And then there were five.......days until the marathon

It's five days until the marathon and I'm doing my last 2 1/2 hours in the hyperbaric chamber.  (This thing is great, btw.  Not only am I healing up, I come in here and can't leave.  I'm getting so much done in here ha ha).  

I'm a bunch of different emotions right now. I'm ready to run this race and see what happens.  Will my pelvis hold up?  Will I get my BQ?  This race is 2 years in the making, for me, after training so long and having to drop out a few weeks before Philly 2014 and doing the training all over again this year; I'm chomping at the bit waiting to get out there and get into my zone!  I'm full of endorphins, emotions, and excitement.   As much as I want to speed the days up to get me to the marathon sooner I want to slow time and keep the race away because I'm nervous and because I know when the race is done I'll begin my post marathon blues.  I'll start to miss training-hell, I already do miss it and I'm still, technically, training (tho it's my taper).  I'm going to miss coming to PT several times a week (tho my insurance company will be happy I'm done ha ha). I'm going to miss the way running dictates my time.  I like structure and routine-training gave me that and soon it'll be gone.  I'll miss the goal I'm working toward.....that far away date on the calendar that slowly creeps up on you.  I'm going to miss eating anything I want because my workouts were so tough I was able to burn food off faster than I was eating it.  Ha Ha

The post marathon blues are weird and while runners bitch about training most will agree that once you cross that finish line it's over and it's sad....I guess that's why once it ends we wonder, "when's the next race?" 

"Racing is the fun part; it's the reward of all the hard work." Kara Goucher

Keeping Positive!

Common distance running sayings are:

-long distance running is 90% mental and 10% physical 

and

-your mind quits before your body. 

I tend to agree with this thinking. 

When you are running a race that is taking several hours to complete you need to be in a good mental place, thinking positive thoughts.  Thinking negative thoughts during your marathon can easily derail all the hard work you put into training. 

Working on positive thinking is something that has taken me time and still gives me trouble now and again, but has REALLY improved.

Training for this marathon has been (for the most part) a positive experience for me as I've looked at it as my big return after last year's unfortunate end.  Do I want to qualify for Boston in 16 days? Without a doubt, but I'm realistic.  I have trained hard, I have put up some great numbers, but as of late, I've been dealing with an injury that could end up being another fractured pelvis (We'll find out when I get my MRI the day after the marathon).  
Dr. Jan (the greatest chiropractor/sports recovery doctor) saw me last year when I got hurt and has been working with me this year and has remarked on my positive mindset while dealing with this injury.  After being sidelined 5 weeks before the marathon last year I'm taking this injury in stride (no pun intended).  I'm being realistic about the race.  If I don't qualify, it's not the end of the world.  I just want to run it!  As a wise runner friend said to me, "running a marathon, no matter how many you've done, is an accomplishment.  The months and miles you've given to a few hours of running is something to be proud of....regardless of the time it takes."  I'm keeping that thought in the forefront as I approach the final 2 weeks of training.   My training has tapered off a bit sooner than it should these past few weeks because of the injury I'm working through, but my mental game is where it needs to be and I kind of think that's what's going to help me more on race day.  My fabulous support group of family, friends, an old professor who is big into running, and Dr. Jan are the ones I need and want in my head at the race.
I will run this race to best of my ability and be as smart as possible doing it! 

"Treat negative emotions like negative people. Acknowledge their presence and make whatever changes are required to remove them from your life." 

Thoughts From The Hyperbaric Chamber

How's the training going you might be wondering.....it's a little slow going these days, but I'm getting to the marathon!  

As I've mentioned a million times, I had some fractures that sidelined me from running in Philly 2014, but I got healthy and started attacking my goal of getting my BQ at the Philly 2015 Marathon.  Training is a lot on your body and some say that marathon training is too much abuse to your body.  My argument: it's better than smoking!  

I've felt great over the months of training but a few weeks ago the pain I experienced when I fractured my hip and pelvis returned.  While I say it returned in the same breath I'll say it wasn't as severe and wasn't EXACTLY the same.  

