Week 17: Cautiously Optimistic

So Sunday's run did not go well. It was one of those things you hope doesn't happen- I got a little injured.

We were supposed to run 18 miles on Sunday, and we took a little field trip to Palos Verdes, south of LA. It was a perfect day for running- overcast and cool, and we were running along the ocean. It was going well- I made it 12 miles and was a little sore, but other than that, fine. At mile 12.5, however, I got a sharp pain in the bottom of my right foot- on the arch. I thought it was just a cramp, so I slowed to a walk and tried to walk it off. Walking seemed to help a little, so I carried on that way for another 1/2 a mile. Then I got to a fork in the road where I could have either gone straight to head toward the start/end point and gone about a total of 14 miles, or I could turn left and do a big loop, going the full 18 miles. I decided to push through it and go for the whole distance.

So much of a marathon is mental, and I have had aches and pains before, but usually I can work through it and finish. I was looking at it that way at that point- this was not easy but I would get through it and it was just a cramp. I kept telling myself I could do it.

Well, that turned out to be the wrong move. This was not just a cramp. As soon as I picked up the pace, it started hurting again, and a couple hundred yards later, I was done.

The fabulous TNT folks took good care of me, though. Coach Ed came along a couple minutes after I stopped and offered some good advice, and he called Ivanne, our Westside campaign coordinator who came over and picked me up in her car. She took me over to visit with Coach Gary. All three were really supportive and did their best to make me not discouraged that I wasn't finishing the run. Because at that point- that was what I was most concerned about- I really wanted to finish the full 18 miles and was concerned that I was going to be behind if I couldn't finish the miles. Gary particularly gave me good advice and a lot of confidence that I already have what it takes to finish the 26.2.

Well, I headed home, quite discouraged on the 45 minute drive back to Santa Monica. Getting out of my car was the first time when I thought- uh oh. I might have bigger problems than not finishing my 18 miles today- what if there is something really wrong? The coaches had thought it might just be a bad cramp, or it could be plantar faciitis, which is the stretching of ligaments that run along the bottom of your foot connecting the bones in your heel to your toes, or some other kind of muscle strain. Regardless of what it was, it HURT. I really couldn't put any weight on my foot at all. Not good.

I got home and did the ice bath thing- soaking my legs and feet/ankles in ice cold water, and then iced/elevated my foot all day long.

I woke up yesterday and unfortunately it didn't feel much better, and that's when I really started to worry. You know that feeling when you first get a sore throat, and you realize how much you take it for granted when you don't have a sore throat? Or a stuffy nose, or the Flu? How all you can think about is how much you wish you could just feel "normal" again? Yeah, so that was yesterday. And I started to really feel down and wonder what I would do if I couldn't run my marathon. I have put in so much work and to get sidelined by something that feels SO out of my control- I didn't even twist my ankle because I stepped in a hole- it was seriously fine one minute and debilitating the next. And I feel like I've got 80 people behind me, supporting me that I don't want to let down. That's why I didn't post yesterday- I didn't want to put anything out there when I was feeling so down about things. But I got some good advice from some runner friends on Facebook yesterday, as well as coach Gary and Ed from TNT, and I resolved yesterday to try my best to be patient- something I can always use some practice on. I iced it off and on all day yesterday and bought an ace-bandage type thing to sleep in last night that several people recommended.

I woke up today feeling cautiously optimistic- my foot feels much better. Not 100% by any means, and I think I am off running at least until the weekend (something else I'm having trouble being patient on- the idea of being "behind" frightens me even though everyone keeps telling me I've got the training in me already,) but it feels significantly better than yesterday. I have an appointment with an Orthopedist on Friday that i am going to keep regardless, and I may get custom orthotics for my shoes that should help keep my feet in line and keep this from happening again, assuming I get a clean bill of health and can keep going for the marathon.

I'll keep you posted.