The Corner Has Officially Been Turned

So how does that cliche go?  It's always darkest right before the dawn.  Going into the weekend, things were still looking grim.  However, something happened Friday and Saturday night that seemed to set things right.  All my lingering pain from the bike wipe out faded significantly, to the point that I could sleep on my bad hip again.

I ended up doing 4 miles at easy pace Sunday and could still feel my hip bothering me, but not enough to stop.  My right knee which still has a nasty gash on it was also rather unhappy after the run.  Regardless, I got through it.

Monday, I ran another 3 miles at easy pace and felt better than I did the previous day.  After a couple of quick X-rays to confirm my hip and knee were not structurally damaged, I can finally say that I'm healthy.  The gash on my left elbow and right knee are probably going to take a while to heal, but even today, the knee is slowly getting better.

I biked through the city to do some errands and did two loops on a strength training circuit at my gym on top of the 3 mile run.

Tuesday I took off (having run two days in a row for the first time in weeks).  I rode to and from work, then took my bike on the BWI airport loop and part of the B&A Trail for a hard ~14 miler.  I was probably speeding since the speed limit is 15mph, but whatever.  When I finished the ride, for the first time in a while, I felt good, "in shape," confident, or whatever you call it.  The feeling is difficult to describe, but I've had it for most of 2010 and 2011 right up until I had to stop running.  I'm hoping this is my gut telling me that I'm healthy.  It was certainly right when the stress fracture was developing, I just ignored it for too long.


Here is the plan for the rest of the week:
Wednesday...3 or 4 miles + circuit training at gym (+bike commute)
Thursday...5 or 6 miles (+bike commute)
Friday...off, maybe circuit training.  If not, I'll do it either Saturday or Sunday. (possibly no bike commute)
Saturday...5K race.  The test I wanted to do last week to see where I'm at racing wise, and to see once and for all if my tibia is back to 100%.
Sunday...Long bike ride, looking for 50ish miles again

4 days of running total, 2 back-to-back days, ~17 miles.  If all is good, I'll go for 5 days and 25 miles next week.  For now, no tempo, speed, hills, or long runs (except for that race).