Comeback Eve!!

BACK!

Caught you looking at the same thing. It's a new thing, check out this I bring: A fully charged Garmin 620 ready to go tomorrow!

I'm not a Hooligan.

I'm just aiming to be good again.

I rock the splits, fifteen to twenty-six.

Clear all the madness, I'm not a gymnast.

Number one, I was born to run, at the gun.

YES!!!

Hey Guys! A little ode to Public Enemy tonight. Tonight is Comeback Eve! I have been cleared to haul ass tomorrow. Well, in the form of 30 minutes super easy. Possibly with breaks. But I'm happy! I've been a good little grasshopper.

I've done the cross training. I've cleaned up my already clean diet to the point of obsession. I've rested. I'm drinking fucking water like I like it.  I should be ok. I anticipate some crunchy ankle tomorrow because I haven't run in 5.5 weeks. But after that I think I will hopefully see that have maintained some fitness. 

Seriously, I am so grateful to walk without pain. To sleep through the night without my busted leg making me grimace. I'm so happy to have my health. It stings that my goal marathon, Twin Cities is this weekend. It sucks that they have emailed asking when to pick me up at the airport. My bib number actually exists. That all sucks!… But I can walk! Tomorrow I will run. And the next day too. And then I will funnel my anger at this injury into speed. I will win some races and have happy face again : )

Game on YO!

Oh and PS: no one took me up on the squat challenge. Not a soul. C'mon guys!!

Here are some pics of last week. Trying to keep the bod alive:

my gym wasn't open yet. parking lot squats!

it was all cool till people started parking. lol

easily 10 hours on this thing in the last couple weeks

Ya, enough said…

All day, every day.

shaky, yes. But my leg is still technically broken. 

So, cheers to a great fall. I'll keep you posted over the next few days. I'm so tired of this being an injury blog. I want some freaking happiness! Thank you all again for being such troopers and listening to me and hopefully I lit some fire under your ass  ; ) Let's go!!

Laura

Let's SQUAT!!

Hey Guys!!

I haven't lost my mind yet. In fact, I think I will have escaped this injury with a sound mind and some kick ass motivation. I'm feeling better by the day. Today has probably been my best day. I feel like I'm almost back to myself. Very minimal discomfort, if any in my *broken leg*. I love saying that now. Because I know it was broken. A valid diagnosis. A legitimate reason for my pain. Finally! I digress….

So, I'm all pumped because I going to squat! Like stick with it!. I've been doing single leg glute bridges for almost a month. I added in single leg squats a few weeks ago. I feel stronger. I feel like I could bust out 6:30 pace for a while. It's encouraging.

So the bought the book from the Glute Guy Bret Contreras.

I feel I have over stayed my welcome doing single leg glute bridges without weights. I am stacking 15 pounds on my hips but I need to move on…TO THE HIP THRUST with barbell!

My foot is slipping in these photos. It's killing me. err

My goal is to build a stronger tush so I can run faster and kick more ass. Bret has a 12 week program in that book. I linked it to Amazon. If anyone wants to do it with me that would be fun. Feel free to send me your before photos and I'll post them here anonymously. Just for motivation.  I love seeing asses get firmer! I hope that's not too pervy. lol

Here's my squat. I hate squatting but it seals the deal.

If anyone has any comments on how squatting and glute work has improved your running I would love to hear. I usually get into this when I'm broken and then never keep it up when I return to running. I will not make that mistake this time.

Happy Squatting and Thrusting! I'm serious on the before photos. Or if you have before and afters.

Thanks!

Laura

Bad to the Bone.

This photo is to calm myself while I write this. 

Hey Guys!

I have good news and bad news. The bad is that I fully broke my fibula all the way through. Side to side.  Straight through the bone about midway up the side of my leg. Grade 4. The worst of the worst. It was not displaced. Meaning the top bone stayed stacked on the bottom piece. Or I would have been a little crankier! But let's move on to the GOOD!

