Tag Archive | plantar fasciitis

100 Days……

Jul31

100 days is so far away, yet so close. 100 days till NYCM. 100 days to worry if my training is not enough. 100 days to doubt if my body can handle it. 100 days to worry about what is going on with the new Delta Covid Variant and how this will all play out.

On top of that…..

100 days to fundraise. 100 days to spend as much time fundraising as I do training. 100 days to continue to remind people of the good work that Sandy Hook Promise does that only happens with fundraising. 100 days to remind people that while I do love running this race is more than about running. 100 days to hit my goal.

Is there anyone who doesn’t take on this challenge who doesn’t question why they are doing it, if they should be doing it, and how you can do it better.

Now don’t get me wrong. Training is going good. Although I have already had some foot pain which is concerning. This are things that lead to doubt. These are things that make me realize that I need to go see my podiatrist. More just to make sure that there are no issues and to see if it is time for new inserts for my shoes. I just don’t want to deal with foot pain all through out training and I did have that pain after running only 8 miles. So there is concern.

One thing that I hate to admit as I’ve had issues with my feet 20 pounds ago…… The extra weight is not helping when it comes to my foot health. It’s not so much the weight but the weight combined with being prone to having issues with my feet is not a good combo. Although this time the pain was different. It was on the outside of my foot, so I wonder if something else is going on. And while I know the easy solution is to say….. I’m going to loose 20 pounds. That is much easier said than done.

So the reality is that I’m not going to loose the 20 pounds. Unless I plan to go on a very strict diet (which I won’t), I need to figure out some things out.

  Should this be my last marathon (thats a hard one)

 Do I need to see my podiatrist (yes)

Is it time for new insoles?   (Not sure)

Do I need to focus on foot strike and form (maybe)

GRRRRRR

I really need to not bury my head in the sand like I’ve done in the past and takle this head on.    Although I do like to ignore things till they blow up in my face.  (Doesn’t everyone or is that just me?)

It annoys me too because this go around I am doing everything that I should be doing. But for now, it is not something that is bad enough to cause me to stop. Besides I already have some ideas – like to spend some of my “foundation runs” with biking. To make sure to spend stretching and just listening to my body.

100 days……..

NO STOPPING

Oct8

I’ve had a few people tell me that there is no shame in stopping now. While I know that to be true, I’m also not at that point. A prudent man might say, this is not your year. But I’m not a prudent man, I’m a hardcore badass unicorn who knows that she hasn’t reached her limits. This is just another speedbump in a road filled with them.

Exhibit A

Yesterday I went out for my long run. I knew it would be hard. I expected it to be hard. It was and I was filled with many doubts along the way. That being said, I was not expecting this. I went out planning to keep a very conservative pace which I did. I was averaging 13:30 paces which was mix of walking and running. I stopped to stretch along the way because it was just hard. The beginning was worse which I chalked it up to the normal aches and pains of being Hypopara. I was wrong.

I ended up walking the last mile because I was in pain. A lot. Hubby asked why I didn’t call someone to pick me up. To be honest the thought had crossed my mind, but I really wanted to hit 13 which was down from my original 15 I was going for. It was bad but not excruciating. Manageable and I thought, “I’ll be ok once I get home and stretch.” The excruciating part came after I got home, sat down and took off my shoes. I couldn’t get up I was in so much pain. I thought….. let me shower and that will help.

I had to shower sitting down and then soaked in some Epsom salt. When I went to stand up, I couldn’t. I literally slithered out of the tub and dressed on the floor. Not my best moment. Then again, maybe it was. I managed to get up and sit on the bed and call my podiatrist to get an ASAP appointment. Although painful, I was able to tiptoe to my car to make the drive.

There may have been some tears on the phone with a friend. I kept saying I didn’t do anything different. I was being conservative. I was being smart. I’ve only got 4 weeks to go. Boo Hoo. I was also nervous because it was BOTH FEET. One foot, you can hobble around on. This was not that and even having PF before, I never experience this level of pain. It made me nervous it was more.