I'm not a doctor (tho I went to school for a long time ha ha) but I did some "tests" to see (w/o am actual MRI) if I had a fracture.  When I had this pain last year I couldn't stand on my left leg alone-this year I can.  Last year I couldn't run more than 4 minutes-this year I can!  See, no fractures!  (Insert your eye rolling and telling me to stop training).  To your eye rolling I say, "you don't get it.  You don't  get what it's like to give 1 race MONTHS of your life.  It's not just the running, it's the sacrifices you make, the love you have, the goal!  It's everything!   

Now you're saying, "ok, I guess, but get an MRI and find out for sure!" So to that I say, "I am-the day after the marathon!"  Don't shake your head!!! I'm under the care of trained professionals.  My doctor would not let me race if he thought I was in danger of doing permanent damage!  (See, I'm not a total moron...I'm seeing a doctor!)   I go to PT SEVERAL times a week and we are working on strengthening my core and the muscles around my hips and pelvis.  My doctor has me running less and resting and strengthening more.  

All this recovery and determination leads me to where I am currently-in a hyperbaric chamber.  At this time I'm at 4 atmospheres of pressure in 100% oxygen. (airplanes take you to about 1 atmosphere of pressure). What does a hyperbaric chamber do you might be wondering.  "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy saturates the patient's circulatory system with oxygen resulting in increased oxygen delivery to tissues." In the hyperbaric chamber you're in a tomb like capsule (best way to describe it) and are slowly brought to 4 atmospheres of pressure, receiving 100 percent oxygen. 

I guess it's kind of like legal blood doping.   

It increases the amount of oxygen to injured tissues or parts of your body with a poor blood supply.  

It reduces swelling.  

It promotes healing of wounds.  

It helps to fight infections in problem wounds.

It stimulates new bone formation when the bone is infected.

You might still be shaking your head saying this is ridiculous and to that I'll say, "you're welcome to your opinion, but with this nagging injury I'll try anything to get as healthy as possible before race day!" 

Now I'm sure you're wondering what it's like in here....I'll be honest, I was a bit nervous (but mostly excited). I have had some issues with claustrophobia and getting MRIs in the past, but this doesn't seem to bother me at all. I'm laying on a soft mattress with a fantastic pillow (I MUST find out where he got this pillow!) I have a good 1 1/2-2 feet beyond my feet and a good 1 1/2 feet behind my head. I can reach my arms straight up and can almost touch the top.  It's rounded on the sides but I'd say it's 3 feet across.  Here's my theory: my doctor has had pro football players in this thing.  If those big guys can fit in here without an issue I'll fit just fine.  My doctor slowly took me up to 4 atmospheres.  (It took about 45 minutes).  He came in to the room the machine is in and checked on me and increased the pressure.  Inside, I have a deflation valve if the pressure becomes too much and my phone to text or call him if I need to get out.  There's a window above my head that's slightly bigger than a plane windows and a couple of small porthole like windows on the 4 sides.  I was told it gets warm, but I'm quite comfortable.  I've been in here for about 2 hours and I will do about 3 more hours later this week.  I will continue to do 5 hours a week until the race.  

Will this help?  I have no idea.  My doctor has seen results in tons of SERIOUS athletes and it's not costing me a dime so I'll try it and see what happens.  

It's almost time to bring me back to sea level so I'll end this.  Stay tuned as my treatment continues.... 

"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan."

-Tom Landry 

Today Marks 1 Year....

since I fractured my pelvis and my hip (in laymen's terms)

When it 1st happened I had no idea just how serious my injury was and just how much I'd grow both physically and mentally from this injury.  As I have posted before I did not exactly take the news well.  To say I was depressed is quite accurate.  This injury and coming back from it was a true test of my mental and physical strength. 
The 1st few days after hearing the results of the MRI and the news I was officially out of the marathon were my hardest...literally internalizing the fact that I had been training for about 23 weeks and having it taken from me in the blink of an eye was insanely hard to comprehend.  Many people were very quick to say things like, "well look at all the free time you have now" or "well just get better and you'll be back at it".  If only things were that easy. 

Training becomes a part of you.  It's safe to say training runs (no pun intended) my life.   So when I got injured it was like my life was turned upside down.  In a sense, I lost my identity and direction. 

