Yay! PT

Ankle injury update:  

Better than the boot or aircast!

• Dr. said I could start PT, ditch the boot and upgrade to a smaller sleeker ankle brace for 6 weeks.  Yay! 

Can you see that lump in front? 

•  I have swelling still in the front of my ankle which makes my ROM (range of motion) pretty limited but it's way better that it was 5 weeks ago.  I have a nodule in the front that the Dr. spent more time poking at then anywhere else.  He says he sees this on occasion and that it's fluid trapped under something or another.  So technical I know, but it was a week ago. 

• I went back to my PT who helped me with my planter fasciitis.  
•  I get to start with fun things like:
• stretching my calf (BTW- impossible with swelling!), As I sat there, with my toes half way up on of those boards for stretching your calf and trying to hold it for 30 secs. was so hard.  It hurt (was it more than 4 on the pain scale, yes, so technically I shouldn't do it, but I didn't say anything, since that seems to be key for ROM). 
• lovely ROM stuff with the BAPS board (sitting down), 
• scooting around the office backwards on the rolly chair (best part!), 
• marching on a cushy pad 
• stepping up and over a 4" board (and it was tough).  
•  I get to have ultrasound to work on the swelling, manual manipulation of my ankle (trying to get it to move in the right ways) and a nice massage to work the swelling down.
• Then ice for 10 minutes. Fun times! x 3 week, but progress is progress...next time Therabands!  woot! woot!

Only 76 days til the Flying Pig Half.  I'll be ready, right?  Trying to be optimistic, I hoping if I keep up my cardio, then the running won't be too bad to get back, right?  I can dream.  

Cardio of the week:  Spinning 3 days this week, kept resistance down- no pain! 

A few of my favorite Pins of the week:

13 13.1 challengers

Thank you everyone for signing up for the challenge.  I have to say I'm so sorry that it has taken me this long to post.  I've been down and out dealing with this whole broken ankle thing.  I'm feeling better now that I'm out of the boot and I can start PT.  Trying to stay optimistic that I'll be able to do participate in my own challenge.   Although, I think most of my races will be near the end of the year. :-) 

So as of now here are my challengers:  

Jennifer F
Shona W  @  http://shushkat.blogspot.co.uk/
Renee C  http://www.dailymile.com/people/Goldie
Carrie R  @runzlikeagirl
Bill D @ http://dontslowdownyet.blogspot.com/
Mitzi  http://www.facebook.com/Challenge13in2013
Aneta Z http://www.dailymile.com/people/AnetaZ
Yolanda

Total so far:
Renee- 2
Bill-1
Shona-2  http://shushkat.blogspot.com
Mitzi-3
Aneta Z-2
Yolanda- 3


Still want to do it?  Here's the info:  13 13.1s in 2013 challenge

Find me on dailymile.com   http://www.dailymile.com/people/heathermc75#ref=tophd

Yes, I'm alive and well

I haven't been in the mood to blog lately.  I haven't been doing much with my bum ankle and I've been feeling sorry for myself.

Ankle Update:  It's been 3.5 weeks since I injured it and I've got 2.5 weeks left (until it's healed?).  I keep going between: optimism- this will heal quickly and I might still be able to eek in some training before the Flying Pig (13.1, 10k 5k) and pessimism-I can't workout, I'm stressed, everyone and their mother is telling me it's going to be a long recovery and I shouldn't push it.

It's still swollen but compared to my last post- down a ton.  I'm still pretty swollen along the joint line, and behind the (c)ankle. I still have a weird pain on the medial side of my ankle (opposite to my injury) although it's not as bad as it was.   I'm wearing the boot still at work- since I'm on my feet most of the day.  At home, I'm using an elastic brace that gives me mild support.  My ankle is feeling not as weak as it did last week.  I'm doing my ROM exercises that I prescribed myself along with Dr. Google.  Don't worry- nothing that causes pain.  I've tried last weekend to go boot free to go grocery shopping.  It hurt- but I think it might have been more my cheap ankle brace (ditched that one- it rubbed against my ankle bone- not good)  Anyways- moved my Dr appt up to Monday so I can at least start PT soon.

Yesterday, I went for a massage.  Wow.  I figured she'd not touch my ankle, but no, she worked on it very gently and reduced the swelling in the front joint line and along the ankle bone.  She thought it was weird that I was swollen on the joint line too. 

Anyways, she told me that a great homeopathic anti-inflammatory was castor oil.  I guess you wrap your ankle in strips of cotton soaked in castor oil, wrap that with Saran Wrap, and a sock and leave it overnight or use it with a heating pad.  She swore by it.  Needless to say, I'm trying it.  It can't hurt, can it? We'll see how it goes, since I'm doing it right now.  I'll let you know if works.