The good part is that I am almost 5 weeks healed! My body is almost done laying down the new bone. To be on the safe side my Ortho recommended continuing my cross training for 1 more week. Sigh. I have some inflammation on my soleous which is why I thought I was tugging on scar tissue or a tear. But apparently all my muscles are in great shape.

A fibula fracture is considered low risk. They represent 4%-9% of all fractures in the legs. Don't quote me exactly. But a full break is even more remote. I guess I like to be different.

Also, my excessive cross training has had no ill effect on my healing. This break is a 4-5 weeker. So I have been okay'd to continue with my stair climbing and uphill walking on the treadmill.

He said I may feel sore next week but that's normal. The following week I won't even remember what happened. At least pain wise. This memory isn't going anywhere without therapy or significant booze.

So overall this was kind of a shocker. I had 3 professionals including my Ortho tell me it was soft tissue. I guess I have a higher pain tolerance than I thought. : ) Although I do remember a few sleepless nights initially. I'll spare you the details of how dramatic a night with a broken leg can be without pain meds. Not fun!

I am never bitching at mile 22 EVER AGAIN! Throw a hill in the bitch. I'll embrace it.

October 1st will be my start back date. Let the countdown begin!!!

Here are some other images:

This thing always changes your life one way or the other..

This is an MRI image. Not x-ray. It's my right leg looking at it head on.  There was a marker placed over the fx area. So the black dot is the fracture location but also new bone growth. We want lots of black. The blaring white is inflammation. So you can see why I thought I had
 soft tissue issues.

So just a little more Planet freaking Fitness and I'm done! If I never see purple and f'ing yellow again it will be too soon. Until Oct 1 I will be there maintaining every muscle fiber I can and then some.

Thanks again guys. Your support means so much. Your kind words are the things I think about while I'm climbing stairs at 6am or squatting till I feel like there should be blood. And of course always on the long run. 

Thanks!!

Laura

DIE ANOTHER DAY!

Hey Guys!

I'm super excited to report that I've had 2 short runs in the past 2 days. I'd categorize them more as physical therapy than running because they SUCK. But this isn't my 1st rodeo. I know the drill. It will suck for a few more days and then go back to normal. (I need to write that on my hand.)

I'm pretty sure after 28 days of not running it's: Laura v. Scar Tissue. Scar tissue is tough but I think I am tougher. Every now and then I'll feel a little more flexion in my soleous. It's such a beautiful thing. But if I try to get in a deeper lunge position I feel the pull of that shitty tissue. But little by little it's coming back to me. Concede you crappy shit! You will not win!

Good news though! I don't feel out of shape on the run. I feel like I want to bolt. Like I could but I have this decreased ROM holding me back. Last time I came back from injury I felt worse. This is helping me mentally so I don't stab myself in the eye. It feels like I have a *tug* attached to me. I want to go already but that thing is holding me back:

Let me go!

Rewind to a few days ago. I decided to take a jog around my kitchen island. Much to my surprise I felt great lapping the kitchen and living room…for half a mile. So clearly I put my Garmin on:

That set me up for a few half mile run/half mile walks in the soccer complex at dawn.

Figures 100's of Galloway runners show up and crash my *private run* lol.

Flex humor…: ) and still staring down Galloway peeps

The starting line for today, sigh

The soccer fields felt like crap. So I did what any rational endurance runner would do: double! I got on the treadmill at night and did 4 miles of run/walk. I felt better! Then, I went out today and did a 3 miler at 9 pace non-stop. It's pure torture. I'm trying to "be happy" that I ran but *uck that. This isn't running. It's not so much a pace issue but rather that I'm reminded of my bum leg every foot step. Thankfully it doesn't get worse and the pain fades away. But still! UGH! I'm trying to be patient.  I swear.