Thankfully, by the time I got to the podiatrist office about an hour later, I could put pressure on my feet but it was still painful. At least now it was a respectable 6 and not an off the chart pain. I’ve also got a pretty good tolerance for pain which made me nervous.

X-ray shows all is good. Ultrasound image showed swelling in Plantar Fasciitis. Doc said normal is 2. Mine was 3.8. So after some discussion and promise from me not to do ANY running (as if I could) for the next week until I go back, he gave me cortisone shots in both feet followed by adding some cushioning and wrapping. He said swim or bike, but rest feet. NO bare feet around house and shoes while teaching my preschool gymnastics classes.

So here I am. Being a good girl. staying off my feet. Today I am still sore, but it’s a moderate pain. I’ve already ordered some PF supplies, soaked, rolled and tomorrow plan to go for my very first acupuncture session.

Normally at this point in a marathon training cycle, I say trust in the training to get you there. Not this time. What I need to do now is trust in myself. Trust that I know what my body can do even on hard days. Trust that I know it will be difficult, but knowing that I can do hard things. Trust no matter what the outcome that it is enough.

If I wanted to be brutally honest, I would say that I am running a marathon that I have no business running. I’m under trained. I’m out of shape. I’ve got plantar fasciitis. Then there is the whole hypopara thing. This will not be the great come back that I envisioned at the beginning of this training cycle. This will not be the hypopara PR that I was shooting for.

All that being said, this will still be amazing experience. Running as part of the Sandy Hook Promise Team. Spending time with the team. Sharing the cause. This will also be a feat of determination. Mind not just matter, but my body. Pushing. Asking more from it than it willingly will want to give, but can. That is true for every marathon runner. No matter where you are, what your goals, or even your health. Running a marathon proves that yourselve that you can do anything you put your mind to.

And my mind is set.

Validated

Oct11

 

I was very happy after the Chicago Marathon to know that I would be seeing my Podiatrist a few days later.     As I said before, I knew that I had undone all his hard work during the race.     I didn’t need him to tell me, but the ultrasound of the tendon confirms it.  Validation is always nice even when it’s not good news.

On top of that, I had been ignoring pain in my right foot.   I’d been ignoring it because I had dealt with it before in my left for a year or so ago.  Plantar Faciitis.    But since I was going, I had him take a look at it.    Yup another validation.   Although the hobbling around was a big clue.   At least that he was able to give me a Cortisone shot for that.

I had to laugh though because he’s like heat the left foot for the tendon, but ice the right for the Plantar Faciitis.   Talk about running hot and cold!

I have to say that it is nice   to have a Podiatrist that understands the anatomy or a runner and explains thing too.  Anyway, he then goes on to ask about my upcoming schedule.   I am supposed to do the Runner’s World Grand Slam in two weeks (26.2 over 3 days).   He then proceeds because he knows how us runners can be to ask if maybe I could not run for the whole next week or so  and not do the race because in the long term it won’t be good for my feet.

“Rest is the best thing.”

Hmmmmm…….

Well at least this also validates all the pain that I was in in Chicago.

I could do with a little less validation:)

Ha!

Validated

 

 

Weekly Training Recap

Jul21

WarningMarathonTraining

So it appears Marathon training is in full swing!   Somehow it snuck up on me and apparently I am in the thick of it already.   I was looking at my miles for the Month of July as June I hit 100 and I wanted to see if I would this month too.   Not a problem as I hit it today and we’ve still got a little more than a week to go.  Not even sure how that happened.  This is when I realized that I’m in marathon training.  This past week I ran 30 miles alone!

The surprising thing even with the higher miles I’m feeling pretty good.   I’m noticing that on my faster pace runs that is usually when my Plantar Fasciitis bothers me.   I think between my orthotics, taping my foot, the stretching, and heating my foot it is all coming together.   It’s a slow process and I wish it would just hurry up and go away, but it is better.   I think this may just be something I will have to just realize is part of my running.

Boo Hoo!

