My Hips Don't Lie

A year ago, I didn't listen to my body -- and the outcome stunk. I was benched from running for over two months, and I had to rely on crutches to get around for weeks.

I swore then that I would treat myself better. By no means have I acted perfectly. But today, in a demonstration of maturity, I went to the doctor over growing discomfort in my heel. I'm really glad I did. To find out why, you'll have to keep on reading. 


The Source of My Pain
After three months of agonizing pain in my left hip, I made an appointment with a sports medicine specialist at the University of Illinois for Feb. 18, 2010. I honestly didn't believe my hip pain had anything to do with running, because it only hurt during prolonged sitting or getting up from sitting. But, since I was a runner, I opted for a sports medicine specialist over a general physician.

On Feb. 14, I went out for a planned 14-mile run with a friend. I had experienced minor discomfort in my foot in the days leading up to the run, but thought nothing of it, or, at least, not enough to hold me back from a training run for the Flying Pig Marathon. Several miles in, my foot started hurting to the point that I didn't want to put any pressure on my heel. I made it to mile 12 before throwing in the towel. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

Four days later, I limped into the doctor's office. Long story short, the doctor diagnosed me with IT Band syndrome in my left hip and a bad stress fracture of the right heel. I spent nearly two months in a walking boot and on crutches. I was allowed to bike in my sock, which I did religiously. I also switched to lighter, neutral shoes. And, I started seeing a physical therapist so I wouldn't lose mobility in my foot/ankle and so I could strengthen my left hip.

By May, I was able to start running. In June, I began an 18-week training program for the Chicago Marathon. I continued seeing my physical therapist until July. I still experienced pain in my hip -- so intense at times that I desired strong pain killers (but never requested or used them, of course) -- but I saw no point in continuing to pay $50 per visit for a problem that wasn't disappearing. My therapist was disappointed, but I was pissed.

I subsequently ran the Chicago Marathon, and, six weeks later, the Philadelphia Marathon, where I achieved a PR of 4 hours, 7 minutes.

In December, I reduced mileage by about 50 percent. I received protests from my husband and friends to take the month off, but I just couldn't.


Back to Square One, Almost
A few weeks ago, I started to feel slight discomfort in my right heel again. It wasn't awful pain, but it was enough that it threw up a red flag that something might be wrong. About eight days ago, I confessed to my husband, Ben, that it was time to see the doctor again. He saw dollar signs; I saw potential for re-injury.

A part of me wondered whether I was overreacting. Yesterday I mentioned to friends and my sister that maybe I didn't need to see a doctor. It was too late to back out, in my mind, so I decided to go.

So, today, I saw a new sports medicine specialist. He examined my feet and put me on the treadmill to watch me run. Based on my symptoms and my running form, he determined that I'm in the danger zone for another stress fracture. My left hip is still abnormally weak, too, and it seems to be the source of my problems.

I will nip this foot and hip problem in the bud. Here's how:
1. I'm switching my shoe make and model, again. Thanks to my friend Fabian, I was able to buy the new Kinvaras, a super-light, neutral shoe, at an incredible discount. They're supposed to take me off my heel, and they're due to arrive in a few weeks!
2. I will invest in gait analysis and a running coach, so I can learn better form. The way I'm currently running threatens re-injury. It may only take one session, so says the doc.
3. Meanwhile, I will run minimally and slowly, with 5 miles being a "long" run. I will also work extra hard at strengthening my left hip. If anyone reading this has suggestions about how to do that, I'm all ears.
4. Finally, if my hip pain persists, I may have to consider further testing. When I received my IT Band Syndrome diagnosis last year, no imaging was done on the hip. It's possible the real reason for the pain is a muscle tear.


Waving the White Flag
Eleven days ago, I was looking ahead and forming running goals for 2011. I'm already re-evaluating.

