Broken Bone, Broken Dreams

So, it appears that my Chicago journey is over almost as soon as it began. A trip to the podiatrist last week confirmed my suspicion--I have a metatarsal stress fracture, which requires six to eight weeks to heal as well as the addition of this sassy shoe to my wardrobe. Definitely my preferred footwear for 90 degree days!

I guess three half marathons in six months was too much for my poor feet, with their sassy bunions and hammertoes, both of which put more stress on my mid-foot. It's totally ironic that as soon as I became more accepting my new marathon-strong body, it broke down on me. And I know that I can't change the past, but I can't help wishing I'd had more calcium in my diet before age 21, that I had a more balanced, healthy diet even now and that I hadn't wasted my early 20's so consumed with what I looked like that I denied myself basic fuel and did irreparable damage to my body, and quite possibly my bones.

But I'm also looking forward. I'm wearing my "Kisses for Kate" bracelet, which reminds me that this is a minor setback, a drop in the bucket compared to what little Kate is going through--over two years of leukemia treatment, robbing her of innocence and a normal childhood. And while I can't run, I can do other things to keep my body strong, and I can continue in my quest to make healthier choices that will hopefully keep me running twenty years from now.

In the meantime, you can find me hobbling around in my Storm Trooper boot!