Then, I WORKED OUT!  My god, I've never been so happy to workout!  Not only did I spin, but my fav instructor happen to be subbing!  Double yay!  I used my soft ankle wrap, clipped in my shoes before hoping on the bike.  The first few minutes were a little rough- my ankle was stiff- but it worked out.  I kept resistance down.  I even stood- i know, but I can't sit in a bike saddle for 50 minutes straight!
 Today, I felt fine, no damage from last night, so I'm going to get back to spinning. Yes, I'll take it easy.   My mood has been so much better today as well.

A few quotes to inspire or make you laugh.

latest and greatest ankle injury pictures

Day 3 Dr. office

bottom of my foot is totally bruised just by sitting down waiting.

Ahhh, comfort! Now I can put some weight on my ankle.

day 4 AM bruising setting in

bruising on the inside too

Day 4 PM,  more colors

day 4 pm

Day 5 more bruising- back to work

bruising more in the medial side

Day 7 AM one week after

day 7AM

Day 8, more swollen today- tried to walk around too much yesterday

Right ankle normal, left ankle still swollen (just after I took off the ace bandage)

What my ankle normally looks like

What my left one looks like on day 8

Day 9 am

day 9 am

Yay! You made it through all my lovely pictures.  I'm grossed out by them but at the same time it's interesting to see how your body reacts to trauma.  I never thought my toes would be bruised by an ankle fracture for example.

Recovery wise- I last blogged on Monday- 2 days after my accident.

Tuesday (day 3)- RICE and Dr. Appt where I got a boot.  I have to say, I love the boot.  I couldn't but any weight on my ankle/foot before and now I can so it's helping with walking with crutches.  The official diagnosis:  Avulsion fracture of my fibula. Basically, my calcaneofibular ligament ripped off my fibula and took a chunk of bone with it. It was really tiny in the xray. So this is usually treated like a sprain.  6 weeks and I should be good.

Wednesday (day 4)- RICE and got up more and got used to the boot and crutches.

Thursday (day 5) back to work- kept off my feet as much as possible, iced 2x during the day.

Friday (day 6) work- walked around for about 1hr without crutches- small victory.  Later that night, same thing.

Saturday (day 7- 1 week)  Rested, but feeling frustrated of not being able to work out and irritable cleaned the house with headphones on.  I did some ROM exercises, abcs and flexing it. Over did it, and hurt later that night.  grrr.

Sunday (day 8) RICED, babied it, crutches, etc.  I was able to bear weight on it and actually took a few steps before going to bed to try it out.  The only place it hurt was the medial side...strange- the opposite side from the injury. Hoping it's just stiff.

Monday (day 9- today)- I'm going to try just wearing the boot today and skip crutches.  Wondering if the pain I get in the boot is from just being stiff.  Although as I type it hurts and I haven't even been up in 30 minutes.  Probably need to elevate it!

So my goal this week:  to try to wean from the crutches and to increase ROM.

One week down, 5 to go (hopefully!)

That's not what supposed to happen!

my "before" shot- was planning a muddy "after"  shot

. Note my cute little left ankle

So I had a fabulous week last week with running.  My IT band has decided to cooperate and I ran 13 miles with in the week  2 five milers and a quick 3.1 on the treadmill.  I was feeling great, so on Saturday the local running club (which I just joined finally) was having an 8 mile trail run- the weather was going to be in the 60s in January in OHIO.  It was going to be muddy and fun.  My running partner couldn't make it, and it was going to be in the woods so I didn't ask my dh if he wanted to go- since the boys wouldn't be able to see anything.  I figured I was just going to run this for fun, I  haven't run 8 since Indianapolis so it was just going to be a workout.

OF COURSE, that didn't happen.  The first part was going well, muddy, puddles, narrow trails exactly what I wanted.  Then it all fell apart.

I was heading down a narrow path on a hill, it was really muddy so there were roots that were kind of packed down and made for good steps down.  At the bottom of the hill was a small ravine with a bridge over it.  On the last "root step" I stepped, slid, rolled my ankle, heard a pop/crack and wiped out.  I landed on my hands and saved my face, but I didn't care about that at all, since my ANKLE was in so much pain, immediately it was swelling (crazily fast). I said every swear word in the book. I knew it was bad.  I'd take natural child birth again to that pain. 

  Everyone behind me stopped since I was blocking the bridge, but 2 guys helped me up and got me over to the side- other runners ran ahead to get help.    After the initial pain, it stopped hurting too much and just kept swelling.  One of the guys that was with me found a y shaped stick that I used to prop my foot up while we waited for help.  We talked about the Air Force marathon and various races and running groups in the area, anything, to help me take my mind of my now grapefruit sized ankle.  Runners kept coming by and asking if I needed any help, then commented on how it was swollen and bruising. I texted dh to come to the race to pick me up.

