Wineglass is still a question mark.

On one hand, I'm overall healing well and will be just fine, and doc kinda marveled at how much better I got in a week. I have a normally shaped leg now and everything!

On the other hand, the fact that the stitches are draining means they're not closed up enough and she has concerns about the area being strong enough to hold up to that distance. Which, fair. She wouldn't be worried about a 5k, but if I get halfway through a marathon and it re-breaks open....

Yeah.

If she had to make the call today, she would advise me not to do it. And I'd go by that recommendation; I won't sacrifice future races for this one, no matter how hard I've worked. And I have worked hard.

But we're going to make the call on Sunday, when she takes the stitches out. (There is a possibility she doesn't take the center stitches out then, but if that is the case, running the race will obviously be a bad idea, it won't be in question at all.)

We can wait to decide because I have improved so rapidly from last week to now, so it's not impossible that I'll be in good enough shape in five days for her to feel comfortable giving me a thumbs up.

In the meantime, I am encouraged to have as regular activity as possible and bend the knee a lot, because that will give it strength - if I just keep holding it straight for days on end it's not going to heal where it needs to.

Possibly I should have bending it more these past few days, but I definitely couldn't during the first half of last week, so I'm not sure it would have made a huge difference.

I'm also okay to encourage drainage so gentle pressure to goosh is okay. The swollen area is visibly down even from yesterday.

Oh! And she gave me a new scrip of cephalexin, which is not at all how I expected it to be spelled when she said it out loud. On that for a week.

I had PT scheduled for tomorrow anyway so I am sticking with that and we'll be changing up the routine.

On the silver lining side, if I do scratch Wineglass, I apparently bought the associated race insurance so thanks, past me. It wasn't an insanely expensive race (I think around half of NYC) but every little bit helps.

I will feel awkward about the Wineglass finisher's jacket I pre-purchased which is hanging in my closet right now, but I figure I can wear it ironically. Alli suggested I get a patch with an asterisk on it and you know what. If I have to, I'm gonna.

I can't not wear it, it's soooo cute.

Anyway. Two weeks after Wineglass, I could run marathons in Syracuse, Atlantic City or Hartford and my knee would almost assuredly be just fine.

I'm not sure how the training would go because they're outside my taper period, but my coach assured me we can pivot if necessary and I trust her to know how to tweak the plan, she knows her shit.

So. One day at a time. I am mentally preparing myself for not getting to do the race I've been looking forward to for 9 months and I will be so sad if it goes that way.

But you know what? I will have one hell of a comeback next time around.

Okay, comments on. I just wanted to process this before the inevitable sympathy rolled in (which I very much appreciate, y'all are wonderful and have helped keep my spirits up.)

Regardless of what happens Sunday, I am really glad you're healing so well and so quickly. And I am thinking good thoughts for you.

At least you and the doctor are clear on what the progression is and where you can and can't push things. I hope you're healed enough to run, but you have one hell of a story no matter what for your next marathon.

I'm also thinking good thoughts for you and very glad to hear you're healing well

Also, if you don't like bandaging overnight, you can always get incontinence pads to absorb the yuck.

huuuuugs

Thank you guys <3

Bugly42: LOL the overnight bandaging is not bad really. it's not even oozing a huge amount. And the pink swollen area is visibly less pink and less swollen even from this morning so I'm curious how much drainage there will be now.

yeah i get that this is something you've been working for, but sometimes you just have to go "actually no, it's better for me not to do it so that i can continue to do things in the future"

it SUCKS, big time, but you want to be able to keep running for as long as possible! and pushing yourself to do this one even if you're a little uncertain about it.... idk it's rough

i really hope you are able to bounce back in time, but definitely be prepared for the worst, you got a BAD slice my dude

we're not talking about a little scraped up knee, you fully sliced yourself open

but regardless of what happens, i'm cheering you on

withsyrup: yeah, I'm bracing for it and making plans. As much as the uncertainty sucks, I think easing into the possibility has helped a little bit. It was such a gut punch the day I fell, I was in no mental shape to be thinking positively about later alternatives.

And thank you <3

Just think of all the fun stories you can make up for how you got that scar?

yes exactly!

I got in a fight with a Wolverine variant. Might go with that one.

yeah I get that. it sucks so bad. but if you push yourself before you're ready, you could really fuck yourself up for future races

yeah and I don't wanna do that

I'm already thinking ahead to next year like hmm, I would like a second shot at Wineglass but I also want to do Berlin and they're too close...

I'm so glad you're getting better, even if it's not as fast as you'd like. But just think of the action movie-style comeback you'll be able to pull off now!

Talked to coach, she was very reassuring and I will definitely be okay training wise if we go to one of the fallback races. She says I'm doing exactly the right things in terms of leaving the door open for Wineglass but focusing on healing and being ready for plan B. And she's been there so she gets it

Scath: I aspire to be Gramma worthy

is Wineglass a yearly thing or no?

also I'm glad you're doing better and your coach is backing you up

dirges: yeah, it is the name of an annual marathon a few hours north of me. If I scratch I can still run it another year. And ty ❤️ She was really touched when I told her she's been a hugely helpful sanity check

She's endlessly stressing the importance of longevity but is supportive of waiting to see how it turns out to make the final call.

I'm glad you have such a good support network Jaina, and glad that it's healing well!!!! ofc I hope for the best but those are the important bits

My coach sent me a facebook memory of hers cuz it's two years ago today that she had to cancel her participation in the Age Group World Championship London Marathon due to a pelvis stress fracture so that's incredibly timely

When I say she's been in the same position as me, she REALLY has

It sucked for her and it sucks for me now but it's a nice reminder that it's not the end of the world and cool races and big goals can follow setbacks.

lmao we were hanging out after bridge run tonight (I walked) and Roxana was like "YEAH " when I asked her if she wanted to see the wound, wouldn't have pegged her for it

Niels wanted to see too but he is an actual doctor