TOO MUCH REST FOR THE WEARY

The healing process is going slower than I anticipated.  After my visit to the doctor (the day after the 5 Points of Life Marathon), I figured there would be no recovery run during the week.  I was planning to put in 10 to 12 miles on Saturday, but I wasn’t getting my hopes up.

When Saturday rolled around, my foot was still pretty swollen.  Rather than prolong this injury, I decided not to run.  I FELT LIKE A CAGED ANIMAL!!!  No running for an entire week…right off the heels of back-to-back marathons!  I didn’t know what to do with myself.  The plan at this point was to put in a run or two during the next week.  I figured a couple of three to five mile runs would be a good start to get back into the swing of things.

As the week went on, the foot was still pretty sore, and I didn't get to run at all.  It was getting better, but not at any kind of acceptable rate for me.  My brother came by on Friday night and took a look at the foot.  He was pretty sure that it was just bruised, but did not rule out the possibility of a stress fracture.  If I were still experiencing pain in the upcoming weeks, the game plan was to get an x-ray on the foot.  I told him that I was planning on running tomorrow (Saturday), and that I would call him with an update.

My goal on Saturday morning was to do anywhere from 14 to 17 miles, although I knew it would probably be closer to 14.  It’s amazing just how much not running after two weeks can set you back in your training.  The foot felt good while I was running, but it hurt whenever I had to stop (crossing the street, going to the little boys’ room, etc.).  It felt great to be back out there pounding the pavement, but 14 miles was a good distance for my first day back.  I iced down for a long time after the run and was limping a little bit for the rest of the day.

The good news is that my foot has been getting progressively better during the week, but of course not fast enough for me.  I’m thankful that my run on Saturday did not set me back, but I decided not to push myself.  I took off the rest of the week, and will look to put in a 17 mile run on Saturday.

Next week is Spring Break for both FIU and for my daughter.  I’m planning on taking a few days off, and I’ll resume a full running schedule during the week (translated…making up for lost time).

KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON