Fibula Stress Fracture

I felt ok after running the 10 for Texas. A couple days later I went out for a run on the trails and I was feeling pain in my calf. I kept thinking/hoping it was just muscle tightness. I finished my run and after it was really hurting. I am getting ready to begin Ironman 70.3 training so I want to play it smart. Right away I began with R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). I wore my compression sleeves everywhere. I continued to bike and swim because I felt ok doing those. I took a week off from running. Then I went out for a run. And the pain was back in full force. So this time I stopped swimming, biking, and running. I went out one night and had to jog to my car to get thru the rain and that's when I knew I had to get in to see the orthopedist. I was limping. I kept hoping it was a strain in my calf muscle. There was a worry in the back of my mind about a possible stress fracture because I have had them in the past and also because the pain I was feeling was deep. But I was holding onto hope that it was nothing to worry about. I was praying that it was something short lived and would not interfere with my training.


I even took my first ice bath

 Monday morning I called and my appointment was set for Thursday. I continued to rest and just focused on some stretching and weights in the meantime. And Thursday finally came. If you are an athlete you know the fear and dread of finally getting a diagnosis. You want to know so you can begin the healing process, you want the best case scenario, and you want the shortest recovery period.

The dreaded wait....

The diagnosis is a stress fracture in my fibula which means no running for 4 weeks and then I go back to see where we are at that point. The good news is I can still bike and swim. I'm going to just have to delay the run portion of my training for my 70.3. And I fear I'll have to rethink my running. I love to run fast and hard and really push myself to the limit when I run. This is my 3rd stress fracture in my lower legs. I had stress fractures in both tibias at this same time of year in 2013 during Marathon training. I would hate to have to cut back my intensity, but I want to be sure I have a lifetime of running and triathlons ahead of me! I'm going forward with a positive frame of mind. Injury is all too often a part of the process. I will work thru it. I will spend this time focusing on biking and swimming and on strength training. This will not interfere with my goals!