Argh. Training interrupted yet again. My right foot (heel) got sore after this Tuesday's workout, enough so that I swapped to the water for a few days and went in to see the podiatrist. The diagnosis was sub-calcaneal bursitis - essentially a bursa under my heel has gotten inflamed. The symptoms mimic plantar fascitis but are slightly different (pain goes away with rest, and isn't exactly where the fascia ties into the heel), and my standard tricks of taping and the Strasburg sock just aggravate it.
Podiatrist recommended yet another shoe change (to the Brooks Pure Flow), and so I tried that after a few days rest. The foot felt better than it had before, but was still getting sore after each run. After discussion with Capital Rehab, I decided to go for 2 weeks of no impact exercise. Nothing but pool-running, swimming, and upper body strength work (plus Voltaren). And trying to be on my feet as little as possible.
It's gonna suck, honestly. I'm already in lousy shape, and now I'm taking another 2 weeks off (I'll pool-run and do intervals, but that's not quite the same). But....I figure I can either take this time now, or two weeks from now. Better to get it over with. And if I hadn't run this past weekend, I'd already be half-way through.
And I also keep thinking back to when I broke my foot, and was sentenced to several months of nothing but pool-running. This is honestly just a blip, compared to that.
Plus my hay fever's going crazy right now, so being stuck inside ain't horrible.
Dailies
Monday: In the morning, 60 minutes of pool-running for "6 miles" followed by upper body, core, and injury prevention strengthwork. Foam rolling at night.
Tuesday: In the morning, 9.5 miles outside, including a track workout of 6x800 (splits were 3:01, 2:58, 2:57, 2:56, 2:55, 2:52), followed with a 40 minute shake out in the pool and injury prevention work. Foam rolling at night.
Wednesday: In the morning, 55 minutes of easy pool-running for "5.5 miles." Foam rolling at night.
Thursday: In the morning, a pool-running workout of 10x3:00 hard, 1:00 easy, followed by lower body, core, and injury prevention strengthwork. Foam rolling at night.
Friday: In the morning, 60 minutes of easy pool-running plus a yoga class. Foam rolling at night.
Saturday: In the morning, 4.5 miles easy, followed by upper body and core strength work plus injury prevention work and then 2000 yards of swimming. Foam rolling at night.
Sunday: In the morning, 4 miles easy (8:02 pace), followed by 60 minutes on the arc-trainer (first 45 easy, last 15 at something between marathon and tempo effort), followed by 30 minutes easy pool-running. Yoga and foam rolling in the afternoon.
I'm sorry to hear about your foot/heel injury - I suffered from a similar one last year and it was very frustraiting. I was diagnosed with plantar fascitis and even on good feeling days it would stop cooperating during a workout. I found your blog back in the spring time and didn't tab it to remember...I've been wanting to read up on your pool running which is pretty amazing. I switched to pure flows from wave riders and my feet have had no issues this year. I hope you figure out what works for you and hopefully that heel/foot of yours will get better soon!
ReplyDeleteugh, I feel for you. I'm on full rest about to return to the pool, I think...my femur fracture that's going on 8 months now seems like it didn't heal.Unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteHope you're comfortable and back on the roads soon!
oh no! Join my club! I'm so over little crap injuries messing up my training! But as they say, this too shall pass. Hang in there! Once you're back the race courses will burn!
ReplyDeleteQuestion for you pool running experts: Can you get that "good" endorphin feeling from water running as you do from a regular run?
ReplyDeleteI'm having some anterior tibial tendon inflammation, started over the weekend (where ankle/foot join, on top). Took M/T off from running. At chiro yesterday got dry needled and ART and it was much better. Told I could run on it today. Made it only a few minutes w/o pain, then the rest in increasing pain (6mi on my tmill), now pretty scared. Had been training so well w/o problems, increasing mileage/pace, goal race is marathon mid-Nov, my first in years. Back to chiro tomorrow, probably more dry needling.
Considering podiatrist as well - I'm in NoVa - would you have a rec for podiatrist? (otherwise I found one on web I might try). Had different tendon issue years ago that knocked me out of marathons till now, so I know they can be tricky and I want to do whatever it takes - shockwave therapy, pool running, etc. (gotta say, pretty upset right now)
Any/all help & encouragement welcome - and sending it back to all injured runners!
Forgot to add - I've found this blog such a great source of info and an example of strength and determination, so impressive. You are a role model and a reminder that doing whatever it takes to get healed is hard - harder than just doing the running miles, by far, physically, mentally, emotionally, time/$ wise - but will make a difference. (PLEASE tell me it will make a difference!)
ReplyDeleteI may also investigate the health club at work as they have an arc trainer - I can't do ellipticals (they just don't work for me for some reason, hurt my legs tho I can run for 4h on a treadmill no problem!) but if motion is too similar may not be good for tendon. It hurts when I flex foot up - so every step.