Getting Faster without Running: part 3

Last week I finally got the good news: I could walk on two feet. No crutches, no walking boot, no seat in the shower anymore. I'm still walking slowly and carefully, but what a feeling to wear two of the same shoes! Just a few days into my two-footed ambles, I am nowhere near being able to run again. I start physical therapy tomorrow and am going to work as hard as I can to get back to running sooner than later. The doctor told me that people with breaks like mine (distal fibula fracture, if you're wondering) usually don't run for 4 months. 4 months!! I still have 2 and half months to go before I run if that's the timetable I'm following, and at that point I'll still be far from any good racing shape. But one can hope.

A milestone: two of the same shoes!

In this vein, I'm calling my comeback "cast to 5k." No offense to those who have earned their stripes by following the Couch to 5k program, (and I've looked at it for some of my xc girls; it's prettttty basic) but my plan is only related by tongue-and-cheek alliteration. Despite my inability to run, I've already made strides (pun definitely intended) to run a great 5k at some point this spring. So this brings me back to...my critical nonessentials, part 3.

Since I got off crutches a month ago, I've been in the gym about three times a week lifting. To keep it safe, I've been focusing on arms and core and I can definitely feel and see differences already. I started bench pressing with just the bar, keeping the weight low with many reps. In college we lifted 3x10 (3 sets of 10 reps each) with a focus on low weight and strength endurance, and I still ascribe to that. This doesn't mean, though, that I'm not increasing my weight as I go. As I'm getting stronger and more fit, I've been slowly adding weight to the bar or picking up a heavier dumbbell. Last week I benched 55 pounds--that's 5's on each side of the bar! I'm pretty happy with myself for that. I've also been working triceps, pecs, deltoids, back and all parts of my core. Deb had us doing "7 minute abs" weekly at Colby and I still do those with great results, but I am careful not to neglect the more important but less noticeable other core muscles. Many people don't realize that your core includes your back and your hips and I would argue that having a 6-pack means almost nothing for core strength. In my repertoire of strong core exercises are fire hydrants, superman lifts and rotating planks. I've forsaken my beach body for a warm winter hibernation layer this past month, but I'm still worker towards being stronger every day.

Today I biked for 20 whole minutes with no resistance. It was harder than I expected but I'm not embarrassed about that. Slowly and steadily I will recover and return, and hopefully win that race in the end!