Before I started writing this week's post I read the blogs that the other ladies had posted this week. I fear that I am only going to add to the gloom although Danielle, you sound like you had a fantastic week!
This week my plantar fasciitis went from bad to worse. It was not by best week by any stretch, it was certainly my worst. I completed a seven-mile and five-mile run last week and did a little cross training on the bike one day. I was gearing up for my 16 miles on Sunday and actually looking forward to the challenge. I knew I could do it and it would be the furthest I had run. My son's basketball resumed after the school break on Saturday morning so I had to switch my long run back to Sunday. I got up and out early around 6.30 am as my youngest was just starting to wake up (I knew if I went into her room it would be at least another hour before I left the house).
I had packed my fuel belt the night before and was planning to try out some Gu as well as some music for after mile 10 when the novelty of peace and quiet starts to wear off! My plan was to also try and take some strategic “stretching breaks” to just keep my plantar fasciitis at bay. I ran the first five and turned to head west again and felt fine. I tried out the Gu at around the five-mile mark and it was pretty disgusting! It's like thick, sickly sweet sludge! I think I will try to stick to my Gatorade or maybe a bite of a Clif bar from now on. At about the eight-mile mark my heel pain started nagging again and I could feel myself change my gait. I stretched out a little, walked a little and got back to jogging. By mile 10 I was wrestling in my head whether I was better to stop short and prevent further injury or to go the distance no matter what. All along I have been telling myself this is a mental race after 10 miles. Of course I decided that distance was more important than injury prevention! I turned on my music and Lady Gaga came on to help me through the next two miles. Around mile 12 I was getting to my turning point at Speen Street in Natick and all I could think was “where’s that bench by the lake, it must be coming up soon.” The pain in my heel was so bad I could barely walk. I never found the bench and half a mile short I turned back for home. I managed to hobble another two miles before the pain started travelling up the outside of my leg. At this point it was painful to walk and I was barely even walking. I bit the bullet and called my husband to come pick me up – a mile from my house. I couldn't even make it the last mile.
I got home feeling disappointed in myself. My almost-two year old must have missed me that morning and she decided it was time for a full-on, face-in-the-rug meltdown. I think we both shed a couple of tears! Later in the afternoon after some ice, Advil and stretching I think I pulled myself together! First thing on Monday I emailed Garth in physical therapy so we could make a plan. In the meantime I have been hobbling around the office, complaining that I feel like a 90-year-old and will be doing a fair bit on the elliptical. I am hoping to do a shorter run later this week if I can. I think I could deal with two weeks of cross-training if I had to! I think someone wrote on the board in the Shipley Fitness Center, “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger” – those are the words I have been repeating to myself over and over this week!
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