Rohrer: MRI reveals stress fracture in navicular bone 

By Doug Binder, Dyestat editor

Reigning Foot Locker cross country champion Anna Rohrer confirmed to DyeStat on Friday that the broken bone in her left foot is the navicular -- and it's a particularly troublesome bone for runners.

The junior from Mishawaka (Indiana) -- located near Notre Dame University -- said that an MRI showed evidence that the bone located it in the top and middle of her foot had been breaking gradually "for a while."

"I hadn't been feeling any pain up until about two weeks ago when I started to really monitor it," Rohrer said.

There was no pain in her foot on Aug. 24, when she opened her fall season with a time of 16:52 at the Viking Stampede in Michigan. That was the fastest 5,000-meter time ever posted by an Indiana prep female.
And it was only the latest indication that Rohrer was entering the season in top-notch fitness.

Earlier, at the Bowerman 5K road race at Nike Headquarters on July 27, Rohrer ran with the top open women in the field and finished in 16:57. The race came at the conclusion of the Nike Elite Camp (and just a couple of hours after her sit-down interview with Dyestat).

The list of runners who have endured similar injuries to the navicluar bone is long and includes Galen Rupp (navicular bruised in 2005 when he stepped in a hole during a race), Adam Goucher (broken in 2006-07), Alysia Montano (broken in 2008), Lauren Fleshman (broken in 2008) and Paula Radcliffe (broken, 2012).

Rohrer had a similar injury to the navicular bone in her right foot as a freshman.

According to a report in the South Bend Tribune, doctors estimate the injury will keep Rohrer sidelined for at least eight weeks. That means her regular season will be essentially wiped out and the chance of qualifying for a return trip to Foot Locker is slim.

"Obviously, we're all devastated here," Mishawaka coach Chris Kowalewski told the Tribune. "This is a nightmare for our team, but we will figure out a way to get through it."

UPDATE: Rohrer said her injury will not require surgery.