 The race director showed up pretty quickly and told us where they could carry me to get me to a car.  So Randy and Steve (my heroes) carried me up a muddy hill and across a huge field to a back parking lot of a nursing home and the race director picked me up in his car.  By then, the pain had returned, since it wasn't elevated.  The race director had the paramedics check me out at the elementary school to make sure I was ok.  They wrapped up an ice pack on my ankle and cleaned out my skinned knee (hadn't realized that until then).

My dh showed up and we headed to the emergency room.  I just got my flu shot last week, so when we showed up and a about 3 people have face masks on- i got super paranoid.  Yuck- I don't need the flu on top of this.

 Hours later...  I got my diagnosis.  FRACTURED FIBULA- but what it really was, as the ER Dr. explained, "Your ligament ripped off the bone and took a bit of the bone with it". Gross.  Really gross.  She explained that it would be treated like a severe sprain.  6 weeks before I'd be able to run again.  So I was given a lovely Air Cast and crutches and instructions on calling an orthopedist on Monday. 

Getting ready to leave ER. Love the sock- traction on both sides, but it keeps the toes warm so I'm still sporting it.

Nurse Chester

Since then, I've been on the couch with my foot up and taking various lovely pictures of my ankle as it grows and gets more colorful.  My cat, Chester, has been watching over me.  Sleeping next to me, yet not on my lap like normal.    I have found that my foot doesn't hurt, but my chest and arms are so sore.  I think it was the combination of falling and catching myself and holding/supporting myself on the hike out of the woods.  Plus, to insult to injury- since I skinned my knee I had to get a tetanus shot.  So 2 days after, I can hardly lift my body off the crutches to move.  So tomorrow is my Dr appt. to see what the real damage is. 

Anyone, dealt with a severe sprain?  I've been googling it like crazy.  I'm going to have to just wait to see what ligament isn't attached and if I messed up the others.   I'm also going to have to figure out what I can do to stay in shape.  Hmmm, core, arms, swimming? I guess more Qs for the Dr. 

So, my goal of running 13 13.1s in 2013 has been delayed- but the contest is still on! 

Ready for some yucky pictures?   Don't scroll down if you don't. Lucky for you, I had ice on my ankle at the hospital otherwise you'd see a grapefruit under someone's skin. 

18 hrs after

about 1.5 days after- can you tell where the brace was

AM of day 2 (I couldn't sleep with it elevated)

starting to bruise on the opposite side from injury  2nd day am

2nd day about 48 hrs since I did it.  (after icing) Getting colorful!

13 13.1s in 2013 Challenge

Welcome to the 13 13.1s in 2013 Challenge 

for those of you who are 

"half" crazy!

Here are the rules:

1.  You must run 13 half marathons in the year 2013. These don't all have to be official races.  These could be training runs, too. (That can be any run 13.1 or over)  We all know that races get expensive.

2.  Keep track of your races/runs and times.  Email me them at the 1st of each month.  heather.m.winkler@gmail.com  I'll post them along and a link to your blog/race recap.  If you don't have a blog that's fine too!

3.  Post a link to my blog/this page on your blog (if you have one!) I'll post links to bloggers who are participating!

4. Have fun and at the end of the year you'll get some type of award- or at least bragging rights!


How do you enter?

Leave a comment with a link to your blog.  That's it.  This will be fun! 


Don't think you can do it? 

• you don't have to do a race every month, you can bunch them up.
• they don't have to be official races- training runs are good too!

 Here's some motivation for you:

Looking back, planning forward

Last year around this time I was setting some goals for myself.  Here they are:  Goals for 2012

This is what I was able to do:

My original running goals for the coming year were:

• √Run 5k under 21:40 Ran 21:13 in March 5k
• Run the Flying Pig Half Marathon or the Cap City Half  in under 1:45 managed 1:51 (holy hills!)
• Run the Air Force 10k or Half in under 46:00/ under 1:45Ran Full marathon instead!
• Run the Columbus Half Marathon in under 1:45  wanted to run this...next year...

My realistic goals for 2012:

• √Run/Finish a 5k by March
• Run/Finish the Flying Pig 10k in May
• Run/Finish the AF 10k in a "decent" time 
• Finish Columbus Half

My more realistic goals for 2012:

• Increase flexibility in calves so they are at least 10 degrees
• √Walk a full day without any heel pain
• √Start running again
• Strength training and core
• √Spinning- don't go under 11 for resistance- bike at least 20 miles per class 

So what are my plans for 2013?

• Run 13 13.1s in 2013 
• I haven't fully committed to this since as of today, I still am working on my IT band issues.  But the year is long, and who knows? Last year I never would have imagined I would run 2 full marathons in 2012. 

