Plantar Fascia Tear: Week 1

Wednesday
Did: Bought an iWalk2.0 
This thing is amazing. 

Thursday
Did: arm/chest weights, core sequence

Friday
Did: core sequence

Saturday
Did: 1.9mi walking around downtown
Before the injury, the Falcons 5K was supposed to be a fun family and friends day. My parents were going to be walking it; the potato was doing the kids' dash; and the Running Mamas and kids would be there in full force. While I never planned on running the Falcons 5K, it was strange to be incapacitated for it. 

Instead of a carefree day, I had all kinds of new challenges: getting into/out of the car; navigating the parking garage, "walking" to/from the start line (the idea of potentially walking in the wrong direction for something was crippling, and I was glad to have so much family around that could scout out the right paths before I began my treks); using a port-a-potty with a pegleg; "walking" on astroturf, etc. 

I'm beyond glad to have had the iWalk, though, because I could not have done what I did on crutches. Here's to making it happen... and being in good enough shape to take on such a challenge. 

munchkins running across the Falcons' new field
(50 yard line was the finish) 

Sunday
Did: 2.0mi walk at the Clif Coffee Fest and 5K/1Mi Perk
This was a hard day. Today was supposed to be my second shot at the mile. I was supposed to have C "casually" pacing me on a super flat course, in perfect weather, with the bulk of my 10KTuesday girls there for support and love.

Instead of a morning of excitement and joining in with friends' long run as a warm-up, I was cursing midtown for the lack of available parking near the start line as I hobbled the quarter mile plus with J+'tato walking as slowly as possible, but still leaving me in the dust. We missed the start, but, fortunately, were able to see the girls run by from where we wound up. 

We spent the next 25min enjoying some coffee, and chatting with other runner friends until the 5Kers finished. Then it was time for C's mile, which she obliterated. Despite not being able to run, I'm still glad to have come out and been part of the team. :)

Monday
Did: PT!!! 
I had my first PT session this morning and it was awesome. I'm back at Resurgen's St Joe's, and was thrilled to see I'd been assigned to the same PT who helped me get through my runner's knee back in 2013. He's awesome, and I feel so comforted by and confident in his treatment. 

We went though some baseline tests, stretches, and then he had me stand up... and walk. 

WHOA, DUDE. I DON'T DO THAT THESE DAYS. 

...but I did. And it was not awful. There was no sharp, stabbing pain, only a bit of tingling (since I haven't used my muscles in almost a week), and a dull ache in the bottom of my foot. 

Based on how I did, the PT's pretty confident that this will be a "quick fix", and even told me he wants to get me running in the anti-gravity treadmill next week.

Awww, yeah!

For now, I'm still using my support equipment (boot/crutches) for most of the day, so that I don't go too fast too too soon. It is a relief to be able to do a few small things with both feet though, like going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, or showering. 

I'm still out for Bourbon Chase, but might still make something out of Runtober, even if it's just an easy mile on Halloween. ;) 

chillin' in the ice boot

"Let's Just See What Happens" Week (spoiler alert: bad stuff)

Beginning of the Week Thoughts:
Hrm. Maybe I'll try to hit a 3:00 800m on the track this Thursday. If I can do that, and it feels good, maybe I'll just continue and see what sort of mile I can hit... that might be fun.



Monday
Did: choreographed for chorus
Definitely felt the 15min of weight lifting I did yesterday, and wanted to build on the momentum, but life happened. The only physical activity I did all day was choreographing the chorus' new uptune. 

Tuesday
Did: 4.19mi @ 10:52/mi avg + 0.5mi @ 30:00/mi avg on the treadmill
Planned on only doing the first 10K of Birgit's workout with her, but didn't even make it that far. Around 1.4mi in, I caught my foot on a curb, and, through some sort of miracle leg acrobatics, didn't fall, just took a lot of "weird-looking strides", according to B&B.

I've had this happen before. I feel pain in my arch, but, within a half mile, it works itself out. So I did what I always do: attempted to run it out. That worked for one of my feet, but not the other.

I bargained with the running gods for the next couple miles, though. 

I'll drop to a 10+ pace, behind B&B, and excluded from the conversation, but still get to run. 

I'll stop running and walk, but still get my 10K in.

I'll turn around and go home right now, but finish the 10K on the treadmill so I can go slowly and stop if I need to.

I'll back the treadmill down to 2.0mph and hold half my body weight in the railings, but still get my 10KTues---.... No. No, I won't. 


^this is the power of the hashtag. This is the power of a runner's mental fortitude. "Oh, yeah, it kind of hurts, but not an 'I need to stop' hurt." 

You don't want to "give up" or take the "easy way" out by cutting a workout when you don't really NEED to. As a result, your body just pumps more and more adrenaline and your mind convinces you it's totally OK to keep running. 




By the time I got out of the shower, I couldn't bear weight on my right foot without pain. At first, I was just trying to decide whether I should still take mass transit or drive into work. And then I was deciding to bail on my evening professional engagement. Then to work from home. And then, finally, when I couldn't even stand without pain, I called out from work, knowing I was going to be spending the day trying to get a medical professional to tell me what was wrong. 




Fortunately (?), our two-athlete household has pretty much everything we'd need for injuries. Jerry set me up with crutches, knee pads, and an ice pack before he left. I called my friendly neighborhood sports orthopedist, told them I'd drive to pretty much any of their metro Atlanta offices if someone could see me at any time today, and, after getting passed around to five locations, and having to literally crawl down two flights of stairs, through our garