An awesome trail that I ran on near Denver.

I’ve been having dreams about running. They’ve been dreams about lacing up my sneakers and going long distances, the challenging double-digit slogs that seem like they’re never going to end, and usually on trails where I can’t see beyond the next curve.

In the dreams, I’m very concerned about pacing myself and having the energy to see it through to the finish. I have to imagine that this is some sort of subconscious metaphor for my convalescence and the need to pace myself to fight off the encroaching insanity. The mind works in mysterious ways.

This week, I was going to grace you with a video of my home-based workout. I set up the computer to record my workout to show the surprising range of what I can do without putting weight on my right foot. The problem? The video was like a comedy skit. My struggle to keep my balance on the BOSU was vastly more obvious on the video than it felt in real life. My arms, already tired from using the crutches, were visibly quaking. I opted instead to skip the video production until I have something more photogenic to share. I have at least four more weeks to practice, right?

This week, as planned, I implemented the TRX/BOSU combination, as well as upper body strength work using my 5-pound dumbbells. I did crunches on the BOSU and the foam roller, and did plenty of stretching to alleviate the tightness that comes from sitting with one foot propped up all day long.

Of course, all of this sounds very upbeat and chipper and optimistic and doesn’t really reflect the frustration that I feel every single minute of the day and night. So imagine my joy to find a post by another mother-runner who is also stuck in the Dreaded Black Boot. Hers is only a stress fracture and it sounds like she can do much more than I can (swimming! cycling! oh, the jealousy!), but just reading about her frustration makes me feel just a little bit better about my situation. For someone who spends her weekdays feeling pretty isolated, it’s nice to know that I’m not alone.

Tags: balance, bosu, core, foam roller, pilates, run like a mother, strength, stretching, TRX

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