To Infinity and Beyond - Becoming a Better DopeyBadger (Comments Welcome)

[SarahDisney]

Well that's not great news, but at least you have an answer, which is good. Hopefully the fracture will heal well and you'll be back to running soon!

 

[dis_or_dat]

What a (sad) coincidence. I was wondering if I had a stress fracture since even jogging 1 mile flares up my symptoms and was feeling around my ankle just now and felt pain more lateral / posterior and most tibial stress fractures are anterior. But it wasn't point tenderness. More a bruise like feeling. I was wondering if I should see a sports Med doc, but honestly don't want to hear that diagnosis. It made me wonder how you were doing and so I wanted to check in.

But it's great to hear your rheum markers are coming back negative and of course G is the cutest!

Hope you heal quickly! At least he didn't want to put you in a boot! What cross training are you thinking about doing?

 

[JulieODC]

Sorry to hear about the running hiatus -
But glad you got an answers.
Sending lots of healing vibes
Your way!

 

[DopeyBadger]

I bet it’s a relief to know! Bummer you’re off another 3-5 weeks but you’ll be 100% in no time!

It is to extent. Of course it makes me want to know what I did wrong to correct the problem. The shin splints of 2016 were easy to see what went wrong. I was way overtrained and was failing at hitting intervals late in training. I was also doing way more training than I ever had. But this time, I'm not quite as sure. I was crushing the intervals and never seeing a fade. The amount of training was less than 2016 and comparable to the rest of 2017. The only thing I can think is the use of the more cushioned Triumph at the end of the training cycle. It allowed the fibula to flex differently causing the issue. That's just a best guess.

I’ve been swamped at work but saw your 3-miler on Strava and hoped it meant you were on the upswing. So definitely bummed to see that you’ve gotta take some more time off, but glad this ended up being low-grade and hopefully clean healing. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Thanks! Eyes on the prize. Willing to sacrifice all of the other races to be back and ready for Chicago. Just another obstacle in my journey towards a BQ.

Also, not to armchair diagnose, but I sometimes get spots that look kinda like yours. In my case, it’s a mild allergic reaction, or so I’ve been told.

It would definitely have to be something I come in contact with (or eat) everyday since I've had them since October and they've never gone away. Only gotten progressively worse. I'm interested to hear the dermatologist's guess.

Hope you heal quickly

Thanks!

Well that's not great news, but at least you have an answer, which is good. Hopefully the fracture will heal well and you'll be back to running soon!

Thanks! Here's hoping!

What a (sad) coincidence. I was wondering if I had a stress fracture since even jogging 1 mile flares up my symptoms and was feeling around my ankle just now and felt pain more lateral / posterior and most tibial stress fractures are anterior. But it wasn't point tenderness. More a bruise like feeling. I was wondering if I should see a sports Med doc, but honestly don't want to hear that diagnosis. It made me wonder how you were doing and so I wanted to check in.

Per my doctor, there is no clinical sign of a healed stress fracture. The x-ray will continue to look the same for the next 6 months to a year. So it just comes down to how it feels and pain to the touch. To be fair, I've pushed all over the leg and was never really able to find pain to the touch (unlike 2016 which was pretty easy to find). Even the doctor couldn't find anything even when he was being pretty aggressive. But after getting the x-ray, he only needed one more attempt by measuring the distance from knee to the distortion on the x-ray. And there it was. So while the initial timeline is 3-5 more weeks off, it could end up being as much as 16 weeks. So take it for what it's worth, but it might be time to hear the news because the healing process can't start until you stop.

But it's great to hear your rheum markers are coming back negative and of course G is the cutest!

Thanks!

Hope you heal quickly! At least he didn't want to put you in a boot! What cross training are you thinking about doing?

Yea, I don't have any limping during normal time so thankful for no boot! I've got to talk to Steph when she returns from Cali about getting a short term gym membership. Then I'll be on the bike I guess.

Sorry to hear about the running hiatus -
But glad you got an answers.
Sending lots of healing vibes
Your way!

Thanks!

 

[steph0808]

I'm sorry you have a fracture, but I'm glad you have an answer!

3-5 weeks isn't bad in the grand scheme of things. I hope it heals up fast and you are back out there (or on your new treadmill!) in no time.

I have a love/hate relationship with the treadmill - I definitely prefer to do the majority of my runs outside, but it's nice to have if I only have time to run after dark/it's too snowy/etc.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I'm sorry you have a fracture, but I'm glad you have an answer!

Thanks and agreed!

3-5 weeks isn't bad in the grand scheme of things. I hope it heals up fast and you are back out there (or on your new treadmill!) in no time.

