I've Never Been So Excited About Having Saddlesore

"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it." - Jean de La Fontaine


I biked today. Outside. Here in Wisconsin you can count ON ONE HAND the number of days in January that have been over 30 degrees. And today was 45. It was a gorgeous day.....How could I not  go bike riding. 


But let's start with yesterday. Chuck, my new physical therapist (we'll put him in the same category as the best physical therapist ever) gave me permission to try another 30 minute ride. I had a disaster a couple of weeks ago when I tried to go for a ride and it didn't go so hot. I promised Chuck no more than 30 minute (I almost completely kept my promise. It was something like 35.)


Of course I had to pump up my tires first. Of course I didn't bring the good pump to college. Bike lesson #1 never ever use hand pump again. So there I was at 11 o'clock last night sitting on the floor of my apartment swearing at my poor bike pump who just couldn't seem to get those tires pumped up. 
I got a little impatient to say the least. And sort of got bike grease all over. 

 So this afternoon I set out on my first bike ride since this summer. I was terrified for the first mile or so but got back into the rhythm and cadence a lot easier than I actually expected to. I made it 10 miles. My average was about 18 mph. There was a strong cross wind today making the trip back from my out-and-back a little difficult but all in all it was a great ride. 

It felt fantastic to be back on my bike again, and for just a few moments during it I legitimately felt like I wasn't injured, like I was getting better. It only fed the urge more, made me more excited to get back into the full swing of training. 

Not only that, but my pool workouts have been monstorous lately. The last two have hovered around the 2 hour mark. And this morning before my historic ride I did 70 minutes. 


The only thing that tweaked a little bit after my ride was my achilles and a couple of other miscellaneous tendons in my foot that aren't used to bike riding. Understandably so, I'm really gunshy right now and I do still feel that just the slightest wrong move will get me back on crutches 24/7 and back into the boot. 


On that note I haven't really been using my crutches all that much lately. Really they're just like training wheels. I'm uncomfortable and scared going anywhere without them. No matter whether I'm walking or not, I feel the need to carry them everywhere with my. I'm sure I look foolish walking to all of my classes carrying crutches under my arms, but it's not really my problem if other people think I look foolish is it?

Immediately after I got off the bike by crotch was a little sore. I've never never never been so thankful to have a sore crotch before. 

The Beginning

"Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit." - Bern Williams

I've come to believe a very important  thing in the past couple of weeks. It didn't hit me hard though until this weekend. This is almost as hard for me to type out as it is for me to believe. Nontheless here it is. Breaking my foot is absolutely the best thing that's ever happened to me. This is my chance to rebuild from the very bottom and come back stronger, better, more determined. It's my chance to not give up on my dreams. I wrote a post awhile back about how and why I was somehow always meant to be a runner. But maybe, just maybe, I was always meant to be an injured runner...because in reality I was always meant to swim, to bike. Maybe, I was always meant to be a triathlete. 

That said it's a new month and I have a whole new list of goals SET IN PLACE AND OUT IN THE OPEN!!!!  Because I'm not afraid to set goals anymore. 

But let's start with January first shall we?

 January:

1. GET RID OF CRUTCHES. DANG IT! I WILL do this. 

2. Walk before I see my doctor again Walk before New Year's dang it!  Done and Done

3. Bike ride by the end of January. It wasn't pretty. But I did it. 

4. Start doing legit pool workouts Done, conquered, and then some.

5. Start off the new semester  on the right foot (pun intended) no more slacking in school just because you can't run. Yup :)

6. Calcium. So. Much. Calcium. Trying.....

7. Find a yoga class and get your strength back. Yoga classes are expensive. Plus I can't do this until I'm cleared to walk again. 

8. Be really really smart about food choices. Eat things that will make foot better. Trying....

9. Try to start sleeping more Ohhh yeah. 

10. Find will to run again Soon, Soon, Soon

February: 

1. GET RID OF CRUTCHES!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. Walk. All. The. Time.

3. Start biking outside. 

4. Start 2-a-day pool workouts

5. Faithfully take calcium and vitamins.

6. See a nutritionist. 

7. Get good grades :)

8. Start weight lifting. 
9. Stop complaining about weight lifting

10. Find will to run again. 

How unfortunate that numbers 1 and 10 are basically the same. All I have to say is that  number 1 better go. And number 10 will come. I have big plans for number 10 actually. My foot broke on November 12. Almost 5 months later on April 2nd I'm going to go on my first run. April 2nd is my 22nd birthday. I'm giving myself the greatest gift I can. 

