Before I left for Vegas, I mentioned how I have been struggling with my foot/ankle pain still and it has majorly threatened my training for the full marathon in Calgary. What I didn't say, maybe because I wasn't ready to say it out loud yet, was that very night I chose to downgrade to the half distance.
It was a hard decision even though I believe that it's very unlikely I would have made it to the marathon finish line without further injury. At the beginning of this year I set out to run 3 full marathons in a matter of months and as it turns out, I have only and will only run 1 this year.
The full marathon is just a whole other ball game, one that my foot isn't strong enough for right now. It's taken a couple weeks, but I'm happy that I'm still able to run the half distance with mild pain/discomfort. And hey, I'm still a marathoner, just not training for one right now.
I think sometimes when you've reached certain goals it's hard to see all the milestones that got you there in the first place. I need to remember that a half marathon is still an accomplishment and something I can definitely be proud of.
So now you know. How's your training coming along?
Showing posts with label foot problems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foot problems. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Preamble to the Vegas Mustang 50th Anniversary Half Marathon
Tomorrow we're off to Vegas for my race on Saturday. I have mixed feelings about it. My foot pain comes and goes and though I'm pretty confident I can finish the half marathon, I'm starting to get really nervous about the marathon distance in June for Calgary. Speaking of which, the deadline to switch distance is tonight at midnight (in case you need to)... Every time I run now, that's in the back of my mind.
The pain in my foot seems to have migrated into the back of my ankle, where I'm starting to wonder is maybe where it really began, and perhaps the arch pain was a result of continuing to run on it or overcompensation. Anyways, there's not much I can do about it at this point, except continuing to focus on recovery and running smart. I think the timing for this injury is what perplexes me the most. Sometimes I feel like I can only be good at one thing at one time if that makes sense. Lately I've been more focused on school because I haven't been enjoying running as much because of the pain, which I suppose isn't entirely terrible, since I need to finish it. Also, it could be a lot worse, as my foot actually seems to be managing the half distance before becoming excruciatingly painful, so I'm definitely counting my blessings in that respect. That's a huge improvement since LA.
Mostly I'm looking forward to a vacation with Cody. We have a really busy Summer coming up with friends getting married and my practicum for school, so this will be our main vacation this year other than hopefully some camping and I think we both need the time away together.
Other than the race, I don't have any plans to run. Supposedly, it's set to be 30+ degrees or high 80's Fahrenheit. Personally, I do not run well in those temperatures, but hopefully because the race is so early in the morning we will be able to beat the heat...
Do you have any exciting plans for the Easter long weekend? Any suggestions for what to do in Vegas? We are seeing a couple of shows, but so far that's it.
The pain in my foot seems to have migrated into the back of my ankle, where I'm starting to wonder is maybe where it really began, and perhaps the arch pain was a result of continuing to run on it or overcompensation. Anyways, there's not much I can do about it at this point, except continuing to focus on recovery and running smart. I think the timing for this injury is what perplexes me the most. Sometimes I feel like I can only be good at one thing at one time if that makes sense. Lately I've been more focused on school because I haven't been enjoying running as much because of the pain, which I suppose isn't entirely terrible, since I need to finish it. Also, it could be a lot worse, as my foot actually seems to be managing the half distance before becoming excruciatingly painful, so I'm definitely counting my blessings in that respect. That's a huge improvement since LA.
Mostly I'm looking forward to a vacation with Cody. We have a really busy Summer coming up with friends getting married and my practicum for school, so this will be our main vacation this year other than hopefully some camping and I think we both need the time away together.
Other than the race, I don't have any plans to run. Supposedly, it's set to be 30+ degrees or high 80's Fahrenheit. Personally, I do not run well in those temperatures, but hopefully because the race is so early in the morning we will be able to beat the heat...
Do you have any exciting plans for the Easter long weekend? Any suggestions for what to do in Vegas? We are seeing a couple of shows, but so far that's it.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Sidelined.
So much has happened in the past week that I don't even know where to start. I've decided to break it up into a few posts to not overwhelm you with all of my thoughts at once.
