One-on-One With Michaela Ross: Battling an Injury to Run in the Marathon
By Sandy Mui and Michelle Simon
There is a lot of time, discipline and motivation that goes into training for a long distance run. That didn’t change for the 46th annual NYC Marathon where over 50,000 runners gathered from all over the country to burn calories and then some in early November. Some have been running the 26-mile long course that spans from Staten Island to the Bronx for years. Others, like Michaela Ross, were first (and last) time marathoners anxiously imagining the gratifying moment of crossing the finish line. Though Ross ran, she had to push through while battling an ailment, a broken back now recovered.
What made you want to run the marathon?
Three years ago I was still serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua. During a trip with friends to a canyon, I jumped off a ledge that was 30 feet high. Everyone else who jumped was fine, but I landed funny on my back and ended up breaking it just with the impact of the water. I was in physical therapy for 6 months, and there were times I was told my reflexes might never be normal and that I might have limitations on what I could do physically. It was devastating to think about, but I felt so lucky I wasn’t paralyzed. I promised myself I’d take care of my health really well from then on. So after recovery I moved to New York City and started working at a jazz club while I applied for grad school and other jobs. I met a co-worker who was running the marathon and I thought it was such a great idea. Training for it meant I could learn more about the city by running through new neighborhoods, and the regiment of training would help me keep my back limber. It took a long time, but I made it through training.
What was the injury you suffered from?
I had a compression fracture to my L1 vertebrae 3 years ago.
What was it like training for the 26 mile run after your injury?
I definitely had a hard time finding the balance between running through the pain that comes naturally with running and knowing when I needed to stop to prevent injury. It was frustrating sometimes to have to stall training because I didn’t want to make my injury worst. One of the best things I did was interview physical therapists for a story I wrote during grad school. I was terrified hearing about people who pushed too hard on their injuries and ended up breaking bones.
How many times did you run a week prior to the marathon? And for how long?
I usually ran 4 nights a week for about 3–4 miles each night. When the marathon was about 3 months away, I started an online training program through the New York Road Runners, so I was running 5 nights a week. The training program called for 1 long run a week, which was between 7–20 miles, and the rest of the week was shorter runs.
How many days did you take for rest before you worked out again?
Hahaha, I’m still icing a week after the run, I think I’ll wait another few days to start exercising again.
What about your diet? How did your diet change?
It’s been really hard to adjust my diet. I’m not used to eating so many carbs and having to time when and what I eat with when I am going out for a run. It’s also hard to eat carbs and protein after every long run when you need to replenish your muscles but your stomach doesn’t feel like eating.
At the marathon…
What was it like?
The marathon was such a blast. The energy of standing at a start line with 50,000 people who all feel like they have something to prove to themselves is pretty wild. I love New York City too and have missed it since moving away, and it was breathtaking to get to see it from views that most people will never be able to — especially while running over the Verrazano bridge. The 1 million spectators were also unbelievably supportive. People were standing outside for hours with signs and music to cheer us on, and a lot of people even brought out candy and bananas for the runners. It was like one giant block party. I learned so much about each of the neighborhoods we ran through. And the cheering was nuts. If anyone who ever wanted to be a professional sports player wants to know what it is like to have a million people cheer you on — run the NYC marathon!
Around what mile marker did your body begin to feel fatigued?
I was surprised because I actually didn’t feel fatigued, probably because I was running slow to prevent injury. But I was in pain for the last few miles, haha. Around mile 22 it felt like I had twisted my ankle. I stopped at a medical tent and they told me it was plantar fasciitis, which is basically really bad inflammation. I was able to finish the race but I’m still icing it a week later!
Did you finish? Where did you place?
I finished without walking, which was my goal. The stop for an injury took more time than I wanted, so I came in over 6 hours, but I didn’t mind.
