Failure is NOT an option

It really hit me earlier this week that failure is just NOT an option in my book. It just isn't. Period.

About 3 - 4 weeks ago, my hip finally healed and I was able to start running again. Last week, I got done running 4 miles on the treadmill and as soon as I stepped off the treadmill I could feel shin splints coming on. I couldn't believe it! Seriously? That's the last thing I need right now.

It just seems like if it's not one thing, it's another. I record on Daily Mile all of my workouts & I've got friends on Daily Mile. I see people running at a pace of 8:30, 8:15, etc. Man am I jealous.

I found myself saying last week when I got my shin splints, if I didn't want to hear "Ara...YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!" SO bad, I would totally give up on this running, etc. It seems like if it's not one injury, it's another. But, you know what? You will NEVER see me give up. NEVER.

I Could Cry

I never thought I'd say this, but I miss running. I honestly miss it so much I could cry.



Running is something I now have a passion for, along with swimming and biking. When I have a bad day at work, the first thing I want to do is come home and head up to the gym and just run on the treadmill and sweat my guts out.

So I'm sure you're thinking, well then, get your butt out there and go running, what is stopping you?!?!

You know what's stopping me? Stupid shin splints are stopping me!!!



This is the second time I've had shin splints. The first time they got SO bad I could barely walk. This time, they're not too bad.

I haven't gone running since Wednesday and I was hoping to go running tonight, but I couldn't. While I was swimming I could tell my shins weren't ready for it yet.

So, I will continue to wear my compression socks & use KT Tape and ice down my shins after every workout and hopefully I'll be able to run again soon.

Good News/Bad News

I have good news and bad news for this post...hence the name of the post. Lol.

Bad news first I guess. My shin splints are back. :( Granted, they aren't as bad as they were earlier this year, but they're back. I really hope that if I use my handy dandy KT Tape and my compression socks this week my shin splints will heal quick. I'm not going to do the treadmill this week either. To keep up with my running though, I will do the eliptical trainer, I just won't put any resistance on it. Or, if I do put resistance on it, I won't do anything more than a 5 (normally the resistance is anywhere from a 10-13).

I haven't been pushing myself hard with my running, so I'm frustrated that my shin splints have come back. When I got shin splints earlier this year, I was running 6+ miles a day. I would run more if I had a bad day emotionally, etc. Plus, I wasn't stretching before running either.

I now make sure I stretch really well before I run or use the eliptical trainer, plus I've only been running 4.0 miles a day except on Saturday and then I have a long run on Saturday.

I think the reason I'm still getting shin splints is for a couple of reasons. I'm still only running on the treadmill and I'm not running outside. I do the treadmill instead of running outside for a couple of reasons. Usually when I need to run, that's not the only thing I need to do. I also need to either bike or do weights, so I just go up to the gym and do everything there instead of going running for 4 miles outside and then going up to the gym when I get done. I think another reason I'm getting shin splints is because when I run, when my foot meets the ground or the treadmill, it meets it too hard and the torque is too much (does that make sense?). But, that's the only way I know how to run. Soon I will be meeting with my personal trainer again and hopefully he'll be able to help me.

Time for some good news! I lost 1.4 pounds this week! Granted, 1.4 lbs isn't alot, but I didn't think I'd lose ANY weight this week. I just didn't feel like I worked out alot. I didn't workout at all on Friday and I didn't swim every day this week. So, needless to say, I was shocked when I stepped on the scale and it said I'd lost 1.4 lbs.

I ran 6 miles!

Before I had shin splints, I ran 6-10 miles almost every day and then on Saturday or Sunday, I would do a long run (10+ miles). I wasn't very good at stretching before I ran either. Hence why I ended up getting shin splints.

Well, ever since I had shin splints, it took everything to run between 3-4 miles and I would still be in a little bit of pain.

Well, I now have a 1/2 marathon coming up in about 10 weeks, so yesterday I was determined to run 6 miles. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to do it, but I went up to the gym and guess what? I ran 6 miles!!! Yay!!! I ran it on a treadmill and I ran it at 6.2/mph! Guess what? It didn't hurt either!

I feel like I'm finally making progress from having shin splints, thank God! I just need to remember to stretch before and stretch after and ice down after and I'll be good.

I can't wait to run my 1/2 marathon in July!