To start with, I will break down all of the things I did prior to the marathon to deal with the pain occurring in my foot.
1. Panic
I spent the first part of the week completely freaking out about the race even jumping to the conclusions that I might have to back out and not do the race entirely. After the panic settled, I began implementing a plan to give myself the best chance to cross the finish line only a few short days later.
2. See a physiotherapist.
On another runners recommendation, I visited the local physio clinic in hopes that they'd do some magic and have some awesome suggestions to make the pain disappear immediately. She had some great suggestions but of course, was unable to make any promises regarding the race and wasn't able to completely confirm a diagnosis either. She was leaning towards PF or plantar fasciitis but having only seen me once wasn't completely sure.
3. Try reflexology.
I've heard about this before, but thought that it was just the same as massage. I was sort of wrong. It is massage but not the same type that you get when you go to an RMT. It is focused on hands and feet and in my case specifically on my right foot. I will say that I walked out of there without any pain and after 2 treatments, I was feeling pretty good. Health Roots Reflexology offers a treatment for plantar fasciitis, and though I wasn't confirmed to have that yet, it was clear that I'd done something to inflame the arch of my foot and the plantar fascia. A lot of time was spent trying to break up the scar tissue at the base of my heel which is where I was feeling the most pain.
4. Massage Therapy.
I had a hunch that something else must have lead to this problem, for it to come completely out of nowhere just didn't make any sense to me. I did a lot of reading about foot problems that runners encounter and one of the things that stuck out in my mind is having tight calves and that leading to PF. After we ran the 32km, I felt pretty good, tired but good. The only slight thing I noticed was that my calves were REALLY tight. I thought that a couple light runs would loosen things up. Anyways... The RMT worked some magic and really massaged out my legs and feet.
5. See a chiropractor.
I have this really amazing chiropractor who is great at dealing with runners and all the problems we offer. I used to see him regularly, but life got in the way, blah blah blah, and I sort of just stopped going. He was the first person I thought of when all this started but I wasn't able to get in to see him until last Wednesday. Like the physiotherapist, he was very hesitant to pass judgement as to what specifically was happening until after the race, but he was pretty sure that something other than PF was going on. He was also very quiet about the topic of reaching the finish line, but kindly told me to return when I got back from LA and we would go from there. He gave me some hip exercises as he thinks the fact that my right hip being significantly weaker than the other side has played a role in this injury.
6. Ice, roll, stretch, tape, repeat.
I used to roll on a regular basis, but like the chiropractor... life and other excuses got in the way. Anyways, the last week or so, it feels like that's all I've been doing. I even bought a lacrosse ball at the Chiro's suggestion to roll the bottom of my foot and it is the best! I had one of those foot rubz balls from the running store but it just wasn't cutting it. I've also been icing my foot before bed to bring down inflammation and pain. Lastly I've been taping my foot with KT tape... I've been through almost 2 whole rolls.
7. Hope.
There wasn't much else I could do beyond this. My biggest fear was getting out there and having to quit in the middle of the race. Mentally, I would rather not even start the race than have to quit in the middle.
You may already know at this point that I did make it to the finish line, beyond that you will have to wait for my race review which is currently in progress. Today I returned to the chiropractor and he is fairly certain that rest is best at this point. So here I am, sidelined from running until further notice. Right now I'm looking at least 10 days but possibly more. My race schedule is entirely up in the air now. I have to say it is odd to be in this position as I never really have. Though I'm not entirely surprised because after Sunday, I am in quite a bit of pain again, so it isn't as though I can run anyways.
Next up, Day 1 in Los Angeles and the Nutri Bullet Health and Fitness Expo!
To start with, I will break down all of the things I did prior to the marathon to deal with the pain occurring in my foot.
1. Panic
I spent the first part of the week completely freaking out about the race even jumping to the conclusions that I might have to back out and not do the race entirely. After the panic settled, I began implementing a plan to give myself the best chance to cross the finish line only a few short days later.
