Optimism

My first race is in 2 days and naturally, there's a potential problem. :0

A week ago, I ran on Wednesday morning with tired legs. I didn't have time to do my usual, and clearly very important, stretch and ice routine after my run. I ended up with a sore PTT and arch on my right foot for close to a week and I didn't do my Sunday long run.

This Tuesday past, my PTT and arch was finally feeling ok again so I went out for my early morning 45 minute run - first run in a week. I was to do a few medium speed intervals in prep for this week's race. We decided that I should wear my orthotics in my Newtons for the time being, to give me some extra support the arch and avoid any further problems.

As soon as I started running, the outsides of my heels hurt quite a bit. This was not at the bottom of the heel, it was the sides. Maybe it's called the lower ankle, I'm not sure. The pain basically wrapped around the back and sides of both heels, so if it was related to the achilles, then it was only at the attachment part, not on the tendon itself.

Anyway, I did my walk run warm up for 10 mins and it hurt every time I ran. However once I started running steady, it lessened quite a bit and didn't really hurt much. I did my first 5 min interval at a slow pace and did my next 2 at a fast pace. All was well. I stretched and iced after.

Thursday morning, I had a 30 min run to do so I went thru the same thing. Pain at first and throughout the warm up, then it lessened a bit after I started running steady. But this time it only lessened a bit and did not subside to the point that I could run faster for my intervals. In fact, by the 25 minute mark, it was starting to increase again so I stopped and walked home.

I don't know what the problem is. It's in both ankles equally. I was assuming it was stiffness from taking a week off but I'm worried that it's not going to be gone by Sunday. It doesn't hurt at all when I'm walking or climbing stairs at work. It only hurts when I run. In fact, it's hard to isolate because it doesn't hurt when I press on the area so I can't even figure out exactly where it's hurting. It feels more like the bone or maybe the tendon attachment than anything else. It doesn't hurt on the bottom of my foot at all.

So now I know what you're thinking, you're thinking that maybe it's from putting the orthotics in my shoes, and yes, I think that does make sense. I'm not positive but I think it was already hurting before I put the orthotics in on Tuesday. On Sunday and Monday, I ran on the spot for a minute to see how my shins and arch felt and I seem to remember my heels hurting a bit then, but since I wasn't looking for it, I didn't pay much attention to it and I can't say for sure.

Anyway, I've googled the pain and can't really find anything that sounds like the issue other than achilles tendonitis. But again, it's only the attachment not the tendon itself so that may not be it.

I am thinking I won't do my easy brick tomorrow (20 min easy bike, 15 min easy run) just to be on the safe side and rest my legs. I'll ice them again tonight, as I did last night. And I'll stretch every day.

On Sunday, I'm just gonna run and see what happens. If it hurts a lot, it'll slow me down for sure and I'll be pissed off but I'll go for it anyway. After the race, if need be, I'll take a week or so off from running and do pool running before my Half Iron. But who knows, maybe this will disappear again as suddenly appeared?