Based on the doctor's advice, I will sit out the F^3 Half-Marathon on Jan. 29. I feel badly, since I convinced a lot of friends, including my husband, to brave the cold and run it. I'll be out there cheering...unless it's really cold :)

I'm also going to take the back seat to the Flying Pig Marathon for the second time. The doctor doesn't think 16 weeks is enough to rehab the hip/foot and properly train for the marathon. This hits me in the gut, but I agree with him. In fact, I was already surrendering to that idea last Wednesday. I told a very small group of my close friends that I wouldn't run the full, and they all backed me. I won't ask for another deferral. Instead, I'll apply to switch to the half marathon. A lot of my friends from across the country are running the full, and I'd like to be there with them, even if it's just for 13.1 miles. Maybe I can achieve a major PR (personal record). Someday, I will run The Pig.

20

That's the number of days until the Philadelphia Marathon.

When I signed up for the marathon this summer, I did it mostly on impulse. I knew:
a.) I would be depressed after completing the Chicago Marathon.
b.) I seldom do anything exciting to celebrate my birthday, and what better way to make memories than run a marathon in conjunction with blowing out another candle.
c.) it would be nice to have a worry-free marathon after being so emotionally invested in the Chicago Marathon.
d.) while six weeks separating two marathons wasn't ideal, my legs would be somewhat recovered.

Now, only 20 days away from the marathon, I'm ready for it to be here. My nervousness about my foot overshadows any excitement I have for the race. Either bone injuries are sensitive to the cold, or my foot is becoming re-injured. If I can just get through the marathon, I will scale back running in December and focus on mostly, if not exclusively, cross-training. I still want to run with Back on My Feet once a week.

My friend reminded me this weekend that if I want to get faster (and boy, do I ever feel ready mentally to get faster), then I have to let my body recover. I hate taking more than a day off from running. But I dislike even more having to constantly worry about a body part breaking. The stress fracture I suffered last Februrary had not only physical ramifications, but mental ones, as well.

I'm ready to run my heart out at the marathon on Nov. 21 and then take a nice, little break from the sport I love. By January, I hope I'm ready mentally and physically to pick up training again.

Under Pressure

I believe we should pray more for others, less for ourselves. Yet, every night before a long run, I find myself praying for yours truly. Rather, I pray for my foot. I chat with God and ask that he helps see me through the Chicago Marathon on 10.10.10 free of injuries. It's a selfish request, but, I'm afraid it's come down to that. I blame the stress fracture.

When I got the OK in late April from my doctor to resume running, I was pretty confident about returning to the sport. I felt I had become a stronger runner after months on the stationary bike. But, as I run more, my confidence lessens. I recall spending what seemed like an hour the night before an 18-mile training run last month praying I wouldn't get hurt.

If I were running the Chicago Marathon only for myself, I could swallow re-injury. But this race isn't just about me.  It's about my dad, who died at 46 because of multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. It's about my sister, Brooke, who will be running her first -- and maybe only -- marathon. It's about the dozen friends and family who've decided to travel to Chicago to support us on 10.10.10. It's about the friends, family and strangers who've donated their hard-earned money to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

I have quietly pledged that I will slow down -- at least a little bit -- after the Chicago and Philadelphia marathons. I still plan on registering for the Flying Pig Marathon, which will take place in Cincinnati in May. This is the race I couldn't run this year because of the stress fracture. I have a deferral certificate, and I will use it.

But, training for the Flying Pig Marathon can wait until winter. In the weeks and months following the Philadelphia Marathon, I will focus on cross-training. I will prepare for my first triathlon. I flunked out of swimming lessons at an early age, so preparing for even a sprint triathlon (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) will take some time and likely some coaching. I've read about and heard from people who participated in triathlons only to discover they became better runners -- and experienced fewer injuries.

Hopefully, at this time next year, I'll be praying for stuff far more important than my dumb foot.

Clarification: I want to explain what I mean by slow down. I'm not disappearing from endurance running. I love running marathons, and I plan to travel the world participating in them. While I hope to continue running marathons, and hopefully qualify for the Boston Marathon in the near future, I do plan to run fewer days a week after the Philadelphia Marathon. I've been known after a marathon to resume normal running after only a few days' rest. When I signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon, I promised Ben and my friend Kara that I would alter my ways. But, come late winter, I will slowly ramp up running. I want to be ready for the Flying Pig Marathon in early May.