2. See a physiotherapist.
On another runners recommendation, I visited the local physio clinic in hopes that they'd do some magic and have some awesome suggestions to make the pain disappear immediately. She had some great suggestions but of course, was unable to make any promises regarding the race and wasn't able to completely confirm a diagnosis either. She was leaning towards PF or plantar fasciitis but having only seen me once wasn't completely sure.
3. Try reflexology.
I've heard about this before, but thought that it was just the same as massage. I was sort of wrong. It is massage but not the same type that you get when you go to an RMT. It is focused on hands and feet and in my case specifically on my right foot. I will say that I walked out of there without any pain and after 2 treatments, I was feeling pretty good. Health Roots Reflexology offers a treatment for plantar fasciitis, and though I wasn't confirmed to have that yet, it was clear that I'd done something to inflame the arch of my foot and the plantar fascia. A lot of time was spent trying to break up the scar tissue at the base of my heel which is where I was feeling the most pain.
4. Massage Therapy.
I had a hunch that something else must have lead to this problem, for it to come completely out of nowhere just didn't make any sense to me. I did a lot of reading about foot problems that runners encounter and one of the things that stuck out in my mind is having tight calves and that leading to PF. After we ran the 32km, I felt pretty good, tired but good. The only slight thing I noticed was that my calves were REALLY tight. I thought that a couple light runs would loosen things up. Anyways... The RMT worked some magic and really massaged out my legs and feet.
5. See a chiropractor.
I have this really amazing chiropractor who is great at dealing with runners and all the problems we offer. I used to see him regularly, but life got in the way, blah blah blah, and I sort of just stopped going. He was the first person I thought of when all this started but I wasn't able to get in to see him until last Wednesday. Like the physiotherapist, he was very hesitant to pass judgement as to what specifically was happening until after the race, but he was pretty sure that something other than PF was going on. He was also very quiet about the topic of reaching the finish line, but kindly told me to return when I got back from LA and we would go from there. He gave me some hip exercises as he thinks the fact that my right hip being significantly weaker than the other side has played a role in this injury.
6. Ice, roll, stretch, tape, repeat.
I used to roll on a regular basis, but like the chiropractor... life and other excuses got in the way. Anyways, the last week or so, it feels like that's all I've been doing. I even bought a lacrosse ball at the Chiro's suggestion to roll the bottom of my foot and it is the best! I had one of those foot rubz balls from the running store but it just wasn't cutting it. I've also been icing my foot before bed to bring down inflammation and pain. Lastly I've been taping my foot with KT tape... I've been through almost 2 whole rolls.
7. Hope.
There wasn't much else I could do beyond this. My biggest fear was getting out there and having to quit in the middle of the race. Mentally, I would rather not even start the race than have to quit in the middle.
You may already know at this point that I did make it to the finish line, beyond that you will have to wait for my race review which is currently in progress. Today I returned to the chiropractor and he is fairly certain that rest is best at this point. So here I am, sidelined from running until further notice. Right now I'm looking at least 10 days but possibly more. My race schedule is entirely up in the air now. I have to say it is odd to be in this position as I never really have. Though I'm not entirely surprised because after Sunday, I am in quite a bit of pain again, so it isn't as though I can run anyways.
Next up, Day 1 in Los Angeles and the Nutri Bullet Health and Fitness Expo!
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Preface to the LA Marathon
Well, this is it, we are leaving tonight on our journey towards LA, and I'm coming face to face with my sort-of-last-minute decision to sign up for the LA marathon.
Foot Update (What's this about? Visit this post if you don't know what I'm talking about):
There's still some aches and pains on walking although it is somewhat better than how I felt on Saturday. I have not and will not attempt running again until race day as per Dr.'s orders which means the LA big 5k included with my marathon registration will not be happening. I've been to a physiotherapist, a chiropractor, had reflexology, and massage therapy this week. The Physiotherapist said it could be plantar fasciitis and the Chiropractor thinks it's something else. Either way, I'm confident that I've done everything I can at this point and the rest is out of my hands. I'm doing my best to think positive and hope for a pain-free marathon on Sunday.
How I'm feeling about Marathon #2:
So many things are going through my mind at this point. I woke up with a cold and Delta airlines won't assign us a seat for our flight in the morning which is making me wonder if it is oversold... So right now those are at the top of my list for concerns.