Here's a quick view of what a conversation with me is like when I'm training: 
Person: Hey Kelly, what's new?
Me: Same....training for ______ Marathon ____ days to go!
Person: Oh right.  How far is that marathon? 
Me: Same as all marathons, 26.2 miles.
Person: I don't know how you do it...
Me: A lot of training and determination, I guess.
Person: Well, if you ask me, you're crazy.
Me: Ok
Person: We should grab a drink sometime soon.
Me: Yeah, I'll look at my training schedule and see what I can do.
(Said drink never happens ha ha)

After my injury I found it hard to relate to people who didn't "get" running or who have never worked so hard for something and have it taken way when it was so close.   I found some "real friends" who didn't understand exactly what I was going through were quick to say things like, "Ok. Kelly..I get it, you're upset you can't run...get over it"....but to me it wasn't that easy.  So maybe the injury was a good way for me to weed out some friends I didn't need...ha ha. 

My triumphant return to training for Philly started in May and it's been an uphill battle.  Like any training program, I have good days and bad days, but I'm a smarter runner now.  I take better care of my body in terms of warming up, cooling down, and stretching and I'm better at listening to my body and what it needs. 
A few weeks ago I started to feel similar pain in my pelvis (tho not as acute).  I immediately went to see the PT/Chiro who brought me back stronger than before my injury, Dr. Jan.  We have been working on strengthening the muscles around my pelvis and are working on treating other injuries in my hip, knee, and foot that might be affecting the way I run-which is causing the pelivic pain.  Dr. Jan gets athletes and I trust him fully...I know he'll keep me as healthy as possible and have me Philly ready! 
Am I nervous for the next 38 days until the race?  TOTALLY, but I'm not letting my nerves get in the way of my goal. 
I'm looking forward to my 1/2 marathon next weekend and talking to my coaches about the rest of our game plan for Philly...it's getting close!   

"Fear is gradually replaced by excitement and a simple desire to see what you can do on the day."
-Lauren Fleshman

Ommmmm.....

When I first started doing yoga I was impatient, bored, and frustrated. Those are three words I'd never utter about yoga now. I get how people think yoga isn't hard because you are "just stretching" and if you aren't sweating you aren't getting a workout....I get the people who watched the clock wishing for it to end....I used to be one of those people. I don't know when the switch happened for me, but it did.

Today I can't imagine not practicing. I love how differentiated yoga is (it's the elementary school teacher in me ha ha) Everyone is on his/her own journey in yoga and each pose can be made to fit his/her ability. Having great instructors is key. You need instructors who will show you "options" for a pose and who will push you to try an extension.

The main focus in yoga is your breathing.....which is key for running. In addition here are some other benefits to runners: an increase in flexibility, strength, balance, focus, and energy as inversion poses recirculate the blood in your body. (No lie, I do a headstand when I'm tired and it perks me right up). Yoga is also an amazing workout for your core.

I've recently started practicing hot yoga. I never thought I'd enjoy it, but hot yoga has increased, not only my flexibility (since the room is so hot you can go deeper in poses) but my focus as I truly believe I focus more on each pose to avoid focusing on just how hot the room is. I'm still working on hydrating appropriately as I've had a few close calls where I was convinced I was going to pass out...it's all a part of my journey. If you're one of those people who says you don't sweat in yoga so it's not a workout (like I used to say) try a hot yoga class....you sweat just sitting there ha ha

If you haven't tried yoga yet, do it! I don't think you'll be disappointed...Just be open-minded and give it a chance. We live in a society where we want instant gratification and things to move quickly. We have our minds going a mile a minute and we try to multi-task all day long....let yoga be your escape from the craziness of life!
My advice is to read the class descriptions as there are many types of yoga....don't make the mistake I did. I took a Kundalini class without much research. I didn't read the part where it said wear white or light colored clothes-I showed up in black yoga pants and bright orange tank top ha ha I also must have missed the part of the description that basically says you are chanting mantras in Sanskrit and basically sit and move your arms and bow the entire class. I'm not knocking it...it's just not for me. Click the link if you want to learn more about Kundalini and imagine me there ha ha

Namaste!