You know you're a real runner when...

Your toenails die. Duh!

Ever since I trained for my first marathon five years ago, one of the toenails on my left foot has never been the same. I notice the toe during long runs, and it often feels sore afterward. By the time I race, it has turned purple and part of the nail has come off.

After last weekend's 14-miler, my toenail had become a real pain...in my foot. On Tuesday, I tried clipping it to relieve pressure. I must have punctured a blister, because it started draining fluid. Blisters under the toenail aren't uncommon in runners.

Despite poking the blister, I still felt pressure under my nail. I did some research and considered puncturing my nail with a hot paper clip or needle to properly drain the blister. My brother-in-law even offered to do it! But, with a 15-miler planned for this weekend, I thought I should wait.

That is, until last night. I was about to go to sleep but I couldn't stop thinking about my toe. I got out the clipper, and I started cutting away. Slowly, and with little pain, the toe nail came off. It was dead anyway.

Both Ben and my mom expressed some concern, so I mentioned the "surgery" I performed on my toe during my annual physical today. The physician's assistant said it looked good, and I have no need for antibiotics. Yay!

I feel like a true road warrior, with one less toenail.

Born to Run

I'm starting to read "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall. It's timely that I'm reading this book because I am running again! Yippee!

I had a follow-up visit with my doctor (note to self: send this man a "thank you" card) Thursday, and he gave me the green light to start running, albeit, slowly. I wasted no time. With wobbly nervous legs, I walked straight to my gym after work that day and onto the treadmill (I changed into running clothes first, of course), and I ran two miles. Before I got injured, I rarely ran anything shorter than three miles. So, back on the treadmill to run for the first time in 10 weeks, I wanted to run and run and run. Pre-injury Brady would have kept on runnin'. Post-injury Brady is smart and knows she'll break her heel again if she doesn't take her return to running seriously.

I ran Sunday and Monday, but I took today off -- from running, that is. I still biked for an hour. During this transition to running and even afterward, I plan on biking. Biking while injured (BWI) helped me get to where I am today -- a state where I might even be more fit than I was prior to my injury. I thought I might feel out of breath or my legs might feel heavy when I went for my first run. But I felt great. Granted, it was only two miles. But I think I can thank BWI for staying in shape and sane.

More running-related posts to follow. Yay!

I have something in common with an elite runner.

Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2009 ING New York City Marathon, and I have something in common, besides our passion for running, that is. We share common running injuries.

Like Meb, I've been recovering from a stress fracture in my heel that was officially diagnosed Feb. 25, but likely occurred during my last long run on Feb. 14. Also like Meb, I've been battling pain in my tensor fascia latae (while sitting and after running), a hip muscle, and IT Band syndrome.

His resume inculdes a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens; mine shows I've finished three marathons. Yet I can relate to Meb and his battle with injuries. And the man inspires me.

I was reading Runner's World today while biking at the gym, and the May issue featured a story on Meb. After winning the silver in 2004, he was considered the favorite to make the team for the 2008 Olympics. But in 2007 at the Olympic marathon trial in New York City, he floundered. For days afterward, he couldn't even walk, according to the article. Turned out, he had a stress fracture in his hip.

Meb's injury stumped him and doctors for a long time, and his road to recovery was long and hard. Two years after an injury that forced him to consider retirement, the 34-year-old went on to with the ING New York City Marathon, according to the article. And later this month, he aims to win the Boston Marathon.

His injury taught him to listen to his body. And he worked hard to become stronger by stretching, strengthening and going to physical therapy, according to the article.

My journey of healing has been shorter than Meb's, and the stakes are much lower. But, like Meb, I will continue working hard to build a stronger core, hip and butt area, so I will be a stronger runner who's less prone to injury. And as I've written here before, I'll continue taking Calcium and Vitamin D supplements. I may not win any races any time soon or break any records, but I hope I can mimic Meb's positive spirit and perseverance.