• Run Cincinnati's Flying Pig 3 way- I've already signed up and this will be my "A" race for the spring.  5k and 10k on Saturday, 1/2 marathon on Sunday.  This is more of a challenge in training.  I'm looking forward to track workouts and speed training.
• Run Air Force 1/2 marathon in 1:45
• Run Columbus Full or Half in under 4:16/1:42 We'll see about the full...
• Run at least 5 ORRRC races and at least 2 with the boys.
• Try to run with Up and Running at least 2 times a month

I'm in a funk

I'm not motivated at all right now.  I haven't run more than once a week in ummm, I can't even tell you it's been so long.

 I blame my damn IT band. 

I went for a run after my last marathon and it seized up and it has been annoying as get out.  I've been following the typical remedies of rest, ice (well, a few times), foam rolling (not daily but more than before) and I had a massage as well. 

When I go for a run it feels fine for the first 2.5 miles then it starts to hurt.  If it doesn't, I get excited, then the next time I go for a run, it hurts again.  So frustrating!  It doesn't hurt unless I run.

 On top of the IT band, we had a crazy family schedule in Nov/Dec trying to squeeze in swim lessons for the boys (on different nights so we were at the rec 4 nights a week!).

Meanwhile, my running partner has been doing fine and got a treadmill, so I get daily reminders that I'm not running and she is.  She's going to be kicking my @ss this spring.  Grrr.. Not that I'm competitive or anything.

So my plan of 13 13.1s in 2013...might not happen.  :-( 

BUT- I decided on this Saturday night (yah, I know, I'm lame), to write up my training plan for the Flying Pig 3 way this spring.  I have 17 weeks before the race.  I have to get back in to shape before actually training!  

And how do you train for a 5k, 10k and a 1/2 all on the same weekend?

I decided to place my faith in good old Hal Higdon again.  I followed the intermediate 1/2 training plan before and he did a great job combining distance and speed, so I thought that would be the best plan.  Here it is:  Hal Higdon's Intermediate Half training plan.  I need to start training on Feb 10th, so I added a build up for the next few weeks.  That requires me to start running at least 3 times a week for 3 miles.  (Ugh, I hope I can!)  I'm also starting to lift now, so once the program starts I can go up to 3 sets.  Also, I want this to be my "A" race so I'm adding in the McMillan training paces to make sure I'm running my Tempos at the right speed.  Then again, maybe I'll still have IT band issues.  Grrrr. 

On top of that, my favorite spinning instructor has left, and a few others who are good are leaving for various reasons, so my go to workout is iffy.  I asked about getting certified to instruct but I'm not sure if that's a good way to go.  I don't think I'd get  a good workout and it's $295 to get certified and no guarantee I'd get the job. (although, the person in charge seemed to be enthusiastic that I wanted to do it.).  Hmm. 

What would you do?

What can I say?

My heart goes out to all the families who have lost someone precious in their lives this past Friday in Newtown, CT.  I can not imagine the pain.   RIP you sweet babies.

I did tell my boys, ages 6 and 8, since they caught me in a weak moment.  Cub was playing with his Nerf gun and I broke down and told him I didn't want to see any guns this weekend.  I'd pulled him back to his room and explained in basic terms what had happened.  I broke down and started really crying.  Then Buster popped in to the room so I had to explain to him too.  We kept the news off, and my nephew was visiting the rest of the weekend and he didn't know. I don't usually tell my kids to keep secrets, but I explained that some parents might not share the news with their children, so my boys should not bring it up. They haven't asked me any more about it and I'll address questions when/if they pop up.

Here's some information I found that might be useful to any parents out there. 

Children and Grief
Talking to children after disaster
Talking to children about death
How_to_Help_Children_Cope_with_a_Crisis


Also, Here are some places you can donate to help out the Sandy Hook community:


https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/
http://www.newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org/index.php
http://www.newtownparentconnection.org/
http://newtownmemorialfund.org/
http://www.indiegogo.com/onerepublicforsandyhook

Giving Thanks

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving.  Here at our home, we had a pretty quiet day.  We ran the local  Turkey Trot and then had my in-laws come over for Thanksgiving dinner. 

What am I thankful for:

• My amazing dear husband (dh), who is my best friend, biggest cheerleader, chief planner, laundry expert, race-watcher logistic expert, and an amazing father to our sons.
• My boys (Cub and Buster) who are sweet, caring, energetic.  They are my everything.
• Health- I'm so thankful that I can do the things I love to do and my body is not my enemy.
• My Thanksgiving dinner turned out (Vain- I know, but I'm not a cook!)
• Pinterest (found the best recipe for Cider-champagne sangria)Sangria recipe  

DH and Buster

Cub and me

Tried to get a good family pic before, Buster wasn't cooperating- find out he was sad he wasn't running the 5 mile race like his friend.

All finished!  Happy family!