That’s the new title of my blog.  For the next 6-8 weeks or so, at least.

But let me backtrack to the weekend…

Sunday: I decided it was a grand day to get back into exercise mode, bad leg or not.  I went to the gym and did the recumbent bike for an hour, followed by some abs and 15 minutes or so of upper body lifting.  Simple, yet satisfying.

I spent Sunday afternoon at the dog park with my two favorite guys…

Yes, my dog is very fast and very smart.  No, I’m not biased at all. ;)

Monday: Boston Marathon day, yet I was not in Boston and not able to run.  I did my best to suck up my disappointment all day at work and afterwards, I pedaled my heart out on a stationary bike at the gym for 45 minutes.  I did 1-3 minute intervals of trying to keep my RPMs above 110 and got my heart rate up pretty well.  I did some light stretching afterwards and left the gym feeling good about biking as a substitute for running during my recovery. 

Tuesday: I got a phone call from the bike shop saying that my bike was finally fixed.  Hooray!  I picked it up after work and immediately took it out for a spin.  I forgot my Garmin, so I have no idea how far or how long I biked (I’m guessing around 8 miles based on my knowledge of the route).  It was fantastic, I felt like a little kid again.

Wednesday: My leg was a little sore, so I took the day off.

Thursday: Doctor day again.  When the doctor walked into the examination room, he said “So, I checked the Boston results but I didn’t see your name!”  Funny guy.  He then asked me when my next race was, and I replied that I was signed up for one on May 3 (the Mountain Goat, which I had signed up for back in February).  He replied, “How about the fall?”  My heart sank. 

The doctor confirmed what we had both suspected–the MRI showed a stress fracture in my fibula.  The good news is that the bone is still properly aligned, so I won’t need surgery or a cast.  He didn’t want to put me in a walking boot because the boot would come up short of where the fracture was.  He then told me that he wants me to use the crutches for three more weeks (“ARE YOU NUTS!!?!?”, screamed my sore arms and shoulders) and no physical activity.  “What about biking, or swimming?”, I asked.  He said that swimming was okay, but not biking.  There goes that plan.

After the three weeks are up, I’ll have another X-ray to confirm that the bone is healing properly, then we can talk about a gradual reintroduction to exercise.  Honestly, as much as I miss running, I’d be happy to even just be able to take Ike for a walk at this point.  Oh yeah, and to not have chafed armpits, sore shoulders and swollen palms from using crutches all the time would be a bonus.

So, next steps:

  • Research indoor swimming pools in the area (it’s not warm enough for the outdoor pools to be open).
  • Stockpile the Aleve for my sore arms and shoulders.
  • Find a hobby that doesn’t involve being on my feet.  Any suggestions?

My little piece of sanity and comfort for today:

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12