Since September 10, 2012, I’ve wanted to write this post. I’ve wanted to talk about how I’m finally becoming uninjured. Though I did not know it, September 9 was when I broke the bone in my foot fueling the cyst in my foot and making me have a double unrelated running injuries in my foot.
I want to say that I haven’t exactly been the best at explaining things nor did I want to broadcast my foot issues on the internet. Especially because my injury did not deal really deal with running and I could have 10 bizillion people giving me advice when they knew barely anything of my issues. It was just the sad event that everything came into place in the once area of my body I didn’t need to be injured…
My foot.
Two weeks prior to my fracture, I had been having weird issues. My leg and foot was tight and never really felt that great. It felt injury provoking so I talked to my coach, cut down my miles and analyzed what was going on. We thought it was probably a mild case of plantar fasciitis, so I did anything you do to treat that, cut miles, ice stretch and it seemed to tame down except when I was running…I raced twice and both times pain surged during my race and then was done as soon as I was done running.
September 9th, I did a long run (at that time) of 10 miles. The first two miles were not pretty then the pain seemed to clear up. I finished the last 8 easily and then went around my merry way. I thought the pain had cleared up.
Not that I had broken a bone in my foot. My muscle had ripped off my bone a few days prior and therefore had more run to chill…and therefore wasn’t tight anymore.
OH and therefore had created a small crack in my bone.
A crack that if it had been less then a millimeter lower would have resulted in a Jones fracture (which takes about a year…and surgery…to heal).
So when the doctor looked down at my foot and said…swollen and bruised, bet you broke it, I was pretty smug. Still I got the MRI done and figured it was a bruise at the worse…after all since then I had run 2 more ten milers and it had not hurt but just felt like a bruise.
My heal was still pretty tight, but now I was worrying about my pinkie toe. At this point I wasn’t running at all and hoping a few days would allow the bruise to clear up. I could have run on it but I thought running now is counterproductive…why not wait a week when the bruise was healed. So I ellipticalled, I iced and even got a deep tissue massage.
I remember the conversation I had when the doctor called me very clearly, I was being “good” and cross training on the elliptical. I had begged them to call with my MRI results several times before the weekend and he did. He said the daunting news that sent me into a tailspin.
You do have a small bone crack Hollie and it is best that you don’t run for 6-8 weeks.
I had always heard of rumors of runners being able to run on broken bones but thought…how on earth could they run on something broken and not realize it? How on earth could someone be pregnant and not realize it? I would have never thought that I had a broken bone when I finished a 10 mile run in little to no pain.
So on September 14, I watched in the gym as my entire senior year of cross country went away. The year I had spent 10 months training for. The year I was going to nationals. I had the small crack in my bone, and I had the weird heel pain that we still thought to be plantar fasciitis, who knew the issues that I would later be told is giant cyst the size of a golf ball in my heel.
Stay tuned for the multiple parts.
What do you mean you didn’t want 10,000 home doctors diagnosing you?! Those diagnosis, IMO, are always the most accurate! Who needs a medical degree when you have WebMD? Seriously, though, I’m really sorry about your foot. 🙁 I’m sure it sucks big ones. Hopefully you’ll heal quickly.
LOL, thanks girl. It’s almost healed though! 😉
And Wikipedia! Don’t discount the accuracy of Wikipedia! So sorry, Hollie. 🙁
gosh this is just crazy, I can’t even imagine the pain you went through and still ran on it. dedication to say the least. I am glad you are hanging in there, think of it this way, you have come so far!
I’m so sorry this happened to you but glad it’s almost healed! It’s weird and frustrating how unrelated injuries can happen at the same time but you’ve really kept your head up through all of this!
that blows- I can totally relate…i got a good foot injury story for you lol. I unfortunately sprained the crap of of the arch of my foot playing intramural basketball (i know..oops) in the spring of my junior year. This took me out of most of spring field hockey because it was bad enough I was on crutches for 8 days. but whatever kinda let it heal and by the summer time i had a little pain but nothing crazy and just kept training for my fall senior season. by the time I got to fall season and a few weeks into it I was in constant foot pain all over..not even just the spot I sprained it in..my diagnosis was plantars faciitis, So i just iced and blah blah and expected it to hurt all while still playing…after the season I finally went to the doctor and found out I had a a major stress reaction and I shouldn’t have played on it at all…. Caused by that stupid sprain 8 months earlier playing stupid basketball haha ugh. that was a long process and then 6 months of elliptical training. EW. just wanted to say i can relate to not even knowing that something is even broken or seriously wrong!
