Blessing for a New Year

"May you have warm words on a cold evening,

a full moon on a dark night,

a smooth road all the way to your door

and an injury free year!" - adapted Irish blessing

Happy New Year!!

(illustration by Mary Azarian)

Injury Update

Last Friday I had a follow-up appointment with my podiatrist who, after a brief examination and an xray, told me my heel pain is due to problems with the mechanics of my foot and there wasn't much we could do about it, so running days were probably over. I proceeded to burst out in tears. What could this guy be talking about?! Did the mechanics of my foot and stride suddenly change after 26 marathons?! If I overpronate LETS DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT...like order orthodics!! And what about the on and off shooting pains in the foot?? That certainly isn't normal and can we please try and find a way for this to heal itself?? The physical therapist with whom I would like to begin working made me promise to insist on further tests to get a more indepth look into the injury. Reluctantly the podiatrist made arrangements for an MRI. Those results came back today and there does seem to be some "stress" related issues. As strange as it may sound, I am actually hoping for some sort of stress fracture diagnosis. Most runners with stress fractures in the heel are put in some sort of boot for 2-4 weeks. It also appears that they are not allowed any weight bearing cross-training activities, which includes the eliptical and standing up on the stationary bike. If I do indeed have a stress fracture in the heel, my daily routine of walking around and cross-training at the gym MAY be interfering with the healing process...which is why I'm haven't seen much improvment for the past 2 months. So the day after Christmas, he (podiatrist) has ordered two new tests, one of which is a bone scan.
I'm not really clear on how all these tests work, or what NEW information the bone scan will reveal...I just want to RUN AGAIN SOON!

Happy Birthday, Jane!

Jane Austen was born on December 16th, 1775, in Hampshire, England, and began to write for recreation at the beginning of her teens. Her best known works are Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), and Emma (1816). For her time, she was extraordinarily talented at pointing out the ironies of middle class life in turn of the century­late 18th and early 19th century­England. To this day, her observations are often still relevant, and for this reason Jane Austen continues to delight many. Her wry and charming insights have inspired several contemporary films of her novels as well as several very active communities of fans throughout the world.

Gotta Run

...BUT CAN'T RUN!!

This heel injury started to bother me in mid-October when training for the NYC marathon, and it just doesn't seem to be getting any better! Okay, I must admit that I'd lose patience with the injury every 7-10 days and go out for an easy 3-4 mile run just to "feel it out". That plan didn't work so well. So now I am committed to absolutely NO running for the month of December. My concern is that simply walking around and my daily routine also irritates the foot. Do I need some sort of boot for proper healing?? This will all be discussed when I meet with the podiatrist on Tuesday. In the mean time, taping the foot provides a certain amount of relief and stability.

"When the foot is taped properly, the fascia's movement becomes limited. Often times, athletes may tape their feet during certain times to help prevent strain during exercise. By limiting the fascia's movement, it becomes a way to keep the ligament from moving abnormally or stretching excessively and thus preventing tears from developing in the tissue. "

Recommendation of the Week

My new favorite novel and holiday gift recommendation is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows. I realize that the title is quite a mouthful, and I get a lot of raised eyebrows when I first mention this title to friends, but this is a literary gem of a novel! Part Jane Austen, part history lesson, it is a novel in letters and telegrams exchanged over the course of nine months shortly after the end of World War II. The novel celebrates community (you will fall in love with this eccentric, charming set of characters!) and is a tribute to the magic and healing power of great literature. Everyone I've recommended this to LOVES it!

I did a bit of research, and it appears that there is also a strong running community on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel! The Guernsey Island Amateur Athletic Club coordinates track workouts every Tuesday and Thursday, and during the winter there are races every weekend ranging in distance for 1-23 miles. Non members and visiting athletes are welcome to compete in their races or join them for training. Boy oh boy, I would love to squeeze in a workout with the GIAAC this winter!!

I'm particularly intruiged by their All Terrain Challenge, a series of 7 races over 7 days, including a 5 mile cliff path race. All the races start at 6:30 at night, and results are posted at a local bar (the English Channel equivalent of Crossroads!). This would be an absolute blast!! I'll have to look into their overseas membership.

Nurture your community this holiday season!

Did you ever see the movie You've Got Mail? Remember that great little bookshop that Meg Ryan owned? Did it break your heart to see her go out of business?? This holiday season let's help those real life small, independent bookstores. Working at the Wellesley Booksmith for 5 years made me a HUGE fan and loyal supporter of the independent bookstore business. I’ve had additional experience working at Eight Cousins in Falmouth, and I spend many hours in the summer at Titcombs Bookshop in Sandwich MA located a few miles from our family summer home on the Cape. Unfortunately it is VERY HARD for these charming little guys to stay in business and compete with those corporate BIG (BAD) BOYS. In May of 2008, the American Booksellers Association launched the IndieBound campaign (replacing BookSense) in order to generate some new enthusiasm and support for the local business world. And now we need YOU, as the consumer during the holiday season, to do your literary patriotic duty and support the Indies!

And it gets better...not only do you have the opportunity to support local bookstores, you can also support the Boston Fit Girl Project for girls from low-income communities when you shop with the Bluestocking Runner. Here's how it works:

I've signed up to be a part of the Indie Affiliate program where I can create links from my blog and website to IndieBound and earn COMMISSIONS when you order books from the family of independent bookstore registered with IndieBound. Wow – what a cool way to raise funds for the Boston Fit Girls Project! It is important that you begin your literary on-line shopping after linking from the bluestockingrunner blog site, otherwise they can't track the purchases and it won't count towards any potential commissions.

You will be directed to the Indiebound site anytime you click on the Indiebound logo. You will be asked to enter your zip code and they will present you with a variety of independent bookstores that offer on-line sales. The Indiebound site has lists of great recommendations from booksellers around the country. There are MANY wonderful indies to support. Do you have a favorite independent bookstore that you'd like to support? Tell us about it!

Runners Meeting #2 and Tennyson

Last night I attended the second DFMC runners meeting for the 2008-09 season. One of the things I enjoy most about these meetings and our group runs is that it brings together individuals from all walks of life who are working towards 2 common goals: running 26 miles and finding a cure for cancer. We are no longer teachers, CEOs, massage therapists, doctors, firemen, lawyers, musicians or students. We are runners and fundraisers. I love the energy, the excitement, the camaraderie, the passion for the challenges...

“That which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”

I can’t wait to get out there and pound the pavement with the new team, however I’m still plagued by this mysterious heel injury. I’ve seen a sports orthopedic doctor, a podiatrist, even a reflexologist. (Not sure the holistic energy healing approach works for me, but I liked the foot rubbing aspect of the treatment!) It’s not a stress fracture, and doesn’t seem to show the classic signs of plantar fasciitis, yet there is tightness and pain in the heel/achilles tendon area that just won’t go away. My next step is to work with a local physical therapist for some deep tissue massage and cross-training tips. I am hoping for some holiday miracles to be performed by the team of angels at the Sports and Physical Therapy Associates in Wellesley. Patience, patience….