My Ortho told me last week that he's clueless as to what is wrong with me now. So we scheduled an MRI for tomorrow, Monday. I need to know what was or is wrong. Thankfully it's only $30 out of pocket with my insurance. I will surely start harassing the radiologist by lunchtime for results. Or I'll have my 8 year old hack their mainframe:

Thanks again for all your kind words and support. This too shall pass. Cheers to a good week coming up because as Cypress Hill will tell you:

I AIN'T GOING OUT LIKE THAT!

Cheers!
Laura

Give it back already!

By Sophia, age 10 

It's Monday, again!

Guys, I am trying to remain calm and continue on with my ridiculous buffet of exercises. All in the hopes my "shit stays in place" and that I don't lose much fitness. However, this is day 23 sans run. So, it can get a little emotional here and there. I'm doing my best.

Last week I tried to keep it varied:

Monday: 45 mins of freestyle swim, core and glutes
Tuesday: Treadmill walking for 6 miles at 15% incline for 4000 feet and pm 5 miles outdoors walking
Wednesday: 30 mins of stairs, core and glutes
Thursday: 1hour of stairs and 20 miles on the bike, core and glutes
Friday: 35mins of stairs and 20 fast miles on the bike
Saturday: core only
Sunday: 4 mile walk to the gym. 1 hour of core. 4 mile walk back.

I cut back on the bike a little because I thought it was snagging my soleous. But nothing changed. I know I do a lot, but it's all within the range of acceptable behaviors for someone with a ripped-off, torn, fractured or what-eva-the-hell is wrong with me injury.

 I've been down this road before. If you have been reading this blog for a few years you know the one tell tale sign that means I'm almost out of the woods. Forget my posse of high skilled specialists, forget that my core that could ricochet a stray soccer ball from lane 1 at Martin track.  Forget that the costs of my x-rays and MRI's could bankroll a small country into 2nd world living.  None of this matters.

This is how I know I'm almost better. We'll call it the disappearing ball act:

I have started getting into flexible crap at the gym! Pure and simple. I wish I could link up all my other stunt like videos from previous injuries. But this is where the money's at. Just when I start to gain some flexibility, I am back on the run. So folks, we are almost there! I. Can't. Wait!

Thanks for your support!
Laura

Greetings from Rehab

Hey guys,

Just a quick update on my injury of the year. Overall, it's better. Objectively, yes. However, being the cynical, unsatisfied, pay attention to everything negative type of runner that I am, it still sucks. 

I'm nursing a combo injury. It feels like a tight soleous and some random angry side tendons that like to snap a lot sending lightening up my leg. 

So, I'm still on my bike at least 20 miles a day. I am doing a lot of core, arms, glutes. I'm climbing the stairs at the gym a few times a week. I *walked* for 3 hours the other day. Of course the first 6 miles were at 15% incline on the treadmill. The double was on the roads. 

I also got a stability disc for home. I stand on it all the time. It's a great stretch and a good way to strengthen my feet and ankles. 

If I look terrified it's because I am. 

Pressure on the bad leg without pain, score!

This is promising though. For anyone who has every jacked their 

lower leg and had pain toeing off, this is big!

But that toe lift felt like this!

Walking with my daughter for 90 mins. It was nice. Until she dropped me because she "couldn't take it anymore". ha. 

So basically, this is a lot of work. In addition to the exercises I have my Massage Therapist working OT. I think he's working harder than half a chain gang in the Florida sun. But, if anything is going to straighten this out it's his expertise and my relentless determination to get this healed. 

My short term goal is a weekend run. Keep you posted! Also, thanks for all the kind words and bike advice : )

Laura

How to rest for the person who hates to rest.

I don't know! I wish I did. I am a hard worker. I am a worker bee. I love effort. I love the process of hard work. I love blood, sweat and tears. I love success, triumph and glory when it's a result of effort. I love hating the alarm clock and then loving my feet on the ground. I love hating the first mile because I'm tired. I love doing work. Rest is the absolute antithesis.

