It's All Over...No Marathon For Me.
I never thought it would turn out like this. All along, I was waiting for the turning point, and knowing that it would be when my hip started to heal and I could run again. At no point did I think that it was all going to turn to shit. And yet somehow, it has.
Last Friday I wanted to write a post, because I was still radioactive from having my bone scan done on my hip. And although the process was mostly boring, it's still not an everyday thing to be able to say you're radioactive. The fun wore off yesterday, however, when I got home from a roadtrip to my grandpa's funeral and got the results back. Turns out I do have a stress fracture for real and my doctor wants me off of that leg STAT. She made me get crutches to keep my weight off of it, and has ordered a CT scan for me next week. Depending on how far into the bone it's fractured, it means that I will either get to sit on the couch for the next 2 months, or I may have to have some pins put in it.
It also means that I can't go in the marathon, not even to walk it. When my doctor told me that - that there was no way it would heal enough in 6 weeks - the tears were instinctual, but over the last 24 hours it has been slowly sinking in what this exactly means. I'm not sure when the last time was that I worked on something for a year as hard as I did for this, and now it's all for nothing. All that running and cross-training and fundraising and energies spent on running that marathon in Athens are all over and there's nothing I can do about it. I will not be crossing that finish line in the greek stadium, and I'm just devastated by that thought.
At least I will still be going to Greece, and at least the Arthritis Society will still appreciate all the money I raised for them. I'm sure there are some other points that will shine through, but it's going to take me a while to see them. The worst of it now is the waiting. I was throwing everything I had at this, going to physio and accupuncture and the chiropractor and swimming and working out and meditating, and now I have to just sit on the couch. That's something I'm not very good at, I'm afraid. And the knowledge that this will only get better after I am in a really bad mood for a couple of weeks isn't really helping either.
On the fundraising front, I raised $5171 dollars for Arthritis Research, which is 91% of what I needed. The amount I was required to raise was $5700 but I can't imagine that I will feel like asking people to sponsor me now, so I paid the rest of it myself today. If anyone would like to donate, it is still possible (just click the link above), or you can donate to my sister. I'm not shutting down the blog just yet, but I'm not sure how much more I'm going to have to say on here, so if you want to get a hold of me, you can do that at deganb AT gmail DOT com.
Cheers,
~Degan.
Comments
Degan, that's just the most
Degan, that's just the most rotten news. I don't know if it's any comfort, but your training efforts - and your reporting on them - haven't actually been for nothing. They've been a pretty important inspiration in getting me to be more active again, and to remember how much better I'm feeling when I'm exercising.
Very best of luck with your recovery... and thank you for everything you've done. I hope someday I can take on the level of challenge you adopted so readily, and if I do, your stories here will have helped me immensely.
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For what it's worth, I've
For what it's worth, I've been there. Four weeks into training for my first half marathon, I got tendonitis in my left ankle. Not only was my training over, but I hobbled around for six weeks, had major physio and had to wear an ankle brace for months afterward to prevent injury.
I've also had a sore hip that has cramped (literally and figuratively) my running style over the past year and a bit. Triggered by stress and aggravated by running, I had t stop running for two months straight. This was a hugely difficult decision, as running had become not only a part of my fitness lifestyle, but also my social lifestyle - it's how I hung out with my friends.
The good news is, if you commit to your recovery and don't do anything to undermine it, you will get better. Between stretches given to me by my physiotherapist, regular visits to the chiropractor or massage therapist, cross-training (I've been working out and swimming at the Y during the strike), lots of walking, and most importantly, taking major action to reduce my stress, I'm able to run a maximum of twice a week and it's OK. Not like before...but OK. It'll get better, just take good care of yourself and don't do anything that's going to set you back....