Injury

Well, friends. It finally happened. I hurt my foot the other day while out for a 5-mile run. I’m not really sure how it happened, but I was out running, and felt a little twinge in my foot, but kept running anyway. It went away, so I figured it was nothing. That night, I was walking around town, and my foot hurt, but again, I just figured it was because I had run in the morning, and I was wearing flat sandals. On the next day, I went out for a 2-mile run, and when I got home, I could hardly walk it hurt so much.

First thing I’ll say – if you feel any pain in your feet, stop running and walk. Don’t be dumb like me.

This has actually been a problem for me for two weeks now. I thought it had gone away, and it had really, for a week. But when I went out for my long run on Saturday, the pain was back, and worse than before.

Running is a tough sport – mentally and physically. And it’s times like these that are the hardest. Running long distances are hard, don’t get me wrong, but to be sidelined, when your friends are out running too, it’s so incredibly frustrating.

I’m lucky that the running store that I train with actually had physical trainers in the store on Saturday, and I was able to speak with one of them about my issues. Turns out I have slight tendonitis in my foot, on the bottom of my foot, near the heel. This is thanks to flip flops and their lack of support for my high arches. Thankfully, she gave me stretches to do to help lose up the tension in the muscle and tendon, as well as some strengthening exercises to help prevent this problem from getting worse.  Remember that issue in my back I mentioned before?  Yeah, of course this is related to that.  OF COURSE IT IS.  But again, at least I know what to do to take care of the problem.

The most important part of this whole issue – remember to take care of your body. Don’t push through the pain, because you really never know what damage could be done. I think I got lucky that it’s not something worse, like a stress fracture, or anything like that. I think I could be back up and going this week.

Anyone else dealing with a persistent injury? Any advice on how not to go crazy!??