Basketball is an endurance sport, and you have to learn to control your breath; that's the essence of yoga, too. So, I consciously began using yoga techniques in my practice and playing. I think yoga helped reduce the number and severity of injuries I suffered. As preventative medicine, it's unequaled.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Do I own diaper rash cream? Yes! Do I have kids? No!

In blogging about running there’s a difference between full disclosure and TMI (especially because I am a public school teacher ha ha)  I’ve opted to share and not scare…I hope.  Today I had to run 1:42 (1:25 at a 9:15 pace and 0:17 @ an 8:20 pace) It ended up being 11.38miles but 12 with the cool down.  I felt AMAZING for just about the entire run.  Somehow (thankfully) I didn’t seem to notice the “chub rub” aka chafing on my inner thighs. (News Flash: everyone’s thighs rub together….if they don’t you have a problem!)  I’ve had “chub rub” before, but today was beyond anything I’ve ever experience and yes, I did use an anti chafing balm…just not enough in the right spots, apparently. 

The pain I experienced was INSANE!  I could not walk after my run…I only waddled like I had been riding a horse for 6 hours without a saddle.  I cried in the shower when the water hit my legs, slathered diaper rash cream on my inner thighs, and had to ice my inner thighs down…Even at that I winced and complained with every step I took.  I shared mere glimpses of my “chub rub” with friends and watched their faces go from shock, to horror, then pity. 

“Chub rub” is real my friends!  I’ve learned my lesson…When it comes time to apply an anti-chafing balm follow the rule I tell my students when they are writing “when you think you’re done, you’ve only just begun”  Keep applying that anti-chafe balm-you’ll thank me! 

 

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." Oprah

Has it been months since my last post?  Yes.  I have no excuses...just life being life-crazy! 

I'm currently in my 12th week of training for the Philly Marathon.  I have 110 days until the big event!  Like my last fall marathon, I really enjoy the training being primarily in the summer (mostly because my work schedule is so flexible making my training schedule flexible).  The first 9 weeks were awesome.  I was really on schedule and killing my runs.  I felt incredibly strong physically and mentally.    My friend, Lou, has been running most training runs with me which really helps.  He's not training for anything so I call the shots....my pace, my run length, etc.  I'm taking better care warming up, cooling down, and stretching as they are areas I generally glaze over.  After fracturing my pelvis and my hip before the 2014 Philly Marathon I know these are no longer areas I can cheat on. 

This summer, I booked a 16 day trip to Europe with some friends.  I knew training would be tough as we'd be exploring countries and primarily on a cruise ship, but I was confident I could get it all in.   Well not so much.  The day I left (Thursday) I lifted and ran so I got my Thursday workout and my Friday workout essentially done.  Besides, I knew we'd be walking a ton on Friday so that "counted".  On Saturday we rented bikes and toured Copenhagen for 6 hours.  Granted it wasn't strenuous and we obviously stopped for beers along the way, but I counted that 6 hours of "biking" as a workout  (I know, I know I was stretching it).  After that it was all down hill...12 days on the ship with touring 6 countries, eating, and drinking all day and night made squeezing in a workout difficult, at best.  I had every intention of getting my runs in...I really did. 

Here's what my run schedule was supposed to look like:  1:10, 1:28, lift, 55, 35, lift, 55, 1:16, 1:35, lift, 1:00, 36, lift, 1:00.  The lifting happened....The runs were at most,  an hour (ok, ok I only did an hour long run once-ha ha) The other, maybe, 5 runs I did were each 50 minutes max.  I was so far off my training schedule it got to a point where I said, "The hell with this I'll figure it out later."  It didn't help that my friends were encouraging me to have drink by the pool instead of running...I'm a sucker for peer pressure! 