Thanks for sharing this. It’s funny that people expect doctors to have all the answers when in reality there are a million different things that could be wrong and it’s so hard to have every little thing memorized!
Wow, I can’t believe the events that happened. That all sounds so painful. I’m SO glad to hear it’s almost healed! I’m sorry you had to miss the cross country though.
Wow, nuts! Thank you for opening up!
Oh my gosh this is incredible. I’m glad it’s slowly getting back to normal but I’m anxious to read the next installment in the series! You’ve made it through those 6-8 weeks so hopefully you’ll be able to slowly start increasing your mileage soon!
p.s- 2 days in a row of 2 posts in the same day? Don’t go too crazy now 😉
LOL! Actually, I was wondering if someone would pick up on that because normally I’m lucky to post once a day. I swear I’ll simmer down!
You are amazing for dealing with this, I couldn’t imagine. I had that plantars thing for a week and thought I was going to die and I’m not even a 10th as hardcore of a runner as you are. Let’s hope the holidays and new year only bring you health!
Wow, only a week of PF?? You are the luckiest person I know with that. 🙂 Glad to know it wasn’t serious!
UGH! Shitty day. I can’t imagine putting so much time and effort into something and watching it slip away. Its so hard to stay positive when your routine gets so messed up. Hopefully things will be back to normal soon.
It wasn’t as bad since I could go to the gym…I don’t know what I would do with all my free time if I couldn’t!
<3 I know this was an EXTREMELY emotional time for you and I know 100% that you have learned and so guess what? You will never have to go through this again. You will get back out there.
I am so sorry you’re dealing with this, I can’t imagine missing out on something you worked so hard for!
nominated you for the inspiring blogger award!!
AWE thanks! 🙂
seriously the cyst couldn’t have waited until Christmas to show it’s ugly head?! the timing of this injury is awful (not to discount the injury itself!) I’m sorry you missed your senior year, so sucky.
I wish I could have ran just one cross country season in college…damn swimming! 😉 I thrived off the intensity of duel meets in college, and I wish I could have seen what that would have been like as a runner. I’ve done 3 5ks in my life, and weirdly I’m starting to love the 5k!
There are so many great races (and 80+ mile weeks) ahead of you. I know it’s a HUGE disappointment now, and no words can describe the disappointment or make it better.
but keep your chin up! 2013 will be your year!
xoxo!
Can I just say how insanely inspirational you are? The fact you can keep your head held high in the midst of something SO awful astounds me. You’re the epitome of a trooper my friend.
I know all your perseverance is going to pay off and your future is gonna be filled with so many amazing runs you won’t be able to keep track of them all! 😀 Looking forward to the next posts!
I am literally on the edge of my seat waiting for the rest of the story.
Also, I nominated you for the Inspiring Blog Award! Check out the rules here: http://runnergirlrevisited.blogspot.com/2012/11/7-things-nominating-blogs-that-inspire.html
Thanks Jade you are seriously awesome!
I can relate so much. It kinda sucks because all you really can do when you start to have pain is guess. And a lot of times you guess the common running injuries that you can usually train through. I mean for all the aches and pains I had during my senior cross country season, I was right to keep running through a lot of them but be cautious, but there was one that eventually got me and I never would have guessed what it was. And it sucks so bad. Especially when you’re supposed to go to nationals and you miss out both of the years that you probably could have gone – I know the feeling!
I gotta say I admire you for all your cross training effort. It’s not easy to stick to it. You’re a champ and you still are gonna kill it in races in the future.
Exactly to everything Tara. I’m glad that you read and that means a lot to me because I know you understand!
Oh wow. Girl, can I just say how incredibly strong and inspirational you are? I had absolutely no idea that you could run that long on a broken bone, and I’m sorry that you had to go through all of that, but the way that you handled your injury and recovery is really admirable and I give you major props for it.
I know this injury hasn’t been easy on you girl but the way you’ve handled your situation has been so inspiring. So many people would’ve just thrown the towel in, however you’ve found a new passion on the elliptical ( i think that’s the machine you talked about the other day that you said you now thoroughly enjoy?). You’ve kept your head up high & a smile on your face. I truly do believe things happen for a reason. The hard part is just understanding “why”. Thank you so much for sharing this post. I look forward to the rest of your story xo
I am really enjoying reading this! learning more about you, but also about this experience for you. Thank you for sharing, I know it cannot be easy
Aw, Hollie.. you’ve been through SO much. I can’t imagine the emotions you were feeling as your team ran without you. I know, though, that this whole experience has made you stronger for sure!