Healing takes a long time. On my last visit to the ortho, about a week or so ago, he told me my bones have healed faster than expected. I’m essentially cleared, and while I’ll go check-in with him intermittently, for all intents and purposes, my surgery was a success, and I can start getting back to running more consistently. My next check-in will be in May, which marks one year from placing the tension plate on my tibia.

What has healing been like? I slowly introduced activities post surgery.

May 2018 – surgery to insert a plate in my leg. Immediately on crutches and in a boot.
June 2018 – after one month, I was cleared to swim and do yoga. I started PT to get back my mobility – I lost a considerable amount
July 2018 – I was cleared for light biking, and also to go back to strength training – only lifting lightly, and no jumping
August and Sept – continue to build strength, some light jumping, more fitness riding, also continued PT
October 2018 – finally cleared to start run/walking. This was tiny intervals, starting with running a min at a time
November and December – continue building that running. I got up to 5 miles at one time, running no more than three days a week, and no consecutive days.
January and February – I’ve been doing strength and metabolic conditioning 5 days a week, running 3 days a week getting up to 15 mpw, and some biking.

That brings me into 2019. I have been approved to run a marathon in the Fall, and I’m signed up for the Detroit Free Press Marathon in October. I’m using the base building plan from Faster Road Racing to try to get comfortable with running 4 days a week, and about 25 to 30 miles.

The weird stuff is that I can totally feel the hardware in my leg. My ortho is not concerned, and has said that we can schedule a subsequent surgery to take the plate back out. I’m keeping it for now. I am not ready to think about surgery and recovery again.

Let’s do this.