Week 6: Injury Update

It's been more than six weeks since I got hurt running along Montrose Harbor in Chicago. At some point, the tears finally dried, and I made peace with my stress fracture.
Instead of dwelling on it, I've learned from my mistake. I'm already stronger for it. I'm sharing what I've learned with my friends and family: I'm strength training, and I'm making more of an effort to get adequate calcium and Vitamin D. I've quit the Viactiv caramel chews and traded them in for pills. The chews were nasty and reminded me of medicine. And even smothering 'em in Nutella didn't help. My sister likes Viactiv chews, so she'll be the lucky recipient of my leftovers. I also finished my eighth (but sadly probably not the last) physical therapy session yesterday.

As I've probably said this here before, I'm really making the most of getting hurt. A case in point: Last week, I went to the gym six times to bike and do some strength training. I feel strong, and I think I look it, too. If I had to run a marathon tomorrow, I think I could. Would I probably hurt my foot? You betcha. I'll have to take baby steps instead of major strides toward running again -- and only when the doctor says it's OK. But if I had to run 26.2, baby, I imagine I could do it.

Not only have I thrown myself into working out at the gym to become a stronger athlete, I'm devoting some spare time to raising awareness about multiple myeloma, the work of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and my dad. This Sunday marks 15 years since he died. I find my involvement rewarding and therapeutic -- and I wish I would have gotten involved with the MMRF years ago. Better late than never, I say.

--It's been six weeks since I went for a real run.
--It's been five weeks since I wore shoes on both feet.
--It's been four weeks since I started walking with the aid of crutches.

"Sometimes the moments that challenge us the most define us." -- U.S. Olympic Marathoner Deena Kastor

Blessings in multitude

My sister and I feel blessed. Today, thanks to the power of Twitter, we received a donation to our charity, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), from a runner in Texas. He's a follower on Twitter and runs for charity. Beyond that, we have no connection to him.

During the past few weeks, I have witnessed how good people can be. My decision to run for the MMRF and my injury have afforded me the opportunity to witness the human condition close up. I've seen a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly. But mostly, I've experienced the good. Here's a recent snapshot:

1. There's a man who works in my building with whom I've never spoke (besides saying "thank you") but always opens the door for me because of my current state.
2. Individuals at my gym have been mighty supportive, showering me with kudos for working out despite my injury.
3. My colleague sent me a text last week, offering to pick up breakfast or a morning latte for me. Indeed, he brought me coffee with a steamed skim topper.
4. Also last week, my cousin's college roommate donated to the MMRF. We haven't seen or spoken with each other in years, yet she felt compelled to contribute to a cause so important to my family and me. That's pretty cool.
5. A woman stopped midway through washing her hands today to open the bathroom door for me. OK, so that was a little awkward (I totally could have opened the door myself), but I appreciated her attentiveness and compassion.

Injury update:
--I have one more physical therapy session next Monday for my hip (IT Band Syndrome). Today's session was supposed to be my last but I had a "relapse" last week. Basically, my hip hurt every day at work. I gotta find a job where I'm moving. Sitting at a desk = intense pain!
-- I have a CT scan of the heel scheduled for Tuesday, April 6, at noon. I need all the prayers you can offer!
-- I return to the sports medicine center to meet with my doctor on Thursday, April 8. My foot has been sore lately. I hope the crappy weather and the air boot (I realized recently that the boot hasn't been very inflated -- oops!) are the culprit. Again, prayers please!

An Open Letter to My Foot

Dear heel,

Please heal thyself -- and quickly. As much as you like the safety of the air boot, do you really want to be seen in footwear that resembles something Edward Scissorhands might wear? I don't think so.

In case you didn't notice, it was sunny and 60 degrees this afternoon in Chicagoland. That's perfect running weather. You missed out on a great running day. I'll let it slide this time, but don't think I'll let you take many more weeks off. It's natural to be worried about getting injured again. But you don't have to worry about that. Once you're ready, I promise to treat you gently and take running slowly. One step at a time. But don't dawdle. Spring time is prime running weather, and I want to take advantage.

Take good care,

Your anxious owner

Joining the Chicago Marathon MMRF Team -- one month later

(I sent this in an e-mail a few minutes ago, and I thought it made a worthy post.)

