Number 3 – Rock n Roll Half Marathon – Been Sidelined

As the Rock n Roll Half Marathon got closer, I began experiencing more problems with my orthotics or so, I thought…

Our training started to include running more hills and sometimes, steeper ones. Some days, the runs were easy. Others, it was impossible to go more than a mile even when the routes were flatter.

With this up and down of being able to run then not, I made numerous visits to the foot doctor to have my orthotics re-adjusted. Some of the adjustments were minor such as the split padding to protect my sesomoid bone irritated the bottom of my toe box after I had done 8+ miles. While others have been, this isn’t working at all and my whole right shin and muscles ached after a mile or two.

After several of these visits and as my mileage plummeted from 8+ miles to around 1 mile with my leg muscles being sorer than they should be, my doctor ordered me to get a bone scan this past week to rule out a stress fracture.

Thankfully, no stress fracture but the picture wasn’t pretty. My femurs (thigh bones) and my left tibia (shin bone) showed the beginning signs of stress to those bones. And my right tibia showed serious signs of stress.

My doctor highly recommended that I bow out of doing this half marathon as I could risk having a major stress fracture or a break in my right tibia by running these 13.1 miles.

In fact, he recommended taking 8 to 12 weeks off from any high impact exercise to allow my bones to heal. The doctor also ordered a bone density test since I have never had one.

This test revealed that I had the beginnings of osteoporosis in my right femur. Since they only do the test from the spine down to the femurs, they can only surmise that I also have it in my right tibia. I also have osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis) in my left femur.

I am hoping that this doesn’t permanently sideline me from running but only time will tell. I do know that if and when I can re-start training, I will have to change the way I train. I will have to include more strength training and be much more in tuned with my own body.

In the meantime, I will be walking, swimming, riding my bike, and upping my strength training during the next 8 to 12 weeks.

And to everyone who has supported me as I trained for this Rock n Roll Half Marathon, thank you.