4410 Steps to a 5k...Just 1 to an injury

Went out for a Saturday afternoon run. Nothing special, wasn't feeling great. Had a World Series game 7 kinda hangover (the one where your team lost) that was kinda just "sticking" around. Low grade, down mood, and I knew a quick sweat and run would pull me right out. So I set out the front door in my VFF's (you know those toe glove looking monkey shoes) for a 5k route from my driveway and back loop.  Kept it slow and chill, but quickly realized how dehydrated I was. The blustery day was really drying my mouth out, bad. Ten minutes into the run I was ready for a serious tall boy of ice water. Oh well, it's a short run I told myself. I was keeping a nice 180 cadence, short strides, and just dialed it in for the run. About 18 minutes in I could feel slight pain in my right forefoot. Nothing sharp, very dull, just enough to know to keep it easy, focus on form and quick light foot strike.  No sprint to the finish like usual, no PR attempting. So I sailed through the rest of the run at the same pace and still set a 5K pr by a few seconds. Nothing to brag about, but it gives me a lot of satisfaction that I can simply go out for a run and set a PR without trying. Once I actually run a race again, it won't be setting PR's on an casual run. Can't wait to see what I can do when I go all out! Anyway 24:30 for 3.2 miles at a 180 cadence I have figured to be 4410 strides, or 2205 per foot.

After my run and cool down walk I approached my front door and up two brick steps, only to remember I exited the house through the the garage door and the front door was locked. I needed to head back to the driveway and to my Jeep so I could open up the garage.  Loose brick on the top step! I stumbled down the two steps, managed to keep my balance, but then with the last little step to keep from faceplanting, my right foot went off the brick walkway, down into the yard. I landed on the outside edge of my right foot and yowza, SHOOTING PAINS! Shit, shit, shit...I'm ok, I'm ok, I'm ok. Walk it off Josh. Ok walking is getting hard. Open the garage door. Limp inside, grab alcohol ice pack from freezer, apply to foot. 15 minutes later stand up. Oh shit this hurts, fall to knees.

Next day, still coudln't bear any weight on my right forefoot. Did some Googeling and paid a visit to WebMD. Hmmm, I must have a stress fracture to a metatarsal. Slight swelling, but no bruising yet. Ok, maybe it's very minor. Found a cool youtube video on how to self diagnose a stress fractured metatarsal bone.  It was posted by an Orthopedic sports doc so it must be legit, right?. Ok, it's the third one that hurts. Hmmm, he said the pain should be debilitating. It's tender, but doesn't knock me to my knees. Well at least not when I press on it, putting my body weight on it, totally different story.

This happened on Saturday, now it's Monday afternoon. Have been hobbling around on crutches to keep as much weight off it as possible. Have also realized there is some serious pain in the 5th metatarsal, but not as centralized. Just a general surrounding pain near the joint. Using the RICE method. Lots of Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. It's a good excuse to not wear shoes at work, but have you ever tried to walk on crutches, carry your thermos of coffee, your lunch box and make it up 6 steps to the office front door? Yeah, this place is not ADA friendly. Still not bruising, so not a total break, maybe not even a stress fracture.

Only three weeks to the event I have been training for, Toughmudder Indiana. This afternoon my foot is actually feeling stronger and for the first time I'm optimistic it might be a sprain and not a stress fracture. We shall see. I am also worried that I might recover, only to hurt myself even worse covering 12 muddy off-road miles and 20+ obstacles. Had a I been wearing traditional running shoes, my foot wouldn't have gotten hurt from the fall. The shoe would have protected my forefoot without a doubt.  But I bet the shoe would have caught and made my ankle roll instead, and somehow that seems much much much worse. So in a far out way, I'm thankful to have had on my monkey shoes.

Even when you stumble, you're still moving forward.