baby steps

This morning me and doggie mostly repeated what we did Tuesday morning.  I did run a bit more than Tuesday though.   One big difference from Tuesday is I got a new pair of Altra Lone Peak's yesterday.  After running in the Vans the Altra's felt like Hoka's this morning!!   I've decided to get more aggressive with using the lacrosse ball and icing afterward.  My foot felt a bit weird off and on yesterday evening but I decided to go ahead and run this morning anyway and it's feeling okay post run.  Baby steps....

minimalist

I couldn't stand it.  I had to get out and try the foot this morning.  Me and doggie headed over to Schroeter Park and did 2 miles.  We alternated walking one length then running one length for 4 loops.  I did it in my Vans with a thin pair of socks on, so very minimalist.  As I sit here several hours later I can say that my arch seemed a little tight at home afterwards walking around barefoot but now seems just fine.  I'm icing it now and iced it at home and plan on icing at least 2 or 3 more times today.  Another big change I've made is no more bare foot icing.  I'm wearing a sock when I ice now.  I plan on doing the same thing Thursday morning.  I'm really trying to ease into this.

nothing to lose

My plantar has not responded to anything I've done over the last 7 months so I've decided to drastically change what I'm doing to fix it.

Misty had a conversation during her Saturday morning run with a longtime local trail runner about my ongoing plantar issue.  He suggested that my feet were weak.  He said he fixed his plantar years ago by running in Vibram Five Finger shoes for a while.  He said that by running in these for a while he was able to strengthen his arches/feet and his plantar issue went away.

After Misty related this to me I've done some thinking about my shoe history.   Up until last August I had at least 3 straight pairs of the very padded Hoka brand shoes.  I had been having persistent trouble with my neuroma/ metatarsalgia so I bought a pair of Altra Lone Peaks.  I'd had some success Altra's in the past but went to the Hoka's because I felt like I needed more cushioning.  Altra's are sort of the anti Hoka, zero drop with moderate cushioning.  Sam and I had a 10 mile run planned in our neighborhood that Saturday morning.  I wore the Altra's and later that day as I'm sitting in my recliner I felt some pain/ tenderness in the arch of my right foot.  Well, from that day forward I haven't been able to totally get rid of the plantar problem.

While I was on the road to Arkansas and back this weekend I've had plenty of time to think about all this.   During the year and a half of wearing the Hoka's my feet basically had a break from any hard work and were weakened.  It only took a single day of less padded flat shoes to expose that weakness and that's where I am now.

The plan going forward is to go barefoot in the house, wear either my cowboy boots or Van's sneakers for everyday wear but continue wearing the Hoka's while running.   I feel like I can strengthen my feet with some exercises, going barefoot at home and the minimal daily footwear.

The way I'm looking at it is that nothing else has worked so far, I'm not running anyway, I may as well try something drastic.  At this point I have nothing to lose.....

train

Great 5 mile run with doggie in the 'hood this morning!!  Thankfully we were about 100 yards away when the train started across Duval.  She WOULD NOT have been happy if we'd had been any closer.  I had trouble holding her in place as it was.  She's definitely a little fraidy cat.....er, doggie.

excited

Shan, Mark and I had a good run this morning.  We did the 4.82 Mopac/ Congress loop in 49.21.  I suggested we stick to that loop and see if we can bring our time down substantially and the agreed!!  I have no idea what a goal should be but surely 9 minute miles for us together should be doable??  I'm excited, we'll see if our missing friend will be joining us on a regular basis?!

doggie

4 miles with doggie yesterday afternoon and 3 miles with doggie again this morning.  My back was unusually tight this morning.  I'm wondering if it's the new orthotics?  Yesterday and today are the first times I've run in them.  Plantar seems to be cooperating.  I have a weird rash on my achilles that was itching with the boot on last night so I took it off.  I tossed and turned all night worrying how my foot would feel this morning but after a little stretching before putting weight on it it felt okay so I went ahead and ran.  One day at a time....

hole

I just need to accept that the hole that was created all those years ago will never be filled by anyone or anything......