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

In February, I joined the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation’s Chicago Marathon team. It is my hope to update you periodically about fund-raising efforts, multiple myeloma research and training for the big day.

Your support has been tremendous. The race is still many months away (Oct. 10!), but I can’t wait to toe the starting line!

Fund-raising

Fund-raising has been successful. I am grateful for each and every donation. To date, I have raised $595. I hope to shatter my minimum goal of $1,000.

Thank you to everyone who has donated. Your contribution and what it means for multiple myeloma research brings tears to my eyes each time I receive a donation. Every dollar counts. Ninety-three percent of all money raised goes toward research—not toward the marathon program, or operations of the foundation.

Multiple Myeloma Research

In that spirit, I would like to share an article that recently appeared in Parade magazine. The writer interviewed Kathy Giusti, co-founder of the MMRF and warrior against the disease. She was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996 and later founded the MMRF with her twin sister.

My dad died in 1995, a time when there were few treatments for multiple myeloma. Since the formation of the MMRF in 1998, several treatments have come along. There is still no cure. But these drugs offer—for some—a longer life. 

I hope you have time to read the article. It is short but information-packed. Giusti offers insight into the disease, her battle with it and what the foundation does.

Training

I typically spend 16-18 weeks training for a marathon. This means that training for the Chicago Marathon won’t technically start until mid-June.

When I signed up for the Chicago Marathon, I had recently started training for the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon (May 2). While preparing for it, I suffered a stress fracture in my heel  around Valentine’s Day. I’m already on the road to recovery. I’ve been wearing an air boot for two weeks, using crutches for one. I face at least five more weeks using both.  

Some might consider this a major setback. Of course, the Flying Pig Marathon is out. Getting injured is frustrating to be sure. This is my first serious injury in six years of running, and I consider it a wake-up call.

I am cross-training (biking), strength-training, stretching and taking more calcium than I did prior to the injury. I’m doing everything in my power to recover 110 percent so I can be at my strongest come Oct. 10. 

Best,

Brady

One week down, five more to go.

On my way to work this morning, which is located about a half-mile from my home, I got stopped by a strange woman in a Land Crusier with Arizona license plates. She pulled off a busy road and into a parking lot, rolled down her window and asked me if I wanted a ride to wherever I was going. She said I appeared to be in pain (I wasn't).

I explained to her that I was simply tired but that I only had a few blocks to go, so I could manage the rest of the trip on my feet. She told me her destination and emphasized that she would be happy to drive me. Again, I said no thanks.

Yesterday, an older Italian man coming out of a building startled me when he exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! What happened to you?" When I told him that I suffered a stress fracture due to running, he cautioned, "You have to be careful!"

Tonight at L.A. Fitness, a woman commented on how she thought it was great I was working out despite my injury. She's a fellow runner and could empathize with my desire and need to keep up my fitness level. We talked about injuries for a while, and then I went on my merry way to the stationary bike. 

This morning's situation might have been unusual, say, eight days ago. But ever since the doctor ordered I use crutches, strangers stopping me on the street, at the gym or in the locker room has become common place. Strangers are offering me rides and opening doors. They're asking me about my injury. They're concerned. Colleagues and friends are offering to take me to the grocery store or run an errand for me. As my friend Emma predicted, I'm getting a peek at the human condition.

I made muffins.

I haven't cooked much lately. Well, nothing original or made from scratch anyway. Maybe you noticed.

This weekend, minutes before I sent Ben to the grocery store (simple chores are down-right challenging on crutches), I decided I wanted to bake. So I asked him to pick up some peaches and eggs so I could whip up this simple muffin recipe from Recipe Girl.


This peach and brown sugar muffin recipe was so simple that I know I'll be following it again. It's easy to adjust, too. The muffins turned out light and tasty, and I don't think they're terribly unhealthy. I used wheat flour instead of white, which helped. When I make them again, I plan to add more peaches and allspice. And I'd like to introduce fresh ginger.

Accessorizing

After returning to work yesterday from the doctor's office, two co-workers observed that I had "taken a step backward."

They were right.