We returned home late Friday night so I told myself I'd get back to it on Saturday.   Well Saturday had me missing our awesome adventure and doing laundry, and being exhausted so I went on a bike ride instead.  Sunday HAD to be my day to get serious and it was....I went on a 17 mile bike ride, did a yoga class, and did a training run....The run was not the 1:42 I was scheduled to do, but I did something.  Monday I was back at it, I ran 45 minutes except I WANTED TO DIE!  It was the hardest run I can remember in a long time.  ("If you want to play, you gotta pay"-Stephen King)  Luckily today is another short run so this week seems like a perfect segue back to my training.  Am I worried?...kind of...I truly  hope the 16 days of "anarchy" hasn't ruined my chances of qualifying, but I still have 110 days to train.  I've already decided, if I don't qualify in November it's because of this trip!  ha ha

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have the ability to qualify....my stumbling block is my mental game.  I'm my own worst enemy.  I'm really trying to say, "what's done is done, now move on".  I hope staying positive will be all it takes.  When I initially got hurt in October, before we knew the severity of my injuries, my coach kept telling me, "your body won't forget all you've done in 2 weeks...you can come back from this."  I'm hoping she meant that to be true for an injury AND for 16 days of mayhem in Europe!  

Here's to the next 110 days of training! 

 "Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?"
- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

How's The Running Going?

This is a question people love asking me now that I'm all healed up.  Well it ISN'T going.

I'm not running....like at all! 

As we last left off, I talked with my coaches about the next step for me getting to my goal of qualifying for Boston.  We've decided that Philly in November will once again be the race I'm going to run to qualify. 

Training will resume, once again, in May.  Once training starts up again it's all running all the time and while I missed it when it was taken, so abruptly, from me I've decided running and I are on a break!   I still miss it at times and I can run if I want, but I'm using this time to enjoy other activities like winter hiking, indoor training with Ruby, outdoor biking when the temps are "warm" enough, lifting...anything.  Training can be taxing and monotonous in a sense so while I have the flexibility to alter my workouts I'm doing that and loving it....sort of!

I LOVE the routine/structure and discipline of training and I feel like it's all I've been doing for a long time so this break I'm on is often as tough as it is liberating.  While I love having freedom I'm TERRIBLE at making decisions and having choices.  When it came time to paint my house I gave the painters the choices to make....I'm not good at choices.  Some days I wake up and base my workouts around washing my hair.  If my hair looks decent and can forgo a washing I'll lift (if there's no yoga available). 

Furthermore, I'm not to proud to say it's a bit too cold to run outside....20 degrees is my cutoff....any by 20 I mean it can't be 20 with a real feel of 8....it needs to be 20 and feel 20 ha ha!

I don't mind running in the cold, but single digit running is less than fun and quite frankly winter running can be dangerous.  When it's this cold I think every dark puddle looking thing is black ice, there are snowbanks making the roads narrow, and people don't know how to drive when there's even a dusting of snow....I can't trust them to drive AND be mindful of me running.  I will say while I'm not running in the cold I am buying winter running gear with the hopes to motivate me to get out there ha ha! 

Coming Soon:  A post about winter running....for those brave enough to do it!   :)

"We were on a break"  -Ross Geller  ha ha

Aaaaaaaaand I'm Done-Now What?!?!

Throughout my rehab they kept telling me that injuries happen for a reason, good can come from an injury, and it may be tough to see but you will come back stronger after an injury.

 

I have completed my physical therapy treatment and feel awesome. Prior to ending the PT I convinced them to let me run a 5k on New Years Day. My PT was nervous at first, but he helped me get ready for it and certainly let me know that if thought there was a chance I wasn't ready he'd forbid me from running.

I learned early on from my coach that I need to trust the plan she set me and stick to it; I followed that same rule for PT...if he said no working out on days I didn't see him then I listened. If he said I can only run when he is standing next to me on the treadmill then I listened.  Learning to trust others with my training and rehab was tricky at first, but I quickly realized they are the professionals and to get the results I want I need to let them do their job.  (Man I sound like a non-trusting Debbie Downer when I think about things I've written ha ha) 

 

Leaving PT I have a list of things to do to keep me strong and injury free.  I'm so excited to be back....well back is a relative term.  I'm on my own, but I'm not where I was and need to work back up to that.  As it stands 3 1/2 miles is about all I'm allowed to do.  As I get stronger I get to add mileage...baby steps.  I'm almost overwhelmed with all the choices I have for workouts.  Since the middle of October I've been really limited, told what to do, and watched like a hawk.  I do have to remember right now less is more. 

