I am acutely aware now that there is a major difference between pulling a Kevin Federline and taking a few days off exercise - and being told by several sport therapists that I need to stop running for an undetermined amount of time. The first example is by choice, I have no shame admitting that during marathon training I skipped out on some of my 4 a.m. bitterly frigid runs to sleep in and dream of being independently wealthy. Of course I always rationalized with myself that I could make up these missed runs and many times I did (other times I didn't and between me and Jesus, we're both wildly ok with that).
The second example is not by choice - thus making it slightly more devastating. My physical therapist said my case of plantar fasciitis isn't too terrible and that I can begin to run as soon as I feel comfortable (although he did helpfully suggest that I may want to stop hobbling first). He did remark (unprompted I might add) that I have the flattest feet he's ever seen in his entire career. I immediately decided that this might only be his second week on the job - he must have been an ice trucker for years before having a mid life crisis and switching over to therapy. This theory had absolutely no flaws until I glanced at the faded picture of him cutting the ribbon to officially open the therapy clinic back in 1984.
Long story short - too late - while minimalist shoes work just splendidly for those blessed normal individuals that actually have an arch in their foot (that damned alabaster runner) they will cause me continuous pain in my arch for as long as I continue to feebly run in them. At his request I brought in my vibrams for our next session and laid them on the table for Mr. PT - and without him even pointing out the problem, I could see that the shoes severely leaned inwards as pregnancy test positive of my over pronation.
So I have to give up my beloved vibrams if I want to run without re-injuring myself every few months - and truthfully I suspected as much since October. I did my research and settled on a pair of Asics Foundation Gel 8 shoes to fill the running void. The tentative plan is to run next weekend (assuming my arch does not throb like a beeyotch anymore), somewhere between 1-3 miles and take it slowly from there. At first I can surmise that these heavier shoes will only slow my zombie pace even more, but I should stay on track to BQ by the time I'm in the 60+ age bracket. I've come to terms (sobbing can only take up so much of my time) that this injury means revamping my running schedule and starting small again, gradually re-building up to half marathon status by the fall.
While all this isn't depressing enough, I have to practically smack potato chips and other junk food out of my hand lately. And the second third bowls of pasta have to stop as well - there's no need to carbo-load anymore when my most extensive cardio consists of speed walking to the bathroom after my morning coffee.
But I refuse to end on a bad note - so here's the cutest thing you'll see all day!
The second example is not by choice - thus making it slightly more devastating. My physical therapist said my case of plantar fasciitis isn't too terrible and that I can begin to run as soon as I feel comfortable (although he did helpfully suggest that I may want to stop hobbling first). He did remark (unprompted I might add) that I have the flattest feet he's ever seen in his entire career. I immediately decided that this might only be his second week on the job - he must have been an ice trucker for years before having a mid life crisis and switching over to therapy. This theory had absolutely no flaws until I glanced at the faded picture of him cutting the ribbon to officially open the therapy clinic back in 1984.
Long story short - too late - while minimalist shoes work just splendidly for those blessed normal individuals that actually have an arch in their foot (that damned alabaster runner) they will cause me continuous pain in my arch for as long as I continue to feebly run in them. At his request I brought in my vibrams for our next session and laid them on the table for Mr. PT - and without him even pointing out the problem, I could see that the shoes severely leaned inwards as pregnancy test positive of my over pronation.
So I have to give up my beloved vibrams if I want to run without re-injuring myself every few months - and truthfully I suspected as much since October. I did my research and settled on a pair of Asics Foundation Gel 8 shoes to fill the running void. The tentative plan is to run next weekend (assuming my arch does not throb like a beeyotch anymore), somewhere between 1-3 miles and take it slowly from there. At first I can surmise that these heavier shoes will only slow my zombie pace even more, but I should stay on track to BQ by the time I'm in the 60+ age bracket. I've come to terms (sobbing can only take up so much of my time) that this injury means revamping my running schedule and starting small again, gradually re-building up to half marathon status by the fall.
While all this isn't depressing enough, I have to practically smack potato chips and other junk food out of my hand lately. And the second third bowls of pasta have to stop as well - there's no need to carbo-load anymore when my most extensive cardio consists of speed walking to the bathroom after my morning coffee.
But I refuse to end on a bad note - so here's the cutest thing you'll see all day!
Sorry to hear you have to give up the VFF's but at least you have identified the problem and can start rebuilding! I hear ya on having to start all over and hope to get up to Half status by the fall... Injury is a painfully long journey to traverse isn't it? Try rolling those flats over a frozen juice concentrate, worked wonders for my bf's PF and he had a nasty case of it awhile back.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip! My poor feet will be forever frozen after all this necessary icing!
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