Back to the beginning of this post. Breaking my foot was a horrible, horrible thing. But it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I wouldn't take it back for the world. It's like breaking my foot gave me a whole new chance. This is, as I've come to realize, my chance to rebuild  myself from the bottom up, to have a fresh new outlook, to start over.  The way I was running, and (not) taking care of myself. The way running and winning ruled my life. The way that I was running away from things and not towards things...For all of these reasons it was only a matter of time before something broke. I'm just glad that it was my foot and not my spirit. 

The first two months of this injury I thought of as the end. It was the end of fast running. It was the end of running period. It was the end of all of my dreams. It was the end being a hard core instead of a recreational runner. It was the end of life as I knew it. None of this is true, except for the last one. It IS the end of life as I previously knew it. But that's O.K. Because while it is the end, it's also just the beginning of so much more. 

Learning to Swim

Dory: Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down do you wanna know what you've gotta do? 

Marlin: No I don't wanna know. 

Dory: [singing] Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.

I have never swum,(swam? swimmed?) this much in my life. I used to pat myself on the back when I would swim for a full hour. Now, my workouts on average are at least 90 minutes. I've been doing actual workouts as opposed to using it only as "cross training" and doing the appropriate drills (like pulling etc...). Results? ....My arms hurt. 


But here's my current favorite workout...


500 WU Choice
300 Kick
300 Pull (150 free, 150 back)
800 Fast
800 Breath every 5 strokes
800 Breath every 7 strokes
300 Pull
300 Kick
500 Cooldown


One of my friends that used to be on a swim team suggested it. I don't know if it's doing anything but it sure feels like it is. 


Also, however, track practice has now officially started. It's funny because I didn't miss running that much, didn't think I'd miss it that much, until I saw my team running intervals without me yesterday around the indoor track. I'm fine in the mornings with my swims, with my own stuff. I'm completely at peace with what this is and the fact that I cant run. I know it's all for a reason. But it's tough to watch them do it every day. 


In the same breath it would also be impossible for me not  to be there, because I love them all so much, and I can't imagine just ditching my teammates, my friends, my family because I can't run. I don't want to lose them and running all at the same time. It just makes me feel a bit nostalgic I suppose, makes me hope that they aren't taking all of the steps they're running for granted. 




And finally....I'm realizing that nutrition is something that I'm not going to be able to figure out on my own. I'm contemplating going to a nutritionist to see if they could help me out with this osteopenia thing. Furthermore, my (new) physical therapist told me that one of the best things after osteopenia is to....weight lift. Which, I really hate, so there's another department I'm going to have to improve in. 


Aren't the arm muscles I'm building for 2 hour pool workouts enough???

Weekend Cooking Experiment

"If you feel like eating, eat.  Let your body tell you what it wants."
          - Joan Benoit Samuelson

I've been wanting to share some of my favorite "fuel" recipes on here. These are the things that keep me going through lots of training. 

So here it goes: 

Week One: Breakfast Cookies! A.K.A. homemade cliff bars!

1/2 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter (natural)

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup plain oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup dry, powdered milk

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries or raisens. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray, set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the applesauce, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries. 

2. Drop mounds of dough (about 1/4 of a cup big) about 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Flatten each mound with a spatula. 

3. Bake, one sheet at a time 14-16 minutes or until browned. Cool. Store in an airtight container...or freeze (they're really good frozen)

Enjoy!

Random Fact Friday

"The power of people that believe in you & encourage you to chase your dreams is a tremendous gift"


1. I'm a huge social media nerd. I'm fascinated by it. I have a facebook, a blog, a twitter and my newest endeavor...a google+


2. I have been blond my entire life. Until two weeks ago. Now I'm a brunette. I did it because right now marks a whole new phase of my life, and I wanted a change. However, I no longer feel offended when people tell blonde jokes in my presence. I will probably never go back. 


3. I found my perfect running shoes! The Saucony Triumph 9


4. I'm dreading going back to school. I leave on Sunday and haven't started packing. 


5. I had a complete meltdown and had a really horrible impulse buy the other day. underwater mp3 player. Never have I ever been so excited to try out a new electronic gadget. Three more days till it gets here. Best impulse purchase EVER


6. On Wednesday I swam for two hours. 


7. I used to want to try out for American Idol.I am not a good singer. Now I only watch the first week of auditions because I really like watching the people who are really bad. 


8. I'm secretly afraid that my track team will think that it's stupid that I'm still there this season since I can't run. 