 

What Now?!?! 

Well, I thought about running a marathon in mid-March, but since then, I've spoken with my coach and while I'm excited to get back, I have to be realistic.  Running a marathon in two after being off running, due to an injury, for two months would be tough (and certainly wouldn't be my BQ marathon)  so I'll be back to training for the Philly Marathon (thankfully they let me defer) beginning in May.  Until then I'm doing whatever I want exercise wise.  While I love training, and the structure of training, I see this pre-training as a fun break.  I'll still be working out, but I'll be doing what I want, when I want. 

 

1st Day 5K...My First Race Back After My Injuries 

It's great to be back!  

Not my worst race....

 

"The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner

In The Words Of Sheryl Crow, "A Change Would Do You Good"

As time went on I was better about my injuries....well except for race day.  That day was awful.  (I'm not even going to dwell on the fact that they had the IDEAL RUNNING CONDITIONS in Philly!) 

As I mentioned in my previous post, I became stronger mentally and physically during my rehab.  I did my PT at a sports recovery facility so everyone there was just like me....itching to get better while taking all the necessary "baby" steps to get there. 
The staff pushed me and taught me things to prevent future injuries.  They kept me positive and encouraged me when my mental state was off.   The process was long, but they were awesome and realistic because they know the head of an athlete....they weren't overly conservative in holding me back from things like a traditional physical therapy office; tho that's not say they were reckless either.  Impact activities were out and I accepted that.  I got back into lifting (tho not legs) and they (and my ortho) allowed me to bike (tho I had to wear 2 pairs of bike shorts because the pressure on my pelvis in anything less could have made things worse).  That's when it happened.....

As I took my old trusty hybrid bike out on little rides I realized how much I missed biking.  I had known for a few years I had outgrown my bike-I was too strong for it, but I still loved it.  I also knew a new bike could set me back and bit, financially, so I hadn't even considered looking at a new bike.  On one ride I thought about the triathlon club I'm in (part of the deal with the coaching I got for the marathon was membership into their tri-club)  The club did group rides and training classes and I thought "those people are legit, if I want to ride with them I MUST have a new bike" (I rationalized dropping a few grand on a new bike any way I could ha ha)  I went to my bike shop (Pedal Sports in Oakland NJ...LOVE THEM) and looked around.  I bought  my hybrid from them years ago and trust them completely.  As I looked around the shop I saw it....the bike I had to have.  I knew I would buy it, but wanted to think about/research it a bit.  I checked it out online and finally went back to get it. 

I bought the 2015 Ruby Sport from Specialized.  I love her!  I made a birth announcement and everything ha ha

Ruby's birth announcement ha ha

 

When I first got injured I read up on other athletes getting injured and coming back from their injuries.  I wanted to read about others in my boat to help me see that I'm not the 1st, I won't be the last, and I can come back too.  Some of the athletes mentioned finding new activities while they were on the DL from others.  The purchase of Ruby did that for me.  I'm going to get back into biking to change things up a bit.  It's not to say, by any means, I'm done with running, but as I'm still regaining my strength and before I start training for the next marathon I'll be spending some time with Ruby! 

 

This is a photo from an indoor training class I took with my tri club!

 

"You know, everybody has setbacks in their life, and everybody falls short of whatever goals they might set for themselves. That's part of living and coming to terms with who you are as a person." Hillary Clinton

 

WORST "BLOGGER" EVER!

WOW,  I've said it before, but I am officially the worst blogger, but if you like my blog's Facebook page you have an idea of where I've been and where I'm at, currently.

Here's (sort of) the Cliff's Notes version:

I was giving my training all I had.  I was feeling stronger than I had EVER been in my life.  While I was cursing my coaches out when I had crazy speed or hill workouts I was still giving it my best effort and loving the feeling after each workout ended knowing I was getting closer with each day, workout, and step.  I was on my way to my BQ.  I will admit my mental wasn't always great....I was stronger than ever before, but was I strong enough? My coach told me I needed to change my mindset.  In my mind when I said things like "I'm strong, but am I strong enough?" was like saying I can do this, but keeping this negative spin has me realistic that this may not happened despite my best efforts. 

