When people find out I broke my leg in several places, the first question they ask is, “How did it happen?” I wish I had a great story to tell, but here’s the truth: I broke it slowly, over many kilometres, as I trained for a marathon. The warning signs were there, but I ignored them.

…stress fractures are “notoriously tricky to diagnose.”

After running the London Marathon this year, I took a few weeks off to recover before I started training for the Chicago Marathon. I planned on following a 16-week training plan, but because I had taken some time off, I slowly began building my base back up three weeks before the official start of my plan.

Easing Back Into It

Everything went great to start. The hip pain that had troubled me disappeared, and my legs felt fresh. I ran a few shorter runs to ease back into it and gauge my fitness level, and it felt great to be back running. I was troubled by a slight pain in my shin, but I’ve had shin splints before, so I thought nothing of it. After a few more weeks of consistent running, the pain became so severe that I pulled back on my running to let my shin heal.

After a month of never-ending pain, I went to the doctor for an expert opinion. After a round of X-rays, the doctor told me the issue was probably shin splints and that I could slowly return to running. I asked whether it could be a stress fracture because the pain felt more intense than a normal shin splint, but I was assured my leg was fine.

Three days later, at a concert, I turned to say hi to a friend and felt a pop. I immediately knew that I had broken my leg. A rod, plate, and seven screws later, I’m now sidelined from running for months, if not longer.

Stress Fracture Warning Signs

Turns out, I probably did have a stress fracture, but they are hard to detect on X-rays. Runner’s World published an article that details how stress fractures are “notoriously tricky to diagnose.” The article details the five stress fracture warning signs you need to pay attention to. And looking back, I checked off every box, from discomfort with activity to pain that increased throughout runs.

As runners, we know our bodies, and we know when something isn’t right. I regret not getting a second expert opinion on my leg pain. That’s my biggest takeaway from this ordeal. If something feels off, investigate it and ask lots of questions. Don’t be afraid to be annoying. Trusting your gut is better than being holed up with a broken leg.

The Importance of Strength Training

I know I will come back stronger than before. Not being able to run makes me appreciate it so much more. Looking back at my previous training blocks, I also know that going forward, I am going to make smarter choices. I should have added more mobility and strength training to my plan to help me reduce my injury risk. Right before sustaining my injury, Runner’s World released a comprehensive Guide to Strength Training Programme, and I had started completing and loving the six follow-along workouts provided in the guide. I can’t wait to get back to them when I’m healed.

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