I'm nervous and unsure about my foot, but mentally I feel ready. In all honesty, I've felt ready since finishing my 1st marathon. Yea, I did take a little break, but I knew that I had many more marathons in me and it was only just a matter of time. This weekend, however, I will not be attempting a PR but rather just to cross the finish line. I had originally hoped just to PR my 1st marathon time even by just a second, but at this point my foot is unpredictable and getting to the finish line is enough of an accomplishment for me.
Traveling to a race always adds some extra jitters to my pre-race nerves, but it can also be a lot more exciting. Not only am I heading into my 2nd full marathon, but I'm getting a mini vacation with my sister and my friends!
I've traveled to lots of races last year including Nevada, Disneyland, New York, Portland, Whistler, Seattle, and Disneyworld.... WOW thank goodness I'm not traveling that much this year haha! But seriously, I'm really hoping this race goes as smoothly as those did.
In an effort to think positively here are some fun facts about this trip:
I packed everything in carry on luggage! Since I'm only doing 1 race now, I only have to pack 1 running outfit, thank goodness!
There are tons of yummy places to eat in LA and we are going to try to visit as many as we can in the next 4 days!
Sisters' trip v2.0 is happening! My sister and I have the same sense of humor and she's always the best at cheering me up when things aren't going as planned.
LA marathon has set it up so you can leave supportive messages for runners that can be seen on screens throughout the course, you can leave a message for me here. You can also track me on Sunday here.
Have any advice you'd like to share for traveling to a race? Maybe you're a flight attendant and you can ease my concerns about our flight being oversold (please... somebody help!)?
Foot Update (What's this about? Visit this post if you don't know what I'm talking about):
There's still some aches and pains on walking although it is somewhat better than how I felt on Saturday. I have not and will not attempt running again until race day as per Dr.'s orders which means the LA big 5k included with my marathon registration will not be happening. I've been to a physiotherapist, a chiropractor, had reflexology, and massage therapy this week. The Physiotherapist said it could be plantar fasciitis and the Chiropractor thinks it's something else. Either way, I'm confident that I've done everything I can at this point and the rest is out of my hands. I'm doing my best to think positive and hope for a pain-free marathon on Sunday.
How I'm feeling about Marathon #2:
So many things are going through my mind at this point. I woke up with a cold and Delta airlines won't assign us a seat for our flight in the morning which is making me wonder if it is oversold... So right now those are at the top of my list for concerns.
I'm nervous and unsure about my foot, but mentally I feel ready. In all honesty, I've felt ready since finishing my 1st marathon. Yea, I did take a little break, but I knew that I had many more marathons in me and it was only just a matter of time. This weekend, however, I will not be attempting a PR but rather just to cross the finish line. I had originally hoped just to PR my 1st marathon time even by just a second, but at this point my foot is unpredictable and getting to the finish line is enough of an accomplishment for me.
Traveling to a race always adds some extra jitters to my pre-race nerves, but it can also be a lot more exciting. Not only am I heading into my 2nd full marathon, but I'm getting a mini vacation with my sister and my friends!
I've traveled to lots of races last year including Nevada, Disneyland, New York, Portland, Whistler, Seattle, and Disneyworld.... WOW thank goodness I'm not traveling that much this year haha! But seriously, I'm really hoping this race goes as smoothly as those did.
In an effort to think positively here are some fun facts about this trip:
I packed everything in carry on luggage! Since I'm only doing 1 race now, I only have to pack 1 running outfit, thank goodness!
There are tons of yummy places to eat in LA and we are going to try to visit as many as we can in the next 4 days!
Sisters' trip v2.0 is happening! My sister and I have the same sense of humor and she's always the best at cheering me up when things aren't going as planned.
LA marathon has set it up so you can leave supportive messages for runners that can be seen on screens throughout the course, you can leave a message for me here. You can also track me on Sunday here.
Have any advice you'd like to share for traveling to a race? Maybe you're a flight attendant and you can ease my concerns about our flight being oversold (please... somebody help!)?
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