Foot Update

So in 2012, I had the Great Hip Blip.  I haven't decided what to call 2014 and the foot injury, but I will come up with something.

I had my 8 week visit with my orthopedic last week.  The good news is that the foot is healing and is exactly where it should be.  I can add some elliptical to my workout routine and see how it goes.  I asked the doc about riding my bike out on the roads. He was a bit hesitant, but said that I could ride...if there as little to no traffic.  And.  There were no hills.  And.  It wasn't windy.  Basically, he didn't want me to have to worry about putting my foot down hard unexpectedly or have to peddle with a lot of resistance.  My response?  Nevermind, I'll keep spinning.  For now.

The bad news, other than the fact that the foot is still broken, is that I still can't run.  And, I get to continue wearing my sexy shoe and running shoes only.  At this rate, I won't be back in my hills until 2015...so much for sexy strappy shoes at those holiday parties!  But, when I go back in mid-October, he will re-evaluate and maybe, just maybe I can start some run/walk workouts.

All in all, this hasn't been horrible.  Unlike the hip, I know that my bone will heal and I will be running within the next month or two.  And, I am able to do sooo much more that I could with the hip issues.

So what have I been doing?  Hmmmm....let's see:

• Brazil Butt Lift from Beach Body  - I can't do the lunges in the 1st segment of the Tone workout, but I can do the last two which consist of lots and lots of leg lifts.
• P90X - Obviously, I'm not doing Plyo or the other cardio workouts.  But, I have been alternating between the Chest and Back, Shoulders and Arms and Chest, Shoulders and Triceps DVDs.  Oh, and of course I've added some Ab Ripper X in there for good measure.
• Swimming - This has been my go-to workout since about 1 month post injury.  I've gradually worked up the distance and can comfortably swim 2,500 for the first time since Oilman training last year.  I'll keep building up the distance and will hopefully be ready for IMTX training in January.  I was swimming only with the pull buoy (no kicking) until last week.  I feel pretty comfortable with a little kicking now, but need to keep adding more as the foot continues to heal.
• Spin Bike - I've been a little lazy here, only because I am finding it hard to get to the gym for more than an hour at a time.  I did spin for about 1 hour 15 minutes last week, but I could (and should) be doing more.  I guess the best solution would be to dust of the trainer and bike at home, but I really, really hate my trainer!
• Elliptical - I've only had one opportunity to get on the elliptical since my appointment.  I rode the spin bike for an hour and then used the elliptical for 20 minutes.  I probably should have only done 10 minutes, you know, to ease myself into it.  Unfortunately, the foot was a bit sore afterwards.  But only a little.  I'm going back to the gym tonight for more!

My new friend - the elliptical

My doctor explained that it would be much easier to just tell me to do nothing until the foot was completely healed.  He also said that he could tell me to go run, but that my foot would not heal and I would end up being in a great deal of pain,  However, he knows want to stay active and he's trying to work with me and give me some things I can do, which I really appreciate!  So, I'll follow doctor's orders and take one day at a time.

Some days, my foot feels great and I am tempted to do a little more than I should.  But, I have to remember the ultimate goal - IMTX 2015.  I want the foot to be ready to go in January, so I'll do what I have to do...even though it sucks!

On the upside, I can spend more time with these silly guys....

Enjoying having lunch with my silly kids!

Summertime…

Is it just me, or did the summer just fly by?  It’s so hard to believe that summer is over! 
 
I decided that this year, I was going to do my best to make it really feel like summer at home.  Traffic is lighter, so I decided to let the kids sleep in a little later than usual.  And, I attempted to take a day off each moth to do something fun with the kids.  Plus, we tried our best to do some fun summer activities - spending time at the pool, going to baseball games, etc.  We managed to see the Corpus Christi Hooks play the San Antonio Missions, plus we went out to Constellation Field to see the Skeeters play.

Hanging out at the neighborhood pool....

The kids enjoying a Hooks game!  Who am I kidding, they're enjoying the popcorn more!

In June, I took a day off from work to see Big! The Musical at an outdoor theatre. We had lunch downtown, explored Houston’s tunnels, ate cupcakes and just had fun. 



Checking out the skyline, providing child labor at my office, checking out the artwork downtown

At Hermann Park, after the show

The July outing didn’t happen, but I did manage to take 3 days off in August for some summer family fun.  We headed to the neighborhood pool, saw a movie (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), stayed a night at a local resort (think water slides, lazy river, s’mores, dive-in movies….) and checked out the Downtown Aquarium for the first time ever.  Not exactly a Disney Cruise like last year, but still a much needed break from the daily grind.

On the Ferris Wheel at the Aquarium...don't worry, the Munchkin is just being silly.  He's actually having fun.  Really.

 

Rough life, right?  Having fun on the lazy river at the resort.

 

So now what?

Well, I am still patiently waiting for my broken foot to heal. The good news is that I can walk (or hobble) more now without pain.  If I overdo it, my foot does ache, but it’s nothing like the pain I had the couple of weeks following the break. That.was.brutal.

I had my 4 week check-up and things seem to be progressing.  To be honest, I thought my x-ray looked pretty much like the original one.  But, the doc said it is healing and is exactly where he expected it to be at 4 weeks. 

Here's the lovely pic of my 5th metatarsal with the break....

 

As for the workouts, I had already been swimming for about a week, but the doc said I could now add the stationary bike, spin bike or trainer to my routine.  However, I had to promise not to make the tension too high…in other words, no simulating hills.  Yeah, I got it.

My friend Jill and I headed to the gym last weekend and rode side-by-side stationary bikes for an hour….Jill is recovering from a nasty fall off her bike.  It’s funny, because swimming is not my favorite activity at all, but while swimming that first 25 yards, I swear I had a HUGE grin on my face.  I was just so stinking happy not to be working out in my living room (no offense to Tony Horton or the guy on the Brazil Butt Lift DVD).  I felt the same way about the stationary bike…I was sweating!  My heart rate was up!  It was AWESOME.  Since then, I've been visiting the spin room a couple of times per week.  Not exactly exciting, but whatever.

Dark room, no a/c...riding nowhere fast.

 

I guess I’m learning to appreciate the little things. J

So, from here I can start attempting to transition to wearing my running shoe.  The doc was very adamant about this being a very gradual transition.  I was supposed to wear my shoe for 1 -2 hours each day for awhile and then wear it longer if there was no pain.  Last weekend, I wore my running shoes for about 6 hours and was okay…so we’ll see what happens.  I have my 8 week appointment next week, so keep your fingers crossed.  If I’m lucky, I might be able to graduate to the elliptical!

(Did I mention that I hate and despise the elliptical?)  (Maybe by then I will be so desperate to do something other than swim and bike, I will love the elliptical?)

So that’s where I’m at.  I’ve worked my swims back to 1 mile and some change, I can sit on the spin bike for a little over an hour…I’m getting there.  And, I am trying to do strength training a couple of times each week, too.

Still, I’d rather be running!