PF Club

(No relation to Fight Club)

Plantar Fasciitis Blows! It seems like you mention PF to any runner and either they've had it, they have it, or their friends have it and they have been dealing with it for far too many months for my taste. I saw an ART guy at Rev3 last weekend and he mentioned PF is like a club. I told him that is not a club I want to be a part of :) Unfortunately I seem to have joined the club and I am joining the ranks of those that will try anything to get rid of their heel and arch pain!

Of my friends that currently are treating, dealing, or dealt with PF solutions offered up included rest, ART, Shockwave therapy, stretching, massage, laser therapy, ice massage, golf ball rolling, night splints, toe exercises, heel supports, orthotics...the list goes on and I am trying most of these things minus orthotics or heel supports, I feel like they might cause a compensation injury so I want to avoid them at all costs. I'm also holding off on the shockwave therapy as a last resort if my foot doesn't respond to ART. It is pricey and painful (not that ART isn't, but I like that with ART I have someone actually digging around in there and finding all the junk, not just pointing a laser at my heel) and the quick fix sounds too good to be true to me, after all I have been slowly making the foot worse since May, unlike other injuries I have given myself over night, it seems it might take some time to fix something you have been damaging for awhile.

So I took 8 days off running, the most I have taken off in ages it seems. I wanted three pain free mornings before I'd run again. Wanted to get rid of the constant inflammation. The timing on this for my body was good because I was clearly just running out of steam mentally and physically and getting burned out. The foot was a good excuse to get some much needed recovery from hard training.

I also went out and bought a night splint to prevent me from pointing my toes at night and inflaming the foot first thing in the morning.

I got in for some free ART on the foot at REV3 and the next morning was my first pain free morning which was followed by a not pain free morning (ironman spectating involves being on your feet) then 2 pain free mornings which I called good enough even though the whole days weren't pain free as the ART guy seemed to think I could do some easy running without making things worse. He said I basically had a lot of adhesion/scar tissue in my foot that needed to be worked out, and until they are I will have problems with it. Basically my heel feels like a rock and it is supposed to feel malleable!

I'm getting ART twice a week until the foot is pain free every day. My second ART appt and first with my local guru was painful but followed by two blissfully pain free runs. This is a good sign that my foot will eventually heal! YAY! This Mondays ART session was also followed up with a pain free run. We'll see if I can get a second one today.

All of my ART days were followed up with long nights on my feet at social outings which I think is counter productive for the foot, but this morning rolling it on the golf ball seemed to negate the damage done bouncing around at the Foo Fighters concert last night. So I will continue the self massage!

I have an awesome ice cup thingy my buddy Lloyd gave me when I gave myself tendonitis playing Dance Central, and I have been using that to ice/massage the foot after runs. I think now that it is a chronic issue the ice doesn't really help at other times as it actually keeps blood flow from getting to the foot, but that is one thing (ice vs heat) I have never gotten a really good handle on. I just know if the foot is inflamed from the run the ice makes it feel better (aka numb!).

I borrowed my aunt and uncles $1600 laser and have been "treating" my foot for 10 minutes a day. I feel nothing while I am doing it and I have no idea if it is voodoo, but if it helps awesome, if it doesn't I'm out ten minutes a day. The theory is it helps direct blood flow to the heel which doesn't get much blood flow, more blood flow = faster healing.

While brushing my teeth every day I am doing toe raises and what I am calling foot crunches where I use my toes to try and grip the ground in the hopes of strengthening my foot.

I broke out the foot spa and I am going to try and get in epsom salt baths for the feet as often as possible, the warm water seems to loosen it up.

I'm yoga-ing and stretching my calves so that once the foot is healed hopefully I don't mess it up again.

Any magic PF cures you folks have that I should be trying? Clearly I am willing to try just about anything to quit this darn club!

Hiatus

Well my body is crying uncle. Rough race in Indy on Saturday and my foot is in pretty bad shape. I've put so much effort into priming my body for an OTQ attempt, but in the process I have also dug myself into a bit of a hole physically and emotionally. So now it is time to dig myself out. Sometimes the best decision is the hardest one to make. I know this is the best decision for my body right now, but my heart just aches because of it. I love running and racing and I have come so far the past few years, it is hard to see goals slip through your fingers. But I am sure I will walk away from this a stronger woman once I can get beyond the pain.

