First, thanks for all the support in my last blog. You sparkbuddies rule! I appreciate you guys. :)

Secondly, MAN I miss running! I miss doing it AND I miss the guaranteed calorie burn. I had to adjust my ranges due to burning less and mannnn... I miss being able to EAT. ;) I always joke I run so I can eat and yeah, it's partially true. Those long marathon training runs where I'd burn a days worth of calories in four hours were especially fab. OMNOMfest those days. Sigh.

I've had some rough patches during the last two weeks. Panicking about gaining, wanting to cry because I'm HUNGRY but have no calories to eat if I want to maintain (or lose the little bit I managed to gain), feeling angry that I can't just go out and run 5.5 miles, burn 500 calories and eat more like I want to. Again, sigh.

Yeah, it's all been calories out/calories in drama for me.

However, I HAVE been noticing some good things.
I've biked 11 days out of the last 14 - that's great! I haven't take the car to work once in the past two weeks. I even rode in on meeting day when I had to be at work by 7 am (that's early for me, I'm usually banker's hours). I've ridden when it's cold, in the rain, when it MIGHT rain ... all things that usually I'd have wussed out and driven due to. So, yay me! I wanted to drive some days but I didn't and that's a victory. 60 miles the first week, 50ish the second (lots of rain = less long rides).

I also noticed, food panics aside, my mood has been better with the more moderate workouts. I'm less crabby and feel more rested and less worn out. I think I hit the hardest part of the training, that peak at 20 miles, and my body was just DONE. Basically that's what happens, you're upping mileage and you just don't have the time to heal completely between long runs. I read it takes 4 weeks to physically recover from any run over 18 miles. At peak training, you've got your long run one week, a shorter recovery run the following week, and then another long run the next week that increases the mileage again. That's why it's the danger zone of injuries ... and why I'm not super surprised that I had trouble there.

That said, foot feels good. :) I haven't noticed any pain/twinging the past two weeks. I've avoided stressing it or doing any pounding with my feet. Low impact cross training only. Unlike the last stress fracture I never had non-running pain with this one. I never had pain doing stairs or walking. So, the fact that I was smart and didn't run through the original pain is going to end up being a benefit. :) Hooray for learning from your mistakes. Hah. I can jump up and down without pain (though I'm nervous and keep waiting for it!) and can do jumping jacks/etc. during my P90x warmups problem free.

Still going to give it one more week and then start my taper.
Hopefully it'll stay happy. :) I'm pretty confident that things'll be fine.
Going to be sorta of nervous for a while and really listen to my feet but I think I'm healing fine.

Oh man, I can't wait until I can run again.
I miss eating like a runner! Even if I was undereating before at 1800 a day, having that be my HIGH end while not running is killing me. O.o