Anyway, in looking at my training this last week, I’m realizing that really my runs have just been steadily getting longer.   It’s not just that I went from zero to a hundred overnight.   I’ve been adding a mile to most of my runs over the last couple of weeks.   Very sneaky, Caolan, very sneaky.   It’s good this gradual increase because first of all that is what your supposed to do and secondly I didn’t even notice.

I was also able to sneak in two group runs this past week.   One was a group run that I intentionally let myself fall behind on as they were running at a 9:40 pace and I was supposed to run a little slower and I knew my faster cut-down was 2 days later.   I ran faster than my pace called for but I did have the company of another mama runner who also didn’t want to keep up the faster pace.   Then I was able to do my nice easy 5 with my girlfriend who didn’t mind that I was slowing her down to an easy 11 mile pace.   I needed these group runs:)

Now as I’m in the thick of it, I am also preparing for our annual family vacation to Vermont.   I’m working with my coach to make sure that I don’t loose steam on vacation.   This will be the first vacation that I really try to continue with a training plan while there.   It should be interesting.   She is also going to make this a set back week which I need anyway.   Hopefully this will help and the hills of Vermont will be kind to me.

How do you keep up with your training on Vacation.

Friday Five – Five Ways to Have Happy Feet

Jun5

Friday Five Link-up with by Eat, Pray, Run DC,   Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What?

Today’s Theme in honor of National Running Day this past week,

5 Ways to Have Happy Feet when you have Plantar Fascitis

or as Happy as our feet can be:)

1.  Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

Hoka One

Don’t skimp on your shoes.    If your lucky, you can even find last years model of a normal $170 pair of shoes at DSW for only $70.   I love my Hoka One’s.  The joke in my MRTT group is that they are made with magical unicorn horns due to the price.   I will say that I do think there is some magic in them.  These are the shoes that I was meant to run in!   Every foot is different, so you need to find the one that your foot was made to run in but I love mine:)

2.   Roll, Roll, Roll your feet

Rolling Foot

This was recommended by my podiatrist and it is one of those things that hurts so good.   A iced water bottle.   This is probably the cheapest trick in my bag of tricks, but it feels so good.   Plus, I can pop the bottle out of the freezer and roll my foot out while making dinner or any time of day.

3.   Stretching

I usually start off the day by stretching my calf before I even get out of bed.  Then there are a few that I do during the day, but by far, my favorite stretch is to have my toes on the stairs and just bring my heals down.

4. Taping feet before running

Taping feet Taping Feet

I just started doing this and it has already made a huge impact on my feet.   It only takes a few minutes to do and I haven’t even noticed the tape while running.

5.  Orthotics

I had a pair made and they are in the process of tweaking them because the arch was made too high on one which was making the pain slightly different.   More in the arch of the foot, but still not alleviating the heal pain.   That being said, I could tell it was making a difference overall.   I was sorry to give them back, but hope to have them back in my shoes in another week.

Have you every dealt with foot pain?

What have you done?

Waiting is the Hardest Part

Apr22

Tom Petty said it best.

Waiting is the Hardest Part.

 Patience

Patience has never been my strong suit.   Never.   Even as a child.   I was the kid who would find her Christmas presents.  Then carefully open them.   Peak inside and then even more carefully wrap them back up again.   My Mother didn’t know until I was an adult that I did such things.    What could she expect though when she just kept them in a corner of her room?  But as often, I digress.

I am trying to become a more patient  person.   Having Children does help a little.  Although, admittedly, they try it more than I would like.   As an adult though, you can no longer open things before they are ready.   There are times when there is no choice but to be patient.   Gardening is teaching me that.   It’s hard, but I’m learning that I need to have vision.   I planted what hopefully will be a beautiful flowering and full perennial garden.

Garden3 Garden

Patience.

But I want it now.

I must develop the

Vision to see what is not there.

Yet.

Garden2

Just because I planted in on Monday does not mean that it will be flowering by Tuesday.

I want it to, but that just isn’t the way life works.

Patience.

Life will teach it to you whether you want it to or not.   There really is no other choice.   Everything happens in it’s own time and as much as we want we can’t make some things happen any faster.

Patience.