I'm going to cross train and focus on massage, yoga, relaxtation, and start working on rebuilding my mental prowess while my body heals. Not sure how long it will take to heal, my body has been pretty kind to me in that department in the past so I am still holding out hopes for a miracle this fall, but making peace with the possible reality of a long recovery. I'm going to stop running until I can wake up every morning pain free. Posting here may be sporadic for awhile, but maybe I will find an enthusiasm for yoga, swimming, and cycling again and have something positive to share! We'll see!

Week 5 C'Bus Training 2011

For those trying to keep up with the master plan here I hope you are faring better than me :) My body just couldn't quite get it done this week. Was it wise for me to take a few days off, most certainly yes. Am I still bummed about it, most certainly yes :) I want to be superwoman! But alas I am mortal some days.

Goals were:

Total Mileage 80 - 85.

Monday: Easy.
Tuesday: Track.
Wednesday and Friday: easy miles @ 7:20 or slower. 6 x 30 sec with
full recovery on Friday
Thursday: Tempo run: 2 miles @ 6:20, 1 miles @ 6:30, 2 miles @ 6:20, 1 mile @ 6:30,
1 mile @ 6:20
Weekend:
18 miles @ 7:25
12 miles (8 @ 6:50, 4 @ 6:35)

So as you know by now that didn't happen. Here is what did happen:

42 miles
5 runs
Two twelve mile bike rides to and from work on Friday (ride home on a flat, that made me a work a little harder than intended!)
Car shopping Saturday!
Rest Sunday.

Track:

6*800 goal 2:48-2:50 with 90 second rests followed by 2 minute rest then 1600 at 5:36 to 5:40

2:47.74, 2:47.62, 2:47.15, 2:46.87, 2:47.15, 2:47.13, 5:36.57

And then my foot and shin cried uncle. The cool down I pretty much was dragging my left leg. Dumb.

Then I proceeded to try and run Wednesday morning early and was rewarded with my shin feeling like it was going to explode for about 30 minutes of the 6 mile run. Then that evening I showed how stupid I really am by trying to get in the miles, having to keep the pace to about 9:15 to run "pain free." Not my brightest moments here. In my defense my husband was out of town and I really was trying to keep myself occupied, but I should know better by now.

Tempo:

Thursday I decided to use the NSAID cream I had from my tendonitis incident and see how the tempo would go. Well, turns out it wouldn't. The foot and shin didn't feel too bad, but the pace was overwhelming and I had to shut it down after the 4th of the 7 miles was done at 7:00 and a very high effort. My body was clearly giving me the finger.

For whatever reason my body needed, maybe still needs, some additional recovery. Clearly having just run Perfect 10 at 6:03 pace my fitness is where it needs to be, so I am not worried that I am not fit enough to attain my goals, but I am worried about my body holding up to the demands of maintaining this fitness through October 16th. Staying positive and hoping for the best while doing everything in my power to stay healthy and get in the work. Wish me luck!

If I ever Feel Better

I had a great track workout Tuesday night. Unfortunately my foot and shin did not agree. Despite my best efforts to "stay ahead" of my plantar fasciitis and the resulting shin splits things are catching up to me. I think the bad tempos should have been an indicator that I just wasn't paying enough attention to recovery and was too focused on getting all the miles in. Another bad tempo last night and my shin feeling like it might explode at any minute have me doing my best to behave for the next few days. Broke out the bike for the commute today and will try to get in some cycling/swimming to keep up the aerobic fitness while hopefully healing the foot and shin quickly. Let's hope the old 3 days off is just what it needs! And if it is more I will be doing my best to stay motivated while keeping my fitness high but letting my muscles/tendons/fascia recover.

*Edited to add* After relaying all of this to coach I have been ordered to take the weekend off. no running, no biking, etc. so after the ride home tonight it is resting up time. Healing vibes for this girl!