9.  I hate winter in Wisconsin. I'm currently sleeping under: A sheet, a blanket, a comforter, two quilts, and a fleece blaket. Oh....and this is all while wearing a short sleeved shirt, a long sleeved shirt, and a sweatshirt. 


10.  I strongly dislike cocky people. 


11. I rarely put more than $20 in my gas tank at one time. 


12. I used to drink almost a pot of coffee a day. However, when I found out about the whole osteopenia thing I gave it up cold turkey. Now I have maybe one cup per week. If that. I've replaced it with what may be a seriously inappropriate amount of tea. 


13. I love painting. If I wasn't so determined to be an athlete, being an artist would be my second pick. I'd like to open a coffee house/art studio someday. 


14.  I walked on a treadmill for 5 minutes. If I've said it  once, I've said it a zillion times I HAVE THE BEST PHYSICAL THERAPIST EVER


15. It was a major blow for all of us cheeseheads over here when the Packer's lost this past week.  Poor, Poor, packers. :(


16.  My goal is to do a half-marathon by June. I WILL come back strong. Stupid bone fracture. But underlying that goal is the goal to do so slowly and carefully. 


17. I hate watching new T.V. shows because I don't know the characters. 


18. I hate snow. 


19. My weirdest hobby is origami. But I'm actually pretty good at it. 


20. I don't buy storage containers. I  put everything in running shoe boxes. 


Happy weekend to everyone!

Physical Therapy, Finally.

Yesterday was a huge day for me. And I mean HUGE. It was my first day of physical therapy. But I woke up yesterday morning with my foot hurting and a ton of snow on the ground. So I wasn't expecting it to go well.

I've been seeing the same physical therapist since I was a sophomore in high school, and I don't know if I'll ever find one I trust quite as much .

So yesterday I braved the snow to get my foot looked over. There was actually quite a bit of good news. t I haven't lost an incredible amount of strength or flexibility. In fact, it's not really that much different from my right foot. And finally, the best news of all: any pain that I am feeling is due completely to the fact that I keep walking around on my toe because I'm afraid to put weight on my heel still. He said that as long as I stop doing that, and keep stretching that all should be good. Any pain I feel now, is most likely soft tissue damage and not bone pain. so excited. And then the best news. He told me that there is no way that swimming can do any damage so I can go ahead and go swimming every day if I want, as long as I keep stretching afterwards.

I just have to remember: this is not the end of my collegiate running career. It is the beginning of training for the swim portion of the ironman. Just keep swimming.

Osteopenia: The Great Nutritional Challenge

“What is stronger, fear or hope?” ― Lance Armstrong


Osteopenia is defined as bone mineral density (BMD) that is lower than normal peak BMD but not low enough to be classified as osteoporosis according to Web MD. It's not enough to be serious you see, but it is enough to be seriously considered. Apparently it is also enough to stop you dead in your tracks at the 4k mark of NCAA regionals.


So what, then, is the cure? 


There are of course, medications that a person can take, but unless you are on the brink of osteoporosis they're not generally recommended. And, I don't necessarily want to go on medication. So, my challenge for the rest of this healing period is to work on this nutritional challenge and harden my bones by the time I start running again. 


Every conversation that I've had about my foot goes something like this: 
Person: What happened?!?
Me: I broke my heel from running. 
Person: Oh. You should drink milk!


Of COURSE I should drink milk. I know that. The entire world knows that. Do I drink milk? no. I don't like milk and I never have. I do eat yogurt and ice cream, but just because I have yogurt for breakfast 4 days a week does not mean that my calcium intake is set to go. 


There's so much to consider apart from simply drinking milk (almond milk, soy milk) or eating cheese and yogurt and ice cream (unless of course I ate ice cream 3 times a day which I would be O.K. with me) For instance, there are foods that can aid or ruin your calcium absorption. For instance, a highly acidic diet can detract from calcium absorption. Not getting enough vitamin D can also stop your calcium absorption in it's tracks. I feel like it should be so simple. But at the same time I'm so overwhelmed by the amount of information that's out there. What I want, is for someone just to tell me exactly what to eat every day and I'll follow it. What I'd like I think, is a nutritionist. As things stand though, it seems like I'm going to need to become my own nutritionist, studying what can help me and finding the best way to take on osteopenia. 


I'll be working on putting together a nice little nutritional program over my last week of Christmas break. I'm hoping that somehow, I'll be able to get it together and fix this whole osteopenia thing before it's time to run again. I'm open to any and all suggestions as well. 


For now, I'll just be reading up on osteopenia and slowly digging my way out of the calcium-deficit hole that I have apparently dug myself into.