My Plantar Fascitiis will teach me patience weather I want it to or not.   I would like to think that the Cortisone shot would make it all better and believe me it did make it better.   That being said it really is only a bandage.   Yes, I have been able to get out of bed the last two mornings without pain (yeah!).    Yes, I have been able to stand up without a shooting pain in my heel (yeah!).   But it’s not really over, I was reminded of that by mid afternoon when I felt some discomfort in my heel.

  Patience.

I must remember that just as it took a while for the pain to become part of my day, it is going to take some time for it to no longer be a part of it.

Patience.

Just like planting flowers requires consistent watering and weeding to grow, recovery will require consistent stretching and mindfulness of it.

Patience.

I will learn it.

I will master it.

I won’t like it, but what choice do I have.

As they say, the best things in life are worth waiting for.

Are you a patient person?

Patience.

Just as I suspected…..

Apr20

157-keep-your-eyes-on-the-prize-not-the-obstacles

Lots to talk about this week with running of the Moore/Fitness Half Marathon yesterday.   I’m going to shelve that till tomorrow though, because I need to blog (process) my first visit to the Podiatrist today.   You can only ignore things for so long and I was finally at that point.

If you recall, way back in the way back of August 2014, I self diagnoses myself in I wish I had Happy Feet.   Now I am not abdicating self diagnosis via the web because more often than not your symptoms will have you thinking the worse.   This one though was a pretty cut and dry case making for easy diagnosis.

Obviously since this has been an ongoing issue, it really was time to seek someone who actually has a degree hanging on their wall.   I had made an appointment with a doctor that was not near me, but came highly recommended.    I wans’t sure if I wanted to go that far, but when they called to reschedule because they realized the doctor wouldn’t be in the day of my appointment I took that as my cue that I wasn’t meant to go there.   That same day, I came across a card for a local and I mean 5 minutes from my house local podiatrist.   I took that as my cue that I should go there.   No, I’m not really that flakey (ok, maybe I am), but it seemed like the thing to do.

I made this appointment for the day after yesterdays half.   I figured that way if any issues came up, I could deal with them while they were fresh.    That’s exactly what we did.   Luckily, I had also prepared for this appointment by getting a pedicure last week.   Highly recommend that option always.   Anyway, back to today.

I go into fill out all the insurance forms only to realize that I have every kids card, the prescription card, the dental card, but not mine.  Luckily, the woman was nice and just took the information off of one of my kids cards.   I promised, promised, promised that I would bring it in with my next visit.   Then back to the room I go to wait.

Nurse comes in to take all the pertinent information.   The only question that I stumbled on is on a scale of 1 to 10, how much pain.   The reason I stumbled is because pain is subjective and to me I just pushed through it.  Sometimes, not well but still I usually push.   We gave pain a 4.   Although there were days I would have given it much higher.   All set for doctor now.

At the beginning of the conversation, I made it clear that I’ve got a lot going on running wise.   I through out there that I am doing the 9 plus 1 and then have the Marine Corps Marathon in the fall.   I just wanted him to be clear that sitting on the sidelines really wasn’t an option.   He got the message and I got the diagnosis that I expected and one that I suspected but would not dare say out loud.    Morton’s Toe which I already knew and Plantar Fasciitis which I dared not think of.     When he said the words, he knew that I wasn’t happy, but he had some recommendations on how to deal with it.

1.   Stretches.   Not once a day, but throughout the day.   This will help stretch (obviously) the muscle to lesson the pain.

2.  Orthotics – He did not push the custom one, but being I have 2 different issues and will be running and running and running, I went with this option.   I am getting the ones especially for sneakers.   I hope this is the magic pill.

3.   Cortisone Shot –   Hopefully this will bring me temporary relief until the orthitics come in 3 weeks.

4.   New running shoes – Wouldn’t want to ignore the doctors orders!   So shopping I must go.

So I wonder if this now makes me a 100% of a runner now that I have “feet problem.”    I always said that my body was not designed for running and I guess this is one more thing to prove that point.   Too bad that i never follow the beaten or easy path;)

Have you ever and an injury from running?