I learned so much from this injured period. I had to be a “good patient” and learn to listen to my body on a whole new level. Walking with crutches and in a CAM boot forces your body to make all sorts of adjustments that you truly don’t understand until you LIVE it.  This time completely changed how I manage patients recovering from stress fractures AND how I guide all my patients back to running from injury. During my recovery, I got creative with my training and it was during this time, I was introduced to my rockstar mentor, the Major.

I remember this run like it was yesterday. It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and my husband & I were on mile 5 of a 10 mile run, our LAST run before the big race and I suddenly felt a pain in my left foot.

Not just an ache or catch I could jog off but a sharp pain that stopped me in my tracks. When I realized I couldn’t shake it off, I made the 2 mile hobble home.

That evening, I had convinced myself it was a sprain or a fluke pain and that I’d plant my feet the next morning and feel as though nothing had happened. (This is what I call: Post-Injury Denial Syndrome. Don’t judge, you know you’ve been there too!)