Friday, September 19, 2014

And the Verdict is... A Stress Fracture

Devastated. Crushed. Disappointed. That's just the tip of the iceberg of how I feel today.

Yesterday, I received a call from my orthopedic's office- the MRI shows a stress fracture on the second metatarsal of my right foot. Six weeks of no weight-bearing activity; no running, no walking, no driving; basically, total immobilization of my foot.

I don't know much about the prognosis- only that right now I'm using crutches and will be for the foreseeable future. I have an appointment with the orthopedic doctor on Monday and hopefully I'll know more then. I don't know if I'll be able to swim or bike or really do any activity at all in the next six weeks.

What I do know is this- all my races (Akron, The Great Race, Rugged Maniac, Runner's World Half Festival, Crawlin' Crab) from now until the first week of November are out. I will not be able to participate in them. I don't know about Wine & Dine or WDW Marathon Weekend. By the time my foot is healed, I'll have eight weeks until the Goofy Challenge- not quite enough time to build up to marathon distance from zero. And Wine & Dine is only seven weeks away; six of which I'll be laid up.

I know this isn't life threatening. I know this could be a lot worse. I know it's just six weeks.

But today, right now, it feels pretty damn devastating.

While there are a lot of things I'm upset about, what hurts the most is that my Dad is coming to Disney to run his first half at Wine & Dine and his first full at the WDW Marathon with me. Now I don't know if I'll be able to do them with him. My heart is just broken.

Running is central to my life. It's what keeps me sane, keeps me fit, and makes me happy. I'm a runner.

But who am I if I can't run?

My dear readers, I'm taking a little break this weekend to reflect and recharge. No social media, no blogging. Just some time with my love, my puppy, and myself. I want to sulk, cry it out, get angry- and then I want to move on. I won't let this set me back but I've got to confront it head-on first. So, I promise I'll be back on Monday with a little dose of accountability and then I'll be back later in the week with the Divas race recap. In the meantime, check out Jen's awesome recap.

Please run some miles for me this weekend- it should be beautiful weather :-)

~Sarah



24 comments:

  1. Aww so sorry to hear this, friend! :( I'm sure you're heartbroken and I wish I could give you a big 'ol hug and bring you a cupcake or yummy latte to cheer you up.

    Here's the thing...those races will always be there. There will be another year of Goofy, or W&D, or Crawling Crab. I know that doesn't make it any easier but your health is ALWAYS more important than a race. Take care of your foot and you'll come back stronger and ready to race!

    Hugs! <3 -Christine

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    1. Thanks, Christine! I'm already planning my comeback :-)

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  2. I love you so much! You are stronger than a stress fracture and you know it. Can't wait to see your beautiful face this weekend. <3

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  3. My heart sunk for you when you told me. You are such a strong person this will only help you grow! I can't wait to see you this time next week!!

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    1. I can't wait to see you either! You all lift my spirits SO MUCH!

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  4. So sorry to hear about your injury :( Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

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  5. So sorry to hear about the diagnosis, Sarah. Coming to grips with a set back is hard, but as Christine said, those races will always be there in the future. And even if you can't run by your dad's side for Wine & Dine and the marathon, you could still be there to cheer him on and support him.

    For now, here's a virtual hug. Keep your head high, and know that you'll get through this! :)

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    1. Thanks- virtual hugs right back at ya! Hope to see you soon!

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  6. Oh no! That is awful! I know how much you love running and racing (in my blog post today, I actually mentioned how all your races have inspired me), so this must be devastating. But to look for a silver lining, maybe this break will make you stronger and better able to tackle more races next year. Plus, maybe you'll find another activity you like...swimming? If you can run marathons, half marathons, and all those races, you can definitely get through this!

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer! I know that this is just another challenge that needs to be tackled; just with a lot of resting, lol. Thank you for your support and kind words :-)

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  7. Sarah: I am so sorry. I don't have anything at all to say to make you feel better. It just sucks and I know that you are heartbroken. You are an inspiration to me, and I will be thinking of you at Wine and Dine. It will be my first race ever. I'd love to meet up with you at some point while we are there, even if you aren't running the race. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will be able to do Wine and Dine, even if you have to walk most of it. You are a fabulous, Sparkly runner, no matter how many races you have to take a break from. Many hugs and a speedy recovery.

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    1. Thank you Lisa for your kind words! You made me tear up! And yes, we will most certainly get together at Wine and Dine- can't wait to meet you!

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  8. I'm sorry. I know it seems like a long time, but once you get to the other end, you'll feel like it was just a bump on the road. It's a bummer you're missing out on the races you have planned, but like other people are posting, those races aren't going anywhere. Let your body heal. Use the time to do something to occupy your brain. Read, do some big jigsaw puzzles, find a TV series to binge watch, make some kind of craft or baking project. Before you know it, you'll be out there again.

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer! I have already read two books and I have the feeling I will be reading TONS more over the next few weeks!

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  9. Awww, Sarah! So sorry to hear that it's a stress fracture and that you have to miss the races you have been planning, training, and looking forward to. What a huge bummer. Definitely take time over the weekend to get out all of your feelings - best to let them all go (and it's ok to be angry, sad, whatever!). Get some good snuggles with your pup... that always helps me when I'm feeling down. I know you will, but follow doctor's orders so you heal up quick. I believe in your strength, your determination, and your spirit. We're all here for you, whatever you need. HUGS!

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    1. Thanks for your support, Heather! Looking forward to meeting you soon!

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  10. Omg this is awful. So sry to hear about your stress fracture. I wouldn't forgo all your races just yet, who knows maybe this rest is what you need then you will get right back into the swing of things once you are healed. Feel better soon! -L

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    1. Thanks!! The doc is hopeful I can at least do one of the races in January- I just need to keep up the strength training as much as possible!

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  11. I am so sorry. That really stinks.

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    1. Yeah, it does. But it's not life threatening and I'll heal- hopefully quickly :-)

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  12. It broke my heart to read this post Sarah :( Like you said, it could be worse, but it's still an unfortunate injury for you. It's important to heal this injury so you can get back into training when the time comes :)

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    1. Thanks!! I know I'll be back at it soon enough. Thank you for your support :-)

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