6.2 miles Tomorrow

I'm nervous. Tomorrow I need to run 6.2 miles. I haven't run that far in a LONG time. I used to pound out 6.2 miles on a treadmill almost every day until I got shin splints. Shin splints really put a stop to that.

I just signed up for another 1/2 marathon in July. So, I really need to start getting my distance in.

I know I can run 4 miles. I can do that easily. I'm just nervous about running 6 miles. I guess I'll see tomorrow morning how it goes.

Shin Splint Update

I thought I'd give you a quick update on my shin splints. They are doing REALLY well. I'm so happy.

There are times where my shin splints ache, but as long as I keep them taped up, I'm doing really well.

I'm glad I took the 2 weeks off of completely exercising. I think that's helping them to heal a little faster.

I spent this last weekend down in Moab (another blog post to come regarding Moab) and I went on 2 hikes (one was kind of strenous) and there were times where my shins were aching a little bit, but over all, I did great. There were a couple of times down in Moab, where I was able to jog a little bit and it didn't even hurt!

Starting tomorrow morning, I am getting back in to exercising. I'm going to be going swimming every morning and then I won't be doing the treadmill, but I will be doing the eliptical trainer and I'm going to ease back in to running.

I've got a race coming up in 12 days and I will make sure I'm all taped up for that race and hopefully it'll be a good season with no more injuries.

Yay! Good News!

I went to the orthopedic surgeon today regarding my leg to find out if it was just shin splints or if I had a stress fracture.

After sitting in the waiting room and then sitting in the exam room for what seemed like forever, they came and got me and I hobbled to the x-ray room. They took 2 x-rays and then I hobbled back to the exam room and seemed to wait for what seemed like forever again. Finally Dr. Johnston's PA came in and we looked at the x-rays and he examined my leg and....I just have a terribly bad case of shin splints!!!

So, what he wants me to do is not run for like 3 - 4 weeks. I've also been wearing the boot that I wore when I broke my leg & ankle 4 years ago and he wants me to continue to wear that when I'm not swimming or biking.

Since I only ran once last week (Monday), next week will be 3 weeks, so he said I can TRY the eliptical trainer next week, but if that seems to put a strain on my shin splints, then I need to back off for a little longer.

He also wrote up an order for a bone scan for me. He said if I don't see any marked improvement within 3 - 4 weeks, I should go get a bone scan so we can make sure that I don't have a stress fracture.

He basically said I've been running too much. He said I should really only be running 20-25 miles a week, and I've been running 30-36 miles, if not more, a week.

So, I won't be running The Canyonlands 1/2 Marathon this Saturday, but I will be down there cheering my friends and personal trainer on. :) I could've probably paid $5 and downgraded to running a 5 mile race at The Canyonlands this Saturday, but I am working on getting better so I can participate in all of my triathlons this year, starting April 2, 2011 in St. George, UT.

So, I'm stoked that they are just terrible shin splints, but can I just say that this is THE WORST case of shin splints I've EVER had. They hurt like hell!

Possible Stress Fracture

I'm not a happy camper. I found out Thursday that my shin splints have great potential to have turned in to a stress fracture. I was texting back and forth with my personal trainer on Thursday and I asked him what I should do about shin splints. We were texting back and forth and he was asking me if it was on the inside of my shin or outside of my shin. He wanted to know if it hurt while I was running, etc.

I told him I haven't been able to run since Monday because it hurt SO bad. I'm to the point where I can barely walk on it and the pain is constant, except when I'm sleeping.

He told me that I needed to get inserts for my shoes and that I needed to get compression socks, but that he has a VERY strong suspicion that it's a stress fracture!

Now, I trust BJ and what he has to say. He went to school at the University of Utah in sports therapy and health stuff, so he knows what he's talking about. Granted, he's not a doctor, but he's had enough schooling and he's trained so much that he knows what he's talking about.

When he said stress fracture, I just felt my heart drop. I was at work and I got up to talk to my manager (I'm supposed to do a 1/2 marathon with her a week from today) and I honestly started to cry.

Not more than 5 minutes before I got a text from BJ I decided that I needed to call my general practicioner to see what I should do about these "shin splints".

I've had these shin splints for probably 3 weeks now, just within the last 1 - 1 1/2 weeks is when the pain has got significantly worse.

I heard back from my general practitioner and he didn't even want to see me. He told me I needed to go straight to an orthopedic surgeon. Shit! Thankfully I don't need a referral or anything because I already have one (I broke my other leg & ankle a couple of years ago and had to have surgery).