On October 14th, about 5 weeks before the Philly Marathon I felt a pain in my groin about an hour into my 1:20 run.  I pushed through but the last 5 minutes were excruciating.  My parents tried to get me to go to the hospital but I was convinced it was just muscular and there would be nothing they could do.  The next morning I could barely walk so I went to the ER.  Like I figured, X-rays showed nothing, but the acute pain led them to believe I had torn/sprained the ligaments connected to my pelvis.  I was put on crutches and told to stay off my leg until the pain was gone!  RIGHT!  ha ha

I had a 1/2 marathon the next weekend and was determined to run it.  My coach agreed that I needed to stay off my leg and rest so I said I'd give it the week.  My rational brain knew that rest was the best thing, but it was not easily accepted and understood by irrational/stubborn/competitive side ha ha.   After about a week I was going crazy being on crutches and not working out AT ALL.  I thought I was feeling stronger so I tried to run....I made it about 4 minutes and broke down in tears.  My coach tried to explain that I'd still be okay for the marathon and that my ability wasn't just going to disappear after being off for a week or two, but that too was a tough pill to swallow. 

My coach sent me to the team chiropractor and massage therapist...they did what they could for the diagnosis I was given at the ER and I felt SOME improvement, but any runs more than 4 minutes had me limping and in RIDICULOUS pain.  I was pretty swollen so I thought a cortisone shot was a good idea.   I went to my orthopedist who has tried to give me cortisone millions of times for other injuries.  Sadly, he was VERY against the shot this time.  I was so upset and felt with each turn my chances of not just qualifying but simply running the Philly Marathon were slipping away.  

My orthopedist could see my face drop when he said no to the shot (he said the injury was too new and he wasn't even the one to diagnose it, so until he knew what he was dealing with-no shot).  He knew the marathon/qualifying was very important to me and he also knows I a bit stubborn so he rushed me in to get an MRI.  Most times when this Dr gets results from an MRI he makes you come into the office no matter the results.  On November 4th when I picked up the call and he was on the line I knew it was bad news.  The minute he said, "Hi Kelly," in a tone you'd use when expressing condolences, my heart dropped.  He gently said, "You're out, I'm sorry."  I had no idea what that meant at first.  He went on to explain that the MRI showed two fractures.  I had fractured my pubic ramus and my acetablum (basically I had fractures in my pelvis and hip)  Until that point I really hoped I could push through and make this marathon happen' tho in my heart I knew the amount of pain I was in meant my injury was serious. 

Part of me was relieved (for lack of a better term) to know that I was doing all I could and regardless of my best intentions this injury was beyond me and I had to accept I was out.  Ask my coach, massage therapist, and chiropractor and they will agree that I did NOT take this injury well.  Explaining my feelings about being pulled from the marathon to non-athletes in hard.  I wasn't upset to be pulled, I was heart broken.  I had given my all to getting to this marathon and right when I was within grasping distance it was taken from me. 

Exercising is a key part of my existence...I'm not saying that's a great thing or a bad thing, but that's a norm for me.  I don't feel right if I don't workout 6 days a week.  For lots of people when you become upset you work out to feel better, but when you are upset because of an injury and can't work out to feel better you're a mess......or at least I was.   I don't think I can put into words the feelings of sadness, laziness, frustration, etc. that I was experiencing.  I was in physical therapy for 6 weeks, 2 or 3 times a week.  While that was helping both mentally and physically I was craving more.  Injuries for an athlete is a tricky line to walk....you know you need to rest and take it easy, but you want to get back out there and do your thing.   (Even thinking back to this to write is tough.)  I found myself reading blogs and articles about athletes getting injured and the mental state they were in and what they took from that time.  Many said it gave them an opportunity to try something new to occupy that time they would normally be working out.  For some,  they injury they sustained led them to try a different sport so I got to thinking.....

"The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That’s real glory." - Vince Lombardi

Don't worry you won't have to wait months to know more.  Another post is coming soon!  :)