Ambassador, Roxanne, started 2016 with huge miles and ambitious goals. But sadly, she ended up wirht a broken foot. Although on the inside surely she was beyond upset, on the outside she has never shown it. She has used this time to do other incredible things such as organizing her own trail event, volunteering at races and being ridiculously inspiring and cute on instagram (runfoxxirun). Here is her side of the story!
Well, to say my season didn’t go as planned is a gross understatement. My season broke me right down and tried to plunge me into a darkness I have never known.
The beginning of 2016– my mileage base was up to 75 miles/week; I was registered to run 5 ultra marathons spanning from May – September. I had been struggling with foot pain due to a neuroma which had been bothering me for almost 3 years but I could mostly handle it. The cure: stop running. Not forever. But to stop aggravating if and let it heal. NEVER I thought. I’m stronger than this pain my foot was inflicting.
Then it happened. Not while running. Not while doing anything dangerous. My story is so boring. I broke my foot. While dancing of all things. I simply rolled my bare foot and bam. Snapped my 5th metatarsal. (Here we go with the reason for everything…my neuroma should be completely gone by the time I start to run again…yay)
Upon the first visit to the ER I was cast and told 6 weeks. Ok! I can do this. It’s ok. I will ride my bike! I took to Instagram and made it my job to not only inspire and motivate and hopefully cheer up and make laugh runners of course, but other injured athletes like me. This truly helped me to keep my sanity and sense of humour.
My 6 week doctor visit, the day my cast would be removed! I brought my running shoe for the glorious moment I could walk out of the hospital! Then my heart sunk when the technician said, “this break happened 6 weeks ago?? You’re going to see your doctor now right?” And the horrible expression on her face. Yup. There it was. Not an ounce of healing had transpired. Off to see the orthopaedic surgeon for possible surgery.
My ortho appt: no surgery required but back into a cast for an additional 8 weeks. And ultrasound therapy daily at home. Well, this is when I hit the absolute bottom. I had been able to bounce back up fairly quickly after the disappointments of each race I was registered for being pushed off my itinerary. But this one. I cried my eyes out the entire time they cast my leg…to my knee. It took me a while to gather myself back up.
I started to volunteer at all the races I could find including one I had registered for in order to defer my registration to 2017. I even organized a trail race for RUN Like a Girl on June the 4th with the help of my family and friends. I LOVE being on the other side of races!
This coming week, June 21, I am hopefully going to be set free finally! 3.5 months in a cast to my knee and on crutches! I have a ways to go before I take my first running step but I’m so happy to be able to take my bike off the trainer and get back out to my beloved roads!
My saving grace? My bike. Not dwelling on what I can’t do and instead finding what I can do. Setting up weekly things to look forward to to break up the amount of time I have been sidelined. And connecting via social media with so many who are also injured, have been injured, or who just plain cheer for me every single day!! I love to make other people happy, and if I can make one person laugh, then I feel I have fulfilled my purpose!
Never take for granted a single running step! Take time to stop and breathe in the wild air! You just never know when you might have to stop!
Roxanne G. Moreau