Almost 5 weeks post fall and there is still some bruising and swelling, but it is looking so much better. I still have more pain than I had hoped for at this point, so I was concerned going in for my checkup with the orthopedist.
But I got the best news!I have been following doctors orders to a T! RICE, anti inflammatories, oils, no activity or weight bearing, etc. and it has paid off! Doc said xrays looked good! The bone fragment hasn't shifted which is a great sign! He said to expect pain for the next few months until the ligament heals, but that I can swim and bike and do what I can tolerate! I can even come out of the boot as much as I can tolerate. I start physical therapy next week! I honestly didn't expect this good of news! And of course I headed straight for the gym to celebrate!
I couldn't wait to get my legs moving! I did 30 minutes on the stationary bike with my boot on and I sweat! Woohoo!!
Then I followed with a 30 minute swim with the pull buoy (arms only). Not a bad swim for a girl who usually gets her power from her kicks!
What a great day! I am so happy to be incorporating in some training even if it's modified! I am feeling hopeful for Ironman Texas!!
Look out Ronda Rousey I just did my first MMA workouts! And the boys did it with me! It was so much fun and an awesome workout! My friend, Simone Byrne, @trisntrails, sent it to me and it was such a good change of pace! Be sure to check her out! She is truly an inspiration!
I love getting my boys involved in my workout! It's a great way to fit your workout in with family fun!
What are some ways you include your family with your fitness?
Here is the workout written for me by Simone Byrne. It's modified for my injury so it may be helpful to those of you who are injured as well.
I ran this 5k years ago before I knew I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was eager to get back to it this year after my diagnosis. I was excited to put together a team to run. I was just coming back and my coach agreed to let me "race" it, so we could use it as a time trial. I couldn't wait! And then I broke my foot! Ugh! I was thrilled I had wonderful people who were running for me, so I was still excited to go!
Prerace I got a pic with these sweet girls - Amanda, Leanne, and Lisa!! So cool they came out for me!
Sawyer and Emerson made great cheerleaders with me! It was COLD and they were troopers!
Ricky was super speedy!! If this boy would train I can't even imagine what he could do!
Everett went out and made a friend (Amanda's son - Blake) and had a blast running with him!
I enjoyed meeting Amanda (@run.amanda) so much! She and I hit it off as well as our boys!! And she placed 1st in her AG!!
Dene (@motomom327) came all the way from Chicago and her daughter Ashley ran too! Ashley placed 1st in her AG!!
And how adorable does Sarah (@tri_harder_sarah) look! She came out to run for me and she had a 30k race the next day!! It was so great to finally meet her!
My mom (@theironpat) ran her 2nd race ever!!! She came in 5th in her AG! As I was trying to crutch my way thru the crowd to get her pic I almost fell, so I missed her pic! I wish I could share with you the big, beautiful smile she had on her face as she crossed the finish line! I am so proud of her!
I am so grateful for this girl's friendship! We are two peas in a pod!! I can't wait to do a tri with Lisa (@lisamcde / Run, Supermom, Run) again!! Love her!
When my husband crossed the finish line he gave me his medal! When my oldest crossed he gave me his bell! I love these guys so much! And I love that they all support my crazy!!
I truly couldn't do it without this guy! He was looking forward to running this with me and not just for me, so he was really disappointed when I couldn't run it. He's not a runner, but he got out there and kicked butt!
I suffered an avulsion fracture and midfoot sprain. I was wearing wedge shoes and had a little fall. I had been going thru different orthotics and training hard for IMTX, so I'm pretty sure this was just the last straw. See previous posts (A Hard Pill to Swallow and Not how I wanted to start my IMTX Training) for more of the story.
Two weeks later and there was still discoloration and quite a bit of swelling and pain. It's too challenging to sleep in the heavy boot, so I was wrapping it in an ace bandage but this wasn't offering the support I needed and I was having difficulty sleeping.
At three weeks swelling has significantly decreased. By the end of the day my foot sees more swelling, but what an improvement! Bruising has also improved! I am surprised by how much better it looks, but I am equally surprised by how awful it still looks 3 weeks later! And unfortunately it still hurts more than I had hoped it would by this point. But I will gladly take any improvement I can get at this point!
So very grateful for the Bioskin AFTER DC Ankle Brace! This brace is so comfortable and supportive that I am in less pain and sleeping so much better!
I have been continuing with RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), anti inflammatories, Epsom Salt soaks, essential oils, and lots and lots of prayers! My next appointment with the orthopedist is the 21st. I am hoping to see some real improvement between now and then so I can at least get back in the pool and maybe on the stationary bike!
These last couple days are getting more and more challenging. Not being able to drive is a huge inconvenience and my family is definitely feeling it! And I am going stir crazy!! I just keep reminding myself this too shall pass! And in the mean time I am strength training like a boss!!!
