Yesterday I set out to do a 23 miler. I know it may seem weird, but that’s what the training plan I’m following called for. I told myself that if I didn’t want to push myself to 23, 20 would be fine.
The first 9 went great. I had to trudge through some mud on the one trail but overall my fueling and everything was feeling good. Then around mile 10 I got this sudden pain in the bottom/side of my foot. I slowed to a walk and it went away. I tried to run again and it came back, stronger. I knew that I shouldn’t keep running. It was one of those pains.
It’s there. Except on my left food.
I called my husband (so glad I carry my phone with me) but it just rang and rang and rang. Just my luck that he would be out for his long run at the same time. So I hobbled my way 3 miles home. In the end I did 13 but the last three miles were definitely hobbles. 7 to 10 miles short of my goal.
I was really frustrated when I got home, but clearly this is my body saying “yo, chill out a second” so I’m going to listen. My mom (who is a PTA) took a look and said there’s some tendons and tissue there and it’s probably just irritated from an increase in mileage, but nothing seemed broken or anything.
I still have 4 weeks til the race, 2 of which are taper, and one which should be 18 miles (in two weeks). I’m hopeful if I take it easy this week it will go away. I hope.
I’ve heard that this sort of thing is kind of normal when you peak in training, so I just sort of keep reminding myself about that. I’ll probably have to skip my last Zumba class of the session tomorrow, and potentially kickboxing on Wednesday, which is a bummer, but since running is my first love I’ll do what I have to do to get back to it. I’m taping my foot, icing and resting it as I can (it figures today at work would require a lot of walking, gr).
Has anyone had anything similar? Any advice? Motivation? It’s going to be okay right? 🙂
I'm a wife, runner, vegetarian, mommy of two cute kitties, an 
Diary of a slow runner 
Ouch! So sorry about the pain! I hope it won’t stick around!! Just give yourself some tlc!! Spa ❤
Thanks for the support! 🙂
Becca … I have been following your blog for sometime now. I too am a slower runner who has been increasing her miles and training. After my finish in the Philly Half marathon in November I changed shoes for some odd ball reason. I want to get slightly faster and keep up the mileage. I went from a fairly cushioned neutral shoe (Saucony Cohesion) and tried the Saucony Ride 5 which has a slightly lower heel to toe offset. I started trail runs with this shoe had had the same pain you talk about right out of the gate. Same foot too. Left foot. I went back to my Cohesions and slowly nursed the foot back to normalcy. I know you went to the Kinvara – not sure if you had been using these minimal trainers before – could it be the increase in miles coupled with the more minimal shoe? I did have the exact same pain – I have suffered from plantar fasciitis on the left foot as well. It did go away and I was able to continue to run during recovery – did the same as you – taped and iced. I did taper on the mileage though. It will get better and you will be running that race in 4 weeks on no time! Keep up the excellent work – Louise (also from Central PA).
I’ve been running in the Kinvaras for at least a year now (not sure exactly how long, I’d have to look it up, haha) and am on my second pair so I would be surprised if that was it, but I think it could definitely have to do with the increase mileage. Thanks for the sweet words, it’s good to know someone else has been there too! So frustrating!
Hang in there. It’s probably just an increase in mileage and your body’s way of telling you to slow it down a little. Don’t worry about missing out on this long run. The mileage you’ve been putting in will be sufficient enough since you have such a strong base!!
I’ve been there before- only it was when I first made the switch from a stability shoe to a minimalist shoe (I made the transition very slowly, but I guess not slow enough- LOL). One day when I was out for a short 4 mile run I had a terrible pain around my outside ankle bone. The running doc said it was a tendon strain, and then he scolded me for going minimal and made me wear my stability shoes again. My SUPER flat feet are apparently not made for minimalist footwear (although I wear my Vibram 5 fingers around all day long- I no longer run in them- but DON’T tell my running doc I still wear them around casually).
Take it easy and rest. No worries about the training. You’ve got this in the bag!
Thanks for the sweet words!!
You’ve been running in Kinvaras for over a year…and you are only on your second pair? Depending on your mileage, the shoes are probably toast. I tend to have to change mine out (I run in the Mirage) every 4 months… It might help to get a new pair. Kinvaras, (and Mirage) really wear really fast. Most of the people I know who run in the Kinvaras seem to get new every three months- and they aren’t overly big or running tons of miles.
But other than that, give it time and TLC. No worries about the missed run, we all miss em. I just did my half…with nothing but one ten miler. Yes. It was not the best half in the world, but it was OK.
You have it!!! Go for it!
hmm good point. Okay I just went into my running log and looked. It doesn’t pull in the date that I first wore them (which seems silly, but moving on..), I had a pair and stopped wearing them after 300 miles (I tend to get shin splints that are a good indicator that my shoes are done, plus I check the wear on them frequently), my current pair has 97 miles on it, I swapped them in last month at some point. I was hoping to use the current pair for the race since they would be broken in but not near the end of their life. So all that being said, I’m guessing it may just be upping the mileage. I’m resting, but its tough. I just want to run! 🙂