Category: injury

My foot didn’t fall off!

. . . which is always a good feeling. I was able to run 5k today with only minimal pain! It’s really exciting! The PT started ASTYM on my plantar fascia  (the connective tissue on the sole of the foot) yesterday, and I think it’s working. And since it’s working so well, I’m thinking that I’ve just had a bad bout of plantar fasciitis. Not fun. But I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to finish my half marathon that’s in 24 days. No big deal, albeit slightly terrifying. I don’t have any goals other than to finish. I’ll do better in the half I’ll run after this one. I’m already planning on it. Now the question is: which half should I run next?

Anyway, I took a picture that I was going to post, but I didn’t have my memory card in my camera. Fail. I’ll show you my new bright neon yellow running top some other time. It’s super obnoxious, but at least I won’t get hit by cars.

FFR

Do you have any particularly bright running clothes?

Weekly Recap

Total mileage: 9 (pretty pathetic, eh?)

This week’s runs were okay. I ran 3 miles on Tuesday and 6 on Saturday. Tuesday’s run was decent until about mile 2, when my foot started aching . . . really aching. So I hobbled through the last mile or so and called it quits. Sigh.

Then I was going to run on Thursday, but I had a migraine. Not fun.

And yesterday’s 6-miler was pretty good. I ran the first 2.5 with The Husband (to his turnaround point) and continued for another half mile before I turned around. I slowed down considerably after TH left. My foot hurt a bit, but it was a lot better after I slowed down. I took some Sport Beans at mile 3, which gave me some energy. The fruit punch flavor is pretty good. I’ll see how they are for longer runs–if I ever run long anytime soon.

Anyway, unless something miraculous happens, I’ll be taking the (really) slow and steady route for my half marathon in 27 days! A bit scared about that. If I don’t see any improvement, though, I might downgrade to the 5k, but we’ll see.

 

What’s your favorite fuel for long runs?

Have you ever felt extremely undertrained for a race? What did you do on race day?

 

What’s really wrong with me

So, I went to the doctor last Thursday for a follow up. The verdict isn’t as “cool” as I thought it would be. My legs are different lengths, but the difference is so negligible that it’s not the culprit of my problems. From what I can discern, my problems lie in an excess of scar tissue around my tendons in my ankle and both sides of my left calf. To fix this, we’re doing some ASTYM:

The ASTYM System is the form of augmented soft tissue mobilization (ASTM) that allows the clinician to stimulate the body’s own capacity for healing in patients with soft tissue degeneration or fibrosis and chronic inflammation. This leading edge, non-invasive treatment is performed with ergonomically designed instruments that initiate the healing process necessary for tissue remodeling.

Source

Some ASTYM bruising

Basically my PT, who is awesome, by the way, uses some tools to stimulate inflammation in my muscles to get them to heal normally and break up all that scar tissue. Pretty cool, eh? I had my first treatment today, and it hurt a little, but I’m sure it will help. And the good news is that I get to resume running this week if I slow down or stop if I feel pain. I’m overjoyed, really. Maybe I’ll knock out about 3 tomorrow. I know I won’t be in the best shape for the half in a month, but I’d rather be able to run it and walk some than not run at all. Wouldn’t you agree?