Totally. If I use the data from RunnersConnect I get the following projections (RC #s were 5k based but mine is HM based):



Using 1/7/18 as the last day run (end of Dopey, which I did some running between but not really much of anything) and the minimal projected re-start date (3/7/18) is 59 days. So that would be roughly a 25.7% loss in fitness. If my estimated fitness (HM of 1:25:21) was correct, then my estimated fitness when I return will be a 1:48:49.



It should then take about 75-100% of the same time off to be back into similar shape. Therefore, looking at between 4/20/18 and 5/5/18 to be back to normal minimally. Further out if I need additional recovery. So still plenty of time to be ready for Chicago and possibly good to go for the June Hot2Trot HM. The St Patricks 10k and April HM both look like they will be out.

Some of this can be mitigated by cross training, but the numbers still show that it will definitely take some time to build back to where I was. Slow and steady will win out in the long term.

I have a love/hate relationship with the treadmill - I definitely prefer to do the majority of my runs outside, but it's nice to have if I only have time to run after dark/it's too snowy/etc.

I have a feeling I will be the same.

 

[MissLiss279]

Sorry to hear about the stress fracture. Not news anyone wants to hear, but I’m glad you have plenty of time to recover now before your ‘A’ race.

I don’t know if you are still looking at the Peloton Treadmill or not, but if that didn’t work out for you, you could look into Zwift. I had heard about it for cycling, but I guess it now has options for running. I recently bought a Stryd Power Meter Footpod to help with my pace/distance accuracy (also has a ton of other info), but I guess they also make a Footpod that doesn’t have all the extras and works with Zwift (the Power Meter version should also work). Anyways they had sent me an email about the running Zwift Community, and I think you would also be able to race against other people (on whatever treadmill of your choosing).

http://zwift.com/run/

 

[DopeyBadger]

Sorry to hear about the stress fracture. Not news anyone wants to hear, but I’m glad you have plenty of time to recover now before your ‘A’ race.

Agreed. At least I got to run Dopey at full capacity and still have my "A" goal for 2018 on the table.

I don’t know if you are still looking at the Peloton Treadmill or not, but if that didn’t work out for you, you could look into Zwift. I had heard about it for cycling, but I guess it now has options for running. I recently bought a Stryd Power Meter Footpod to help with my pace/distance accuracy (also has a ton of other info), but I guess they also make a Footpod that doesn’t have all the extras and works with Zwift (the Power Meter version should also work). Anyways they had sent me an email about the running Zwift Community, and I think you would also be able to race against other people (on whatever treadmill of your choosing).

http://zwift.com/run/

I saw that. Definitely a consideration as well.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

To echo others, I am glad that you now have an answer, but bummed for you that it is a stress fracture. Hope you're able to heal quickly!

 

[ZellyB]

Ditto everyone else. So sorry to hear about the stress fracture, but knowing the problem means you also know the answer to the calf pain and while it stinks to have to take that much time off, at least you know you'll be back to normal activity relatively soon!

 

[DopeyBadger]

To echo others, I am glad that you now have an answer, but bummed for you that it is a stress fracture. Hope you're able to heal quickly!

Thanks!

Ditto everyone else. So sorry to hear about the stress fracture, but knowing the problem means you also know the answer to the calf pain and while it stinks to have to take that much time off, at least you know you'll be back to normal activity relatively soon!

Thanks!

 

[IamTrike]

Sorry to hear about the stress fracture. I hope that the recovery time is on the shorter side not the longer side.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

catching up...

Sorry to hear about the stress fracture, but it's great that the ANA is negative. I guess you will not have any problems getting Vitamin D.

G is adorable!! It looks like she has your hairline.

I'm buying a bike from a company that refurbishes used gym equipment. Their warehouse is full of equipment as far as the eye can see (including many treadmills). Maybe you can find something like that near you.

 

[avondale]

Well we have one of three diagnoses nailed down. Went to the Sports Doc. Was lucky to get an appointment I guess since someone had just cancelled right before I called. Did all the normal pomp and circumstance. He felt all around my right calf and bone and no pain. He decided to send me for a blood clot test and x-ray. Blood clot test was negative, but the x-ray found something. He said let me try and push one more time. YEP, you found it! Low grade tibia stress fracture on the back side which made it a bit more uncommon. He said since the tibia usually only bears 10-15% of the weight when running (and sometimes less when walking) it can be tricky to feel. Sometimes people have them and don't even know it and it continues to persist. But each individual can run slightly different and I just so happen am able to feel it. Lucky me. Well, that puts me at 4-6 weeks off from running (technically 3-5 more weeks since I've been off for a week now). I'll go back in at the end for a check-up before trying to resume. He said I could cycle, but I don't have access to one. Might get a gym membership for a month. I asked about the elliptical and he hesitated. I said, if you're hesitating, then I don't want to do it. I'm extremely thankful at this point that I was able to run Dopey so well without issue. Guess I was so pumped up on adrenaline that the minor issue could fade to the background. Moving forward he's got me on a Vitamin D supplement (2000 IU per day). Glad to get that question answered and hoping that's the reason for the issues and not just a symptom of the issue.

