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!  :)