Rest requires nothing. Rest is sloth like. Rest is the equivalent of a padded room with no windows. Rest is what you do when you sit down to take a shit.  As Kilian Jornet would say, rest is death.

However, I am very aware of how rest positively influences all the things I love above. I get that. I know my muscles *like* rest. I get that rest makes me stronger. All that fluff. I get it.

But I can't do it! I hate it! It would be easier for me if rest were available in different ways. Instead of just sitting down or plopping on the couch, perhaps if rest were a product I could work towards. Like:

Say you win a half marathon. The prize is a gift card for rest. I think I would like that. As long as the terms were finite. I think it would be nice.

Or, say rest was scarce. Like, perhaps a Roll Recovery or Elliptigo. Only a few people have them. As runners, we tend to share products such as these. So if rest were in a box and we shared the box of rest it may seem easier. Like, finally mine turn!

Or, maybe a little off the deep end. Say rest was painful and hurt. Kinda like a TENS unit. It hurts but for a greater good. I may be more apt to rest if some level of discomfort was involved.

I'm so not joking! I'd say maybe 60% of those who read my blog will understand this. And about 2% of the general population. It's a personality trait. It's genetic. It's engrained in me and some of you. We thrive on putting forth effort.

I remember when I was a kid, maybe 10 years old. The school bus would drop me off at the bottom of a hill. Somehow I had a ritual of chasing the school bus up the hill as fast as I could. The kids gathered at the back of the bus cheering. GO, go, go! There were railroad tracks about 800 meters off the top of the hill. So the bus would stop there. My goal was to make it to the tracks, clinging to the exhaust and then wave goodbye to my friends. That was work. That was fun! And so began my budding interest in running.

I'm not into self destruction. So on days like today when I'm post:

55 miler on the bike

I find other ways to work hard:

Every runners dream. The pull buoy. haha

Can't run, don't wanna bike, let's swim!

Onto week 3 of my adventures into marathon training. I will get there! With minimal rest : )

Have a great week!

Laura

Wow, this really hit home. Right on…

Hey Everyone!

I hit the wall again. You guys are right! I didn't realize what I was doing. I thought I was just standing there.  I didn't realize that I was doing it over and over and over again. Like an addiction.  I was in the dark, oblivious. But thanks to my trusty blog, you guys have once again forced me into the light. I am no longer in denial. I am forced to face the wicked truth.

I hear you. I get your messages. I see your texts. 1, 2..okay…but I can't ignore it anymore. I am humbly acknowledging my problem.

This hit home. So I quickly reviewed some of my photos…

I was just bringing Julian's lunch to school. I thought it was my bike cleats, but I was flexing.

My daughter was embarrassed to pose with me. So I threw in some quad.

I have to 1-up a piece of grass

And get both sides

I get it now. I flex the shit out of my legs for anything over 5 megapixels. Lighting is paramount.  I don't really say, ok flex now. I swear I don't grit my teeth. Or at least these are topics I may need to spend some time with. I may need to go into that dark place and talk about it.

I'm going to try to be more mindful from here on out. I promise I won't squat when showing you my latest Saucony. I won't ask you to look at the mud on my calves while standing on my tip toes and cropping that part out. 

I'm just keeping it real. That's all I can do. : )

Tomorrow is either a short jog or 55 miles on the bike. I'm dying to see how that shakes down. 

Laters!

Laura

Don't stop! Get it, get it!

Hello My Dears!

Nothing major to report. Nothing bad. Some slight improvements if anything. I have been able to jump on 2 feet pain free and I can jog around the house. I'm so paranoid of reinjuring myself that I'm going to extend bike-a-thon and even add in pool-a-thon.

I don't want to jog out a few 8:30's just to set myself back a week. So I will hold off and reassess daily. I feel that I'm in good shape. I'm keeping my cardio on the bike. I'm a complete gym rat. My core and glutes are strong.

climb this for 30 mins

It's been 8 days on the bike so I feel I should add aqua jogging to keep the running motions alive. I always say that and get frustrated and end up swimming freestyle like a bat out of hell. But I will try, again.