Well, it's good to find out. Honestly, a total of 4 - 6 weeks off doesn't seem like that long for it, so a bit of a bummer, but not forever. Sounds like visit the sport-specific doc was a good plan.

 

[kski907]

I will also chime in and say sorry to hear about the fracture. Now time to heal. Sounds like instead of a treadmill maybe a bike trainer is in order. I am not sure if you swim or have access to a pool but I would think deep water running or lap swimming without pushing off with problem leg would be okay. Although I'm not a doctor and only dream of playing one on TV. I will say that my daughter finished the first 3 legs of Dopey with only swimming 5 days a week. Not old enough for marathon but probably would have done that too without running a lick. I'm sure though it's not highly recommended.

Happy Belated birthday to G. The pics are so cute. I love the photos with all the info she is into at the time. What a great memory for later on.

 

[canglim52]

Sorry to hear the news! Hopefully you’ll come back stronger than ever

 

[Ariel484]

Checking in, really sorry to read about your stress fracture! But I'm so glad that you got it checked out/diagnosed before it became a complete break. I hope you get some answers on your other two issues soon!!

Happy belated birthday, G! Love the chalkboard idea.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Sorry to hear about the stress fracture. I hope that the recovery time is on the shorter side not the longer side.

Thanks! Me too!

Sorry to hear about the stress fracture, but it's great that the ANA is negative.

Thanks and completely agree!

I guess you will not have any problems getting Vitamin D.

Not only that, I know of a few Vitamin D analogs that can do some spectacular things with bone growth. Too bad they're not FDA approved yet.

G is adorable!! It looks like she has your hairline.

Thanks!

I'm buying a bike from a company that refurbishes used gym equipment. Their warehouse is full of equipment as far as the eye can see (including many treadmills). Maybe you can find something like that near you.

That's how we got our elliptical. It's definitely a consideration for the treadmill as well.

Well, it's good to find out. Honestly, a total of 4 - 6 weeks off doesn't seem like that long for it, so a bit of a bummer, but not forever. Sounds like visit the sport-specific doc was a good plan.

Agreed! Well the total timeframe is actually 4-16 weeks. But the doctor thinks I'll be on the shorter side since it's subtle and low grade. But we won't know until 4 weeks from now to be sure. Definitely, finally going to the specialist helped solve everything. I wanted to try and see if I could solve it first to be on the cheaper side, but I guess I did cost myself about 3 weeks in which I could have been recovering fully instead of trial and error myself.

I will also chime in and say sorry to hear about the fracture. Now time to heal.

Thanks!

Sounds like instead of a treadmill maybe a bike trainer is in order. I am not sure if you swim or have access to a pool but I would think deep water running or lap swimming without pushing off with problem leg would be okay. Although I'm not a doctor and only dream of playing one on TV. I will say that my daughter finished the first 3 legs of Dopey with only swimming 5 days a week. Not old enough for marathon but probably would have done that too without running a lick. I'm sure though it's not highly recommended.

Yea, the bike should hopefully be a very short term item. Not a big fan of biking or swimming (but to be fair neither was I of running when I started). I could see how you could finish the first three legs of Dopey with pure swimming training. Might be a bit difficult to tackle the marathon. But at their core they all share similarities in aerobic performance. Similar but different.

Happy Belated birthday to G. The pics are so cute. I love the photos with all the info she is into at the time. What a great memory for later on.

Sorry to hear the news! Hopefully you’ll come back stronger than ever

Thanks! Here's hoping! Got to get ready for our Chicago Marathon goal crushing adventure!

Checking in, really sorry to read about your stress fracture! But I'm so glad that you got it checked out/diagnosed before it became a complete break.

Thanks and agreed. Better to be on the short end of recovery than the longer end.

I hope you get some answers on your other two issues soon!!

Thanks, me too. Hopefully tomorrow.

Happy belated birthday, G! Love the chalkboard idea.

Thanks! I make it on the computer and then Steph traces it on foam core with chalk residual on the back of the print-out. It transfers the design and then Steph goes over the chalk with a special marker. Quite the process but it comes out nice.

 

[roxymama]

Well as much as I love catching up on your thread I hate to see that you have a fracture. Glad you know what it is but I know how much you love running.
Heal up quickly - like T paced quickly!!

I have to know who the artist and the baker is in your family!!!???!!!

 

[Andie16]

The chalkboard birthday photos are amazing! Nice to see how well you've done at indoctrinating G into both Disney and running from the start .

I'm sorry about the stress fracture, but very glad that you were able to pinpoint a specific issue and can now move on to recovery.