I was diagnosed with a calcaneal stress fracture -- I hurt my heel. High-impact sports like running can cause stress fractures in the foot. Not only do I have to wear the boot for six more weeks, I have to use crutches for the same duration. The doc thinks I need to accessorize, I guess. I have a CT scan on April 9 and visit the doctor for a follow-up April 13.

It's going to be a long road ahead. And as I travel it, I won't be running. I'll be biking or swimming. Once I'm out of the boot, I'm looking at physical therapy. It'll be 10 to 14 weeks before I can start thinking about running. The good doc said it takes about six months to get back to normal.

What does this mean?

Well, as much as it pains me to type this, the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on May 2 is out. I can't downgrade to the half-marathon. I may not even be able to run by then. Most races don't allow deferrals -- doesn't matter if you have a good excuse -- but this one allows a limited number. I will mail my application tomorrow for a deferral. If it's accepted, I will plan to run the Flying Pig Marathon in May 2011. I also paid for the Soldier Field 10-mile on May 29 and the North Shore Half-Marathon on June 13. Will I be able to walk or run them? To be determined.

I've only had a day to absorb everything. This is the first time I've ever had to wear a boot or use crutches. And I haven't taken off more than a week or two from running, really, in a few years.

I'm trying to stay positive and remember:
--things could be worse
--doors are opening for me, literally
--I can shop while riding in a motorized cart

***Update: A Flying Pig Marathon runner posted some kind and positive words on the marathon's Facebook page regarding my situation. The words made me feel a little better, and I thought I'd share: "To make it to a marathon starting line not only requires dedication but also good luck. Hope you heal quickly and come back even stronger." I may not get to run two marathons in 2010. But with some luck, maybe in 2011.

Day of Reckoning

Tomorrow, I return to the sports medicine specialist to find out whether I screwed up big time two weeks ago when I ran 12.5 miles on an already sore foot.

In a perfect world, the doctor will say that my tender foot is on the mend, and I will be running in no time. That I can stop wearing the boot. That he totally empathized with my desire to put in a long run, despite the pain. That I was being a tough girl, but that it's OK not to be tough and listen to your body when it screams at you. That even though I spent mucho Benjamins on diagnostic tests, they were worth it because they ruled out a stress fracture.

But it's not a perfect world. Here's to hoping I at least can stop wearing the boot. Even though I think I look "bad ass" (my friend's words!) hobbling around the gym while wearing it, it's bulky and heavy and takes me twice as long as usual to get from point A to point B. I love the superhero moniker, "Boot Girl", my friends have bestowed upon me, but it's time to be free of the boot.

Tomorrow is a day of reckoning.

Sidelined: An Update

Dear friends,

I went to the sports medicine specialist Thursday for two issues: a sore hip that had plagued me since Thanksgiving and a possible foot injury stemming from running through pain last Sunday (Boys and Girls: Do not try this at home!).

The doctor diagnosed my hip problem as IT band syndrome. This is a common runner's injury -- not one that I'm worried about. People who suffer from it usually experience pain in the knee. I experience it in my hip -- and not when I run, but when I sit or move out of the sitting position. The doc thinks that a few sessions with the physical therapist will help solve the problem.

The foot is a whole different beast. I may have a stress fracture, but the doctor won't know until he reviews X-rays and an MRI scan, which is scheduled for Tuesday. Until I meet with the doctor next Thursday, I have to wear a stylish boot.



In the mean time, I will be biking (in my socks) and swimming to keep up my fitness level in preparation for the upcoming spring races. The Flying Pig Marathon is not out, said the good doctor. I also have to buy a new pair of Asics. No more wearing "entry-level" running shoes.

To add insult to injury, it's been nice here in Chicagoland for the past few days. The mid-30s is great running weather. Too bad I can't be out in my tights and running shoes to enjoy it. My hope is that I will be sooner than later.

With the exception of a few aches and pains along the way, I've been mostly injury-free running for the past six years. I guess I was "due." That said, there are ways to prevent injuries. For readers who are just getting into running (I know who you are!), take the time to read this article on injury prevention by Amby Burfoot from Runner's World. I'm reading it, too.

Your running pal,
Brady