Teach a Runner to Swim...

I recently had a stress fracture scare. It was awful- the weeks of crosstraining, the uncertainty, the lack of goals- because how can you have goals when you don't know if or when you'll train again?  But I approached the injury like any good runner.

After a few dark days, including a Wednesday night concert with 4 beers in two hours (gross!) and a pity party cry-fest complete with sad sad music, I bucked up and started the crosstraining in
earnest. I swam mostly, trying to maintain the highest cardio benefit with zero pressure on my foot. 

I have tried swimming so many times before. I usually cap out at 33 laps and pat myself on the back for finishing the mile; and then I don't go back. This time I knew I needed to commit more fully. So I timed my laps and discovered that 8 laps is comparable in time to running a mile. With that, I took to the pool, one "mile" at a time. In between I gave myself a kick board lap to catch my breath- breatstroke kick was a good one to work the hips and glutes. This approach allowed me to easily work up to 50 laps and I think I could go longer with just one more ounce of motivation. 

Swimming makes me feel strong. My abs get a bit of work, which is always nice, but in swimming they work while stretching, feeling long and lean through the torso. I like that. Overall, I feel more upright, taller, less hunched like a runner on the hills. 

The funny thing is my foot simply has a minor bursitis from a recent change in shoes, but my attitude to the pool has changed. I also reinvested in my cycling and yoga practices, so these beneficial activities fit in my schedule again. Maybe a little bursitis was all I needed to jumpstart my fitness and get in the best shape of my life. 

11 weeks. What can I make of it?