Peroneal Tendonitis

So that is the "official" diagnosis. Too much of a good thing with the Dance Central just overwhelmed this little used tendon of mine. I am sincerely hoping it heals fast since I managed to injure it so quickly. But everything I am reading makes it sound like minimum of 2 weeks no running, and that tendons are slow to heal. This is why my preference is always to see a sports doc who runs if I can with injuries, the last thing they want to tell you is no running, so if they say no running then I will believe them. But unfortunately I had to go with first available. And now I am wondering if perhaps he was just being conservative and if I might be able to run by the weekend. :) It also struck me as odd that he said I won't need any physical therapy to rehab it, I just feel like I will need to strengthen the muscles connected to the tendon to avoid it happening again. And I actually thought I would be okay with time off, ha. It doesn't help that it is gorgeous outside and I am amped up for all the hometown girls running at Cleveland this weekend.

I am doing my best not to "test" the tendon yet. I did try some ankle exercises yesterday and it feels a lot better, but still get pain when standing on my toes and if I step wrong I feel it. So I am behaving and wearing the air cast and avoiding all lateral motion. I'm icing like a maniac and taking the prescribed NSAIDs. But of course I'd rather be running.

So if anyone has any stories of miraculous peroneal tendon healing let me know ;) I really don't want to prolong recovery by forcing the issue, and I know big picture I need to be 100% to train for this fall, but I also don't want to avoid running if it actually isn't hurting it. Part of me is worried that all these small set backs are making me paranoid and turning me into a hypochondriac, I don't want to screw up training every time a small pain crops up as clearly that happens with running. Doing my best to remain patient and in the mean time sending lots of healing vibes to my ankle!

Crank 'dat Tendon

Goals for the week:

50-55 miles

Monday: Easy.
Tuesday: Track.
Wednesday and Friday: easy miles @ 7:20 or slower. 6 x 30 sec @ 5:30 pace on Friday
Thursday: Tempo run: 5 miles @ 6:15, 1 Mile @ 5:55
Weekend:
10 miles @ 7:10.
12 miles @ 7:25.

How it played out:

44 miles
6 runs
1 swim 1400 meters
1 inflamed tendon from playing Dance Central.

Yes I gave myself tendonitis playing Dance Central. I'm in an air cast and have been put on rest mode until the inflammation goes away. Mission recover and start focusing on the fall begins today.

Let's Talk Knee Injuries

Cliff posted a comment asking my opinion on my knee injury and I thought I would share what I learned dealing with the pain for a bit over a month.

Thankfully my knee has seemed to repair itself and I am running pain free right now!

What research I did basically concluded that knee injuries are never straight forward :) (Yeah I know, really helpful!) Lots of different problems can cause knee pain, many not even involved with your knee! When in serious doubt whether or not you are doing damage get yourself into a specialist who can give you sound medical advice. In general the major conclusion I came to which was confirmed by the knee specialist I went to is that if there is no swelling, you probably aren't doing any additional/permanent damage. If there is swelling you have got some serious issues!

In my case I am fairly confident my problems stemmed from an incident about a month before the knee pain cropped up. At dinner one night I got up from the table and smacked my knee on the table leg. It was severely painful for several days over which I iced and used a recovery rub which seemed to solve the problem. (Coincidentally, if you didn't know, Magdalena's injury at the Olympics was also caused by smacking her knee on something. Just goes to show, even Olympians can get thwarted by being plain old clumsy) Oddly though about a month after the table incident my knee pain came back with a fury! I was at GCT and trying to get in a long run while simultaneously cheering for my friends doing the half. This resulted in a lot of different paces and a lot of starting and stopping. Something about that run flared up the pain exactly like it had been after I smacked it on the table. Only this time the pain stayed for a bit over a month. Eventually I went to the doctor who confirmed that I could keep running, but no estimate on when the pain would subside. It appears that I am in the clear. The knee has been a little sore this week post runs but does not linger. I'm guessing everything is just a little sore though after running the biggest week of your life :)

In general for me I think that my quad strength is not as good as it could be and that left my patellar tendon susceptible to my injury. I think the tendon was having to do a bit too much work and the impact injury from the table took a long time to heal. So my focus to keep my knees healthy in the future will be to make sure my quads are strong and flexible. I plan to do that by stretching, yoga, and doing squats or lunges a few times a week.

Everyone is different. I have two friends and my mother right now who all have knee pain and all are caused by different problems. I prided myself on never having dealt with knee pain so it was a sad day when I had to join those ranks, but I think with some research and advice from a doc if you take care of these injuries quickly you will save yourself a lot of future suffering!

Feel free to share your own knee pain stories in the comments.