6/21 New Shoes! (Again)

One of the things that our TNT coaches keep telling us is that this whole marathon thing is going to hurt. Yes, we'll feel great raising money for LLS. Yes, we'll be in the best shape of our lives. Yes, we'll be ecstatic that we chose to train for a marathon right in the throws of skirt season. And yes, we will develop aches and pains.

With that warning in mind, I tried to ignore some pain that had been developing in my right foot and ankle over the last couple weeks. I attributed it to an old injury from last summer coming back, and made the effort to ice and stretch thoroughly after each session. It didn't improve, and then I noticed that my left foot was starting to hurt, too! I've sprained ligaments in both feet in the passed, and both times doctors and therapists had told me to be sure to ice and stretch before and after workouts. Unfortunately, these things weren't really helping and the problem was just getting worse.

Wednesday evening I had to scrap my 4 mile run after only .87 miles. Instead, I cross-trained on the elliptical and stationary bike. I decided to take a rest day on Thursday instead of doing my speed workout, and on Friday I rode the stationary bike for 25 minutes and did some situps. I was able to make an appointment to see a physical therapist on Saturday afternoon, and drove over to her office with both pairs of running shoes and my injury history...

But not before I did the 9 mile long run on Saturday morning!! Nine miles is the longest I've run in a while, and it's the longest distance I've ever done. The team met in Encinitas at 7am, and we were on the road by 7:30. I clocked in at 1:45:something, and was able to sprint the uphill finish with my friend Jess. The first two miles of the run were stiff, but after that I had loosened up somewhat. I took a couple two-minute walk breaks, and my pace slowed from 9:45 to 12:00 by the time I finished. I stretched afterwards and iced my feet while we did a team breakfast, and then hobbled back to my car and drove to my PT appointment.

Thankfully, my therapist didn't think it was silly that I had run prior to seeing her. In fact, she acknowledged that I couldn't stop running in order to treat the problem, because then I'd throw off my training schedule! I was SO happy to have someone that understood that quitting running wasn't an option. Working out and being active is what makes me happy- I'm not giving that up because some wimpy doctor tells me to stop running!

After that, she examined both pairs of shoes and realized that the new pair I got last month was defective!! The left shoe was kind of smooshed in the back, and the black pads on the bottom of the sneaker didn't match up at all with the right shoe pads. Way too much spacing in some parts, and not enough in others. She attributed the sudden onset of left foot pain to the defective shoe and ordered me back to Road Runner Sports.

With the shoe problem somewhat solved, she then examined my feet and ankles. Long story short, they're not pretty stiff and not as strong as they should be. She said that my mobility was poor, and that if I don't increase strength and flexibility in my feet, my body won't even make it to the marathon, let alone finish. This freaked me out a little bit, and right then and there I vowed to do whatever crazy strengthening and stretching exercises she gave me to do at home. There is no way I'm not completing this marathon in October! I booked a Tuesday evening appointment and another Saturday afternoon. I can't wait to get this going so I can train in top form.

So, I'm in yet another new pair of shoes- another pair of Asics, but this time the Nimbus Gel 10s (or something). They were out of blue, but they did have a pair of the flashiest purple shoes I've ever seen. Makes me glad TNT colors are green and purple, and that my running clothes are mostly black and white. ;)

With physical therapy, [hopefully] the right pair of shoes, and a commitment to better cross training (elliptical, bike and swimming-yikes!), I expect to get over this little bump in the road and continue on injury free through October.

Thanks again for the support, everyone. I'm off to ice.