I called up Dr. Johnston's office & left them a message. I really wanted to hear back from them quickly so I could hopefully get in that day, but I didn't hear back from them until almost 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The soonest they can get me in for x-rays and stuff on my leg is on Monday at 2:00 p.m.

I made the appointment, but in the back of my head I was wondering to myself "do I go to insta-care so I don't do any more damage to it before Monday?" Now, my dad is an EMT and he is very smart when it comes to broken bones, etc. Unfortunately he was out of town in Denver. But, I called him up and explained to him what was going on. He told me to save my money and not go to Insta-Care and we would just treat it as a stress fracture until Monday when I can get in to the doctor.

I don't know alot about stress fractures so I started researching it after BJ told me he thinks I have a stress fracture. If it is a stress fracture, they'll either put you in a cast or they will put you in a boot. It takes anywhere from 4-12 weeks to heal. If it's SUPERBAD, they have to do surgery. So, if they cast it, I can't do ANY kind of workout.

I've got a 1/2 marathon a week from today (3/19) that it looks like I'm not going to be doing. I'm really bummed about it. It was going to be my first race of the season. Thank God I didn't have to pay to register for this race (I won entry in to the race), but I'm bummed. I've got a friend coming down from Spokane doing the race and it was going to be exciting to run a 1/2 marathon with someone I know. Plus, my personal trainer is doing this race as well. I was really excited when I heard that because granted, BJ will finish the race before me, but I wanted him to see me in action. He hasn't ever seen me participating in a race. Now...a little humorous, I am contemplating finding a wheelchair and wheeling my way through the race. Haha!!! I don't know. That would be super hard on my arms I think. But even if it's not a stress fracture in my leg, I still am not in enough shape any more to run 13.1 miles in a week.

If I'm in a cast for 8 weeks, I've got 3 races planned in April that I have already registered for. I would obviously not be able to do those races. I will be out about $120. I think that's one thing I'm the most upset about. Plus, after the 8 weeks of being in a cast, you have to do physical therapy and I won't be able to just jump back in to doing triathlons. I was reading and it says after you get out of your cast/boot, you should only up your workout by a maximum of 10% each week as to not overdo it and re injure your leg! Unfortunately, after everything I have read, I'm pretty convinced it's a stress fracture.

With shin splints, you should still be able to run and while you're running, you're shin splints go away. Yeah, I can't even run.

With shin splints, you should still be able to put a significant amount of weight on your leg...yeah, no can do.

This is just not looking good. I am EXTREMELY upset about this. I don't know how far back this is going to set me and it looks like I'm going to be out a good portion of $$$.

I will keep everyone posted and let you know what happens Monday at the doctor's office. Pray for me, send good vibes out to the universe for me. Cross all your fingers and toes. :)

Shin Splints Still

This is getting a bit ridiculous. I STILL have my shin splints. I will admit that I think part of it is my fault.

Monday I was feeling really good, so I went and ran 6 miles that night. I think I might have overdone it that night. My leg has been hurting ever since then.

Tonight is the second night that I've had to not workout because my leg has hurt too much. :( I have been icing it down and taking it easy, so hopefully by tomorrow I'll be able to be back up and working out.

I don't think I'll run quite yet, but maybe do the eliptical trainer instead. I've just got a 1/2 marathon in 10 days. No matter what happens, I'm GOING to do that 1/2 marathon, even if I have to crawl across the finish line.

I just hope that within the next day or so that my shin splints heal. I just hope that it hasn't turned in to a hairline fracture or something.

Shin Splints

I've been having pain in my leg lately and haven't been able to figure out why. I swore off that it wasn't shin splints because it wasn't on my shin. It was to the side of my shin.

Well, today I did some research online and low and behold, it's shin splints!!! :( This is no bueno because I have my first race of the season in 13 days!

So, my friend told me about KT Tape:



I went to Sports Authority today and bought me some KT Tape and taped up my leg.



I am praying that this will help! I don't know what else to do. I've been putting Bengay on my leg, but it doesn't seem to help alot.

They (the people on the internet, WebMD, etc.,) say that when you get shin splints, you need to take a break from running until you get over your shin splints. I honestly don't know if I can do that knowing that I have a race in 13 days! Crap! What do I do. It seriously scares me to take 1 day off from running.

Hopefully this KT Tape will help. Cross your fingers for me.