Oh, I would like to extend a stair mill challenge to my co-honey badgers. I have a little contest going locally to see who can climb the most floors in 30 minutes. So far, it's me : ). haha. 200 is the number to beat.  That's about 3,300 stairs. Send a photo to : laurafrey@aol.com

beat this and contact me. : )

 I mean a girl has to get her competition on! It's great for your buns too.

Here are some lame bike selfies. I've been doing about 20ish miles at 16-17mph avg daily plus gym and core and glutes and arms and drinking my fish oil inbetween. Just because it feels badass!  For me, that speed feels like a Ducati on the Autobahn. haha.

all day every day

As a runner this is a defeated pose. As a cyclist it's a beautiful way to extend your legs post hard effort.

Yes, my shorts are rolled up. #notacyclist!

Party on guys! PS. if anyone has tips that would help my aching bum please let me know. I'm riding out of the saddle more than I should because my butt bones are bruised. I have a girl seat on my bike and HUGE padding in my shorts. Thanks!!


Laura

Pink Floyd to the rescue, sorta…

Please bear with me guys.  I have way too much time on my hands time weekend. I was listening to Pink Floyd last night and it's like they were talking to me. I hope this makes you laugh too.

Comfortably Numb

by Pink Floyd

Hello? Hello? Hello?

Is there anybody in there?

Uh, ya, Me! Waiting to run again. Sick of the bike.

Just nod if you can hear me.

Is there anyone at home?

Yes, I'm right here, yes.  RICE'ing all day every day. Compression at night. 

Come on now

I hear your're feeling down.

Well I can ease your pain.

Get you on your feet again.

OMG, yes please! I have a marathon planned. Are you for real Pink Floyd? Let's do it!

I'll need some information first.

Just the basic facts.

Can you show me where it hurts?

Yes, yes! Laura Frey. I live in NC. From NH. But who cares. My leg hurts. My right leg. It's all jacked up. Right there. Yup, by the Soleus.

….

O.K.

Just a little pinprick

There'll be no more, ah!

Are you kidding me? Then I can run 6:30 pace again? Just like that?! What about tempo pace? What is this a Cortisone shot? Can we talk about tendon rupture first? Maybe I'll just foam roll now.

But you may feel a little sick.

Can you stand up?

Sick? Is this a joke? I don't care. I'll puke through a 22 miler, don't care.

Ya, standing isn't a problem. I need the run fixed Pink Floyd. The RUN!

Sigh. 

Just a little humor. I'm still sain, I think : )

Laura

My conversation with a bike shop employee

Morning Guys!

I'm now almost a week on the bike. My leg seems to stagnate for a day then it will feel a little better. It's promising. But the non linear fashion is driving my crazy!   My plan is to bike tomorrow, take Wednesday completely off and then run on Thursday.

But this weekend I wanted something epic to do on the bike. So I looked around and found a bike route called the Triple Hump. It runs up 3 mountains in central NC. My cycling peeps said I needed a bigger cassette to get up those grades. So I headed over to a bike store that was having a huge sale.

Me: Hi. What do I need to get up Pilot Mountain?

Bike Shop Employee: Legs

Me: (feeling the sarcasm and ready to pummel this guy. I respond with a monotone bitchslap) I have legs. That's a non issue. I am a ruthless, badass runner. I love pain. My energy and fitness transfer to the bike. I need to know what I need on my bike to get up the hill, please.

Bike Shop Employee: Ya know what? I don't doubt you. You need a 30…come over here.


The moral of the story is BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! If you don't, who will?  Do you know that intense focus on the faces of runners at the start of a race? I feel like that all day. I am gunning for it. I don't give a shit that I had a 0 mile week.

PS I'm human and a girl so a little retail therapy helped : )

Craft Cycling top

Garneau Cycling top. 

Stay strong Team Honey Badger!

Laura
XO