Its 10.00am on Sunday 20th March and I am sat on my bed writing my blog. Really I should be at the start line for Reading half marathon, which commences in 5 minutes but about 4 weeks ago I decided I would not be running. There are several reasons why I decided this, primarily that I have not had time to train. I have been on 6 trips for works so far this year and this has meant both my diet and my training have gone somewhat astray. I was also sick for a couple of weeks with an infection and a virus, which meant there was no exercise at all, and I practically lived off Maltesers and ice cream for 14 days (not great when the infection relates to your teeth…).
The truth is this decision, as I sit here today, hurts. Whilst I know that it would be highly unlikely I would make it round 13.1 miles in less than about 3 hours currently I do not like giving up. On anything. I hate the feeling of regret and so normally I will just do it anyway because you tend not to regret the things you do, only those that you don’t. This is a philosophy I do believe in. However where my health is concerned I know that I have to be a little more mindful that I am not the invincible 21 year old I once was.
Last year I developed a stress fracture, from over running (I was probably running 4 or 5 times a week). At the time I went to see a physio, my ankle had been sore and swelling for a few weeks and no amount of ice and nurofen would reduce it, although I was still running. The physio immediately told me I should see a Doctor, in case I had damaged my ligaments. I went to see my GP who referred me to an Orthopaedic Surgeon because she wanted to check it wasn’t bone damage. When I first heard the words orthopaedic, bones and Surgeon I was quite shocked, apart from the fact I was only 33 and that sounded old… was it really possible to damage your bones from keeping fit? I was also still running at that time. Believe it or not running can become addictive because you get this brilliant high at the end of it. As a result I was running through the pain, hence making the pain worse. Coupled with that I was parading around every day in 4-inch heels. Oh yes.
As it happens I went to the Surgeon who referred me for an MRI scan. For those of you who haven’t had this dubious pleasure this is process I would liken to being beamed into the loudest spaceship you have ever heard. It wasn’t like that in ET. Everyone talks about claustrophobia with MRI’s but actually it’s the noise which is the strangest part. Anyway the radiographers are awesome, so if you ever have one, don’t worry, just stay still and keep the bloody headphones on. The results on my MRI showed I had a stress fracture all the way though my left heel. Luckily for me the fracture was not displaced and so I did not have to have an operation. My prognosis was to have a bone density scan (and check my bones were healthy), to not wear heels or run for, wait for it 8-10 weeks and to see a podiatrist who would sort out my footwear etc.
My first action as a result of this advice was naturally to go out and buy some nice flat shoes. I mean seriously, for work, I had always always been a heels girl. This until the Surgeon told me I could displace the fracture in minutes if I decided to continue in that way. The funny thing is, I went for the MRI scan in knee high boots with 4-inch heels. The radiographer must have been chuckling away to herself. The second was to have my bone density scan. The Surgeon had been a little dismissive of this and said it’s just precautionary. You are young you will be fine, but take it from me, when someone looks inside your body, at something you cant see, you get a tad twitchy.
The actual scan here is far far quicker and easier than the MRI (and silent). They measure the width at the bottom of your spine and across your hips. For someone in their thirties the bones should be at their strongest and so your result should be well into the green. My results were yellow. This means I have a condition called osteopenia. It doesn’t mean I have osteoporosis but it does mean my bones are thinner than the average 33 year old. It also means I am more prone to breaks and I have to take on more calcium than the average healthy boned person. I also have to have my bones scanned again in 3 years time. The reason its not sooner is that this is how long it takes to build or lose bone density.
If I am honest I was very shocked by this. In fact even now when I read it back I find it a bit shocking. I was the healthy, fit 33 year old who was training for a half marathon. And right at that moment, I was honestly a bit scared. What if I was getting osteoporosis? The surgeon was great and suggested I didn’t need medication yet and I should wait until the next scan, I should gain some weight though (not over weight but not be skinny), take up weight bearing exercise in addition to running (and cut this down a bit) and I should eat 3 portions of calcium a day and consider a supplement. The podiatrist I was referred to was also brilliant and she told me about a nutritionist who used herbal and natural supplements to aid recovery. She said she was very very good.
At this point I was willing to try anything to avoid having brittle bones and so I went to see the nutrionist. I take several supplements she gives me on a daily basis. I don’t know if they are working on improving the bones but she has sorted some other things out for me which even my GP couldn’t fix, so I am hopeful that in 2 years time the result will be better, or at least no worse.
So that is why I have to be a bit careful and not think I can run 13.1 miles without training properly, as much as I was tempted last night. I did run a half marathon, though, 6 months later. In September 2010 I ran Windsor half marathon. I just did it for me to prove I could. It’s a great feeling when you do something like that, but it did take my joints a while to recover from and I did listen, pulling out of the great south run as a result.
So this is why I shall be good, train properly and try and look after myself a little better. I shall now go for a run, but just a little one, maybe 5 miles rather than 13. But for all of you at Reading half today, good luck and I wish I was there with you. Especially good luck to my brother who is running today for a cause very close to our family, and one that makes me think of all of my nephews today. Si – we are very proud of you xx
And now I shall go and get my trainers on and get my aching limbs outside (I’ve started PT, but I will tell you ALL about that another time).
Sometimes in life we are all our toughest critics when actually perhaps we should just give ourselves a bit of break from time to time…
Adios for now…
China Bones x x
Nickname courtesy of Neal Granville who IS running the Reading half marathon today. Thinking of you all xx
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