running where I left off but that it would be a slow "from scratch" sort of process to ease back in to it.
This is pretty much the news I was expecting but I still felt completely deflated hearing it. It is official; my Half Marathon dream is deferred. Most of me had already accepted this, but a small part was hanging on.
To train so hard and so long for seemingly no reason at all is difficult to swallow. But there are many reasons. The half marathon was a small part of something much larger.
My training has brought me a new level of health and wellness. I have hit new heights of determination. I have discovered a new passion. I have learned more about myself. I have received more footrubs in the past few weeks than I thought my husband was capable of :-)
This race is still a part of me. I am still a "Joe Runner" - my story just happens to follow a bit different of a path than some others. I will be at that finish line to cheer for and congratulate my fellow Joes (and so many other runners that make it!). I will be proud of them, and proud of myself, for training so hard, supporting great causes, and appreciating each step of the journey.
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