It took a few days for me to run again after the weekend – 3 days to be exact. I finished off last week with my highest mileage ever in my life! Yeah, somehow I managed to run/walk/hike/cry my way through 70 miles and it’s the most I’ve ever completed without the use of a car. And it scared me.
I’ve never reached that kind of mileage and the first thoughts I had were:
I’m going to get sick.
Or worse…
I’m going to get injured.
And I should know better than to be putting that kind of an energy out there because then every single ache becomes a sign of something bigger.
I took Monday off because it was the 6th day and I needed a rest day.
On Tuesday I managed to feel pretty run down and downright exhausted so I listened to the whispering my body was telling me and took an extra rest day. The cool, cloudy, breezy weather certainly agreed with me.
Later that evening, after chatting with my Ultra Ordinary Running Podcast friends Angela and Melissa, I got up, and all of a sudden I felt a twingy ache in my left heel. Maybe I just stepped wrong. And we were just talking about Melissa’s own injury she’s been dealing with!!
On Wednesday, the ache was still there and I was starting to get worried so I nixed the run and opted for a stationary bike ride and some foam rolling. What’s another running rest day, right?
When Thursday came around I knew, I needed to run. The left heel felt fine so I went very easy. When I take more than 2 days off in a row from running, I feel so stiff and wonky that I don’t even think my form could be categorized as actual running.
But the most awkward thing happened.
This time it was my right foot arch that gave me issues. Again. The left foot felt fine.
Uhhhh….Is it too early to hit the panic button???
Now, I’m not saying this may be leading to it, or that it is, but I’m only familiar with plantar fasciitis through friends and family who have had it, and let me tell ya, this thing gives me the heebie jeebies more than the thought of running/walking 100 miles.
Last week I had a slight issue with my right foot arch and after a bout with strength training, foam rolling, stretching, praying, and black magic for a day, all was good. I’m hoping the same approach helps with this new achy pain that’s come upon my left foot.
I hate voicing any negative aches, but this is what happens. I’m certainly not immune to injury because I’ve had my share.
And right now, I’m not saying this is an injury. Of course, that could be denial talking. What I will say is, it’s certainly an issue I need to address fiercely and aggressively, before it becomes a real problematic injury that could potentially derail any, ohhh big marathon and 100 mile races I have waiting for me next month.
Yeah.
I was actually a little hesitant on saying anything because I wanted to see what happened after that initial Tuesday night twinge.
I knew I couldn’t avoid mentioning it.
On Saturday, I opted out of a 30 mile trail run. It was a last minute bummed out decision but I woke up with dull achiness, and I’ve got to err on the side of caution. Obviously I didn’t know what was going to happen and I didn’t want to be in the middle of a mountain having to walk, or even worse, limp, miles and miles back to my car.
I didn’t even run on Friday to test it out, but my left heel and arch were both achy, so I spent the day periodically stretching, foam rolling, and making great use of a tennis ball to roll my left foot on. The right foot felt fine.
I don’t want to panic at this point, but it’s something I need to keenly be aware of, and I know I can’t worry about something that may be out of my control. Sure I can do everything in my power to take any ache away, but sometimes the body will do what it wants to do in spire of any ohhh, upcoming big marathon or 100 mile races.
So, I’m taking it day by day, and staying positive. Most importantly, trying to stay away from the panic button.
To be continued…
Thanks for reading!