Strength Training is so important and so often overlooked especially by runners and triathletes. I know personally between swimming, biking, and running, my strength training is often neglected. Strength training will not only help you improve in all disciplines, but it will help decrease your risk for injury. Being injury prone this is a must for me. The book Strength Training for Triathletes by Patrick Hagerman is an excellent resource.
One of my favorite upper body workouts was given to me by one of my best friends, Jess Runs Blessed, and it is easy to do at home with just a set of dumb bells! So if you can't make it to the gym, no worries, you can do this quick, but intense workout!
Warm Up:
10 Push Ups - I am loving doing my push ups on the Bosu Ball! So hard! (Modified for injury) But you can do typical push ups! No equipment necessary!
10 Jumping Jacks
Pyramid 1: Shoulders
16 Front Raises
16 Side Raises
16 Overhead Presses
16 Side Raises
16 Front Raises
Pyramid 2: Biceps
16 Hammer Curl
16 Curl with Front Extension
16 Curl with Side Extension
16 Curl with Front Extension
16 Hammer Curl
Pyramid 3: Triceps
16 Dips (No worries if you don't have a bench, use your stairs, ottoman, bed, etc,)
16 Overhead
16 Kickback
16 Overhead
16 Dips
Cool Down:
10 Push Ups
10 Jumping Jacks
What I'm Wearing:
Let me tell you a little more about what I'm wearing. This workout wear comes from Hylete.
Before I get into the clothing itself, I want to tell you about something that I really appreciate about Hylete. On several of their clothing lines they give back 50% of their proceeds to a designated charity. These charities include the 31 Heroes Project that supports families of fallen military heroes, Back on My Feet that supports homeless veterans, NBCF that supports breast cancer awareness and provides mammograms for women who can't afford them, O.U.R. Rescue which liberates children around the world from slavery, Scratch My Belly which is dedicated to saving animals from high kill shelters, and Team Rubicon which serves to help military civilians utilize their skills in emergency response teams. I really respect a company that gives back to the community and such important causes.
Top:
I am wearing the Insignia Racer Tank in Eclipse Gray. Listed Price $50
It not only fits great and is comfortable, but it is sweat wicking and has four way stretch. After a workout it still looks great, so you can go run those errands without looking wrinkled or sweaty. And it's very slimming!
Bottoms:
I am wearing the Invex II Crop in Black/Eclipse Gray. Listed Price $70
They have an elastic waistband that stretches up to 4 inches which is great because they don't give you the dreaded roll over even after you've refueled post workout. They are sweat wicking and are four way stretch. These are one of the most flattering pairs of capri I have ever worn! They provide a smooth fit and seem to accentuate all the right areas. They are super comfy and very functional during your workout. Love them!
How Hylete Works:
- Hylete is only available online at Hylete.com.
- When you join Hylete, you can save up to 40% off every order.
- If you order 1 item you pay retail.
If you order 2-3 items you receive 20% off.
If you order 4+ item you receive 40% off.
- You can mix and match any items. Excludes discounted items.
New to Hylete:
I can't wait to try out Hylete's new Nimbus Caprite!
Tough day! Went to see the orthopedist today. And it's broke! It turns out I have an avulsion fracture. My ligament snapped and when it did it broke off a piece of the bone. So we're dealing with the broken bone and ligament damage. The good news is it doesn't look like I will need surgery to repair it! Hallelujah! I am in an aircast and on crutches. I can't drive for at least two weeks. No activity (no swimming or biking or anything using my foot) at all for four weeks until I go back to see him. He expects recovery to be somewhere around 8 weeks if I'm really good! This is definitely not the news I was hoping for! Not sure what this means for Ironman training!?!? I'm really worried!
Two steps forward and one step back seems to be the story of my life. I took a spill yesterday. I don't even have an interesting story. We were out with friends for dinner and I decided to wear wedges to break them in for my upcoming trip to New York City. We were walking along the Woodlands Waterway with our four boys and our friends and their two boys. Our youngest wandered off and when he caught up he was upset and ran into my arms. Well wearing said wedges, I lost my balance and went down of course protecting him from the fall. I instantly felt shooting pain in my foot. Not my ankle so much but along the top of my foot. so I took off my shoes and my girlfriend got me ice while her hubby helped me hobble to the curb for my hubby to get the car. Thank goodness for great friends!
As soon as I got home I took my prescription anti inflammatory, elevated, and continued to ice. The bruising was immediate. I didn't sleep too well.
When I woke up I was concerned because the bruising and swelling had gotten worse and there was still significant pain. So I had my mom come get me to take me to an Urgent Care Clinic.
No breaks were seen hallelujah! It took awhile for the doctor to give me the results because while she could tell the ankle looked really good she couldn't see the mid foot clearly due to swelling. So we waited for the radiologist to read the Xrays. And I was so relieved no breaks were seen! She called it a mid foot sprain, but did tell me she can't tell if there is any ligament or tendon damage because that wouldn't be seen on an Xray. You would need an MRI. My foot was wrapped and I was put in a boot. If there isn't any improvement by Monday I will see what my orthopedist has to say.
I am hoping Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and anti inflammatory meds will do the trick! I'm thinking I should cancel my trip to NYC and go another time when I am more mobile? I want to be able to enjoy the city fully, but I also don't want to jeopardize recovery or have it interfere even more with my training.
As part of my Ironman training I am focusing on Nutrition and Hydration. I am meeting with a nutritionist at Memorial Hermann Sports Institute Clinic in the Woodlands. Today was my initial evaluation and consultation. It began with a BOD POD Body Composition Tracking System Analysis. You wear as little as possible (I wore my swimsuit.) and you sit for a total of about 5 minutes in this pod. There is no discomfort or loud noises. It's very comfortable. You just experience very small changes in pressure.
I was concerned going in that I would be a little disappointed with the results given the way I have been feeling. And boy was I surprised! And way more than a little disappointed! My body fat percentage is almost 35%!!! That's a pretty hard pill to swallow!
And this puts me in the Excess Fat category! An even harder pill to swallow! I work out 6 days a week between 1 and 2 1/2 hours and I eat pretty well. In fact I'm usually at a calorie deficit.
So we took this information, looked at my daily intake, and are making a few changes to enhance my training. And hopefully I will start burning some of this fat and start building some muscle! His goal is to get me down to 30%, but 20% is ideal. I am sure he is aiming for a practical and achievable goal. I am trying not to focus on the Red Line saying EXCESS FAT and just work on what I need to work on, but wow what an eye opener!
At first I was in shock, and then I laughed, and then there were some tears. Now I've got a plan and I am going to work hard!
You're never too old to try something new! I ran my first race at 37, ran my first marathon at 38, learned how to swim at 38, did my first triathlon at 39, completed a 70.3 at 40, and at 41 I'm training for my first Ironman 140.6! My mom, at 61 years old raced her first 5k - the Espirit de She! I was by her side the entire time!! This has been on both of our bucket lists!!
This is a finish neither of us will ever forget!!
Her smile says it all!!
This was the perfect race for her first 5k! We arrived early and we both got massages. And it was a bonus that it was along the Waterway in the Woodlands where in just a few months I will be racing Ironman Texas! So that made it all the more special! When I am pushing thru I will have this memory to help me get to the finish line!
SHE DID IT!!!
I'm so proud of my mom for not only hitting her goal time in her first 5k, but she also placed 5th in her age group!! At 61 and 41 years old we are making and crushing our goals. We are dreaming big dreams!! Crossing the finish line with my mom is an experience I will treasure forever!
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." C.S. Lewis
I wanted so badly to swim the 2.4 mile World Championship course! I knew my training wasn't there yet as I'm getting back to it and I ran right before. But I felt fantastic out there! I took it nice and easy and just enjoyed every second! I went out with Ashley (@ahappypace) and Ang (@angtris) and it was amazing! We stopped at the Kona Coffee Boat on our way out. And for the first mile it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! The water was absolutely incredible! It was completely clear to the bottom, an indescribable blue, sunbeams reaching the ocean floor, swimming with gorgeous fish! And I was feeling so strong! I could swim all day! As we got further out the swells were getting bigger and bigger, but I had no problem swimming, I still felt so strong. But nausea started creeping in. And it kept getting stronger and stronger. I was both nauseous and dizzy. And all I kept thinking was how I wanted to do this! I made it to the turn around point and I was feeling bad. We turned around and by the next buoy I was throwing up. I knew if I could get the vomiting and dizziness under control I would have no problem. But it wasn't stopping and I was only getting worse. I spotted a shore and told the girls I had to swim to shore. They didn't want me to go alone, but after the three of us had been alone out there forever, there was a lady who had swam out from her hotel to where we were. Obviously an angel in disguise! She talked me back to shore which was not an easy swim bc of the current and rocks at that point. She was an older lady who was an Ironman and had just done IM Australia and was here to watch her son. At one point she offered for me to grab onto her shoulders so she could bring me in. Bless her and her sweet heart! But I swam in. And after a brief rest, I did what felt like the walk of shame. It was a little over a mile I think, in my swimsuit, barefoot, and looking mighty green down Ali'i Drive among the crowd. I'll never forget that walk. I was so disappointed. I swam 1.9 of 2.4 miles! But I'll always remember how amazing and incredibly beautiful it was out there! And I have to say as awesome as it was out there, I'm super relieved IMTX is a lake swim! 😂 I WILL go back and do that swim!!!
