Hi. I’ve been meaning to update sooner. I’m trying to keep a healthy balance of everything and for the last two weeks a healthy balance didn’t include sneaking in any blog posts. We’ve had some intense nights at bedtime and earlier mornings than I’m used to, so my alone time has been stolen from me. It is slowly wearing me down. I really value you my half and a half of alone time in the mornings before the chaos.
Sure, I could write more and get some things accomplished after they’re in bed, which I did last night but I’m trying to make time for what’s important to my sanity and sometimes that’s putting my feet up, drinking beer and watching Louis C.K. stand up on HBO. Ok, let’s be honest, I need that daily for survival.
So, there’s my excuse. Balance.
Here’s a brief update on my foot: I went to a foot doctor, with one look at my stupid high arched feet, he informally said I probably have some weird foot problem. (Charcot-Marie-Tooth-Disease). This would be inherited from my dad, as we have the exact same feet- and Marshall too has the feet. The kid has callouses on his three year old feet. Some of that has to do with the fact that I let him go barefoot pretty much all the time, but most of it is how his foot is. Thanks Dad. I guess it’s better than the awesome gene mutation Mom passed down to me though. Dr. Banta also said he was surprised I hadn’t torn my PF sooner.
The one question I wanted answered more than anything was- will running delay the healing/recovery/strengthening process of my foot- or even re-injure it. I started a run/walk around three weeks ago and I keep feeling the presence of the injury on the foot. It didn’t necessarily hurt, but I felt it enough to wonder if I should be running on it. He said NO, it will not hurt my foot. The injury should have been healed up in 6-8 weeks- and now what I’m dealing with is a bunch of scar tissue. This is the same thing Brian, with St. Vincent told me, but I’m just paranoid, ok?
Plan of Action:
- I have new orthotics coming. I wore orthotics for 15 years, gave them up for a year and am going back. I do think orthotics are probably over-prescribed, but I have some really F-ed up feet, so I believe I’m a good candidate for them. I’m going back to my ways- but a lighter, more flexible orthotic this time around though. (I have gotten plantar fasciitis before wearing an orthotic, so I don’t think running without one was what brought it on- though I sadly wonder if I’d been wearing one if it would have kept me from tearing it)
- I was prescribed some ointment that is supposed to help break up the scar tissue. So I’m begging and pleading with Glenn to put the ointment on my foot and dig into that scar tissue every night.
- I was prescribed some physical therapy also, I want to make an appointment this week but I am hesitant, because insurance only pays for so much, it’s pretty costly and honestly a big headache to try to schedule appointments around staying home with the boys. Would be much simpler if I worked 8-5 and could take an hour out of my work day for the appointment. I also want to hop on the Alter G at St. Vincent, but again carving out that time and managing having someone to watch the boys (more $$), makes it sort of difficult to commit to. Excuse, me would you babysit my kids while I go workout on the alter G? Who am I Kara Goucher?
- I am putting my foot in an ice bucket for 10 minutes every night. No excuses.
- Rolling my foot everyday.
- Basic foot strength exercises 4 days a week
- Run/walking 3-4 days a week right now. I’m at 4 minutes on, 1 minute off for 45 minutes currently.
- Swim/Bike/Row 2-3 days a week but taking days off pretty much anytime I feel like it.
Glenn working on that scar tissue.
I have an ice partner every time.
The mold for my orthotic. My poor little high arched, rigid feet.
Marshall and I went on a nice little stroller run/walk on Sunday. Back to our ways. Sort of. Though super slow and I was a little winded, it was refreshing.
In my last post, I mentioned coming up with a training plan for myself, but I haven’t done it. I think my biggest goal was figuring out if running was going to be ok or not and I got the ok, so I’m feeling happy about that.
Also- I lost my bathing suit. I left in hanging in the shower at the Y last Monday and can’t find it in the lost and found. 🙁 Super sad about that, because who wants to spend money on a new bathing suit when they have a perfectly good one. So I haven’t swam since last Monday, because Lord know’s I’m not showing up at the Y in my non-working out swim suit. Bikini Chat. I can’t be that person. (My workout swim suit actually is a two piece, but it’s meant for working out TYR) I suppose if I want to swim bad enough before I cave and get a new one, I could just show up in any darn swimsuit. You know as soon as I buy a new suit, the old one will turn up in some random locker I haven’t used in months.
I’ll come up with a plan. It will happen. Right now, I’m adjusting to being able to run again. It feels weird, but I’m hopeful it will slowly start to get better. I’d love to be able to run Carmel in April and then race Grandma’s in June. I’ll see where this next month or two takes me and like I like to do with most things in life- play it by ear.
In the meantime- we went to Glenn’s cousin Michelle’s wedding this weekend- it was beautiful and we had a lot of fun.
This is our whole family on Glenn’s side, minus all the crazy kiddos. He has three sisters.
And it’s been so long since I last posted that we haven’t even talked about our Hein Monumental Water/PBR stop at Indy Monumental! Our house is on the half course- just past mile 9, so since for the first time in who knows when, neither of us were running, we set up a fun little stop.
I think it’s safe to say the PBR stop was a hit. We went through the 18 pack that I bought pretty quick and then our neighbors went home and grabbed a 30 pack they had and we quickly went through it. People were majorly dissapointed when they saw our case of beer and realized we were out. Now we know for next time. MORE PRB. Here are just a few pics of the party crowd:
Congratulations to everyone who ran Monumental. I am always so excited to cheer all of you on. We cheered on dozens of people we knew in both the half and the full. I can’t even count, but I would say I knew well over 100 people running between the two races and I just love seeing people out there getting it done. While I’ve been pretty darn positive and content during my stupid injury, fully realizing that it’s not that big of a deal, I was grumpy leading up to the race and just a tad bit bitter on race day.
I have pictured myself coming in that home stretch on Meridian in the last three miles so many times- literally over the past two years- last year I wasn’t able to because I was super pregnant and the year before that I was recovering from an intense surgery. This was going to be the year I ran my PR into the ground. And beyond the PR, when I cheered on runners running 1-2 hours slower than my goal, I would have done anything to be out there running those times with them, celebrating being a part of the race. I just wanted to run. NO FEAR, I’ve recovered and am done moping for the most part. and have my sights on enjoying now and what’s next. 🙂