Letting Go of a Dream...

Posted by Run the Edge on September 17, 2013

2013 has not been the year that I thought it would be for my running. For the past few months I have been looking forward to running the ING New York City Marathon as a perfect way to cap off a difficult year and to show the world what I am still capable of doing. Unfortunately, it just is not in the cards for this year. Letting go of my dream of running New York this year has been very difficult for me, but it was a decision I had to make.

After a rush job to get ready for the Boson Marathon in April, I was relieved to come off   that marathon feeling healthy and motivated.  I turned my focus to the track, getting my speed back and thinking about running times in the 10,000 meters that I hadn’t run in years.  I was really enjoying my training leading up to the USATF championships in Des Moines Iowa.   Even though I knew my big goal for the year was to knock it out of the park in the big apple, I was loving the track sessions and the change of pace from my normal marathon training.  Unfortunately, I faltered in the 10K  in Des Moines. A combo of a bad race strategy and tough weather conditions left me outside the top 3 required to move on to the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.  I was devastated, but quickly found the silver lining in the fact that I could now do some summer road racing that I have never had the opportunity to do before.  I felt hopeful. Things happen for a reason, right?

Before Shalane left for Europe to begin her altitude stint before the World Championships we did a 10.5 mile tempo together.  It was great, working together like we did before the Olympic Marathon, pushing each other in a strong fast tempo.  But on the cool down my right foot began to ache.  I stopped and retied my shoe, but it just kept getting worse and worse.  I hobbled back to my car and drove home to put my foot in a bucket of ice.  Hours later it still swelled.  What had I done?  Had I tied my shoe too tight?  Did I take an awkward step and twist my foot on the run?  The next morning I woke up and my foot was still swollen and still very painful to step on.  I made a decision to take the day off.  For those of you who don’t know me, this is a very big deal.  I run every day.  Every day.  It makes me feel normal. Sane.  I only took one week off after giving birth to my son before returning to running.  I realize this makes me crazy, but in fact it makes me not crazy.  I need to feel my body move.  Anyway, when my coach, Jerry Schumacher heard I was taking the day off, his immediate reaction was to ask me if it was broken.  Since I never ask for a complete rest day, he knew it was bad.  But I was sure that it wasn’t broken.  It came out of nowhere. Surely it would clear up in a day or two.  After hobbling around for a week, and getting increasingly cranky, I went in for an MRI.  I was devastated by the news. Jerry was right. My 2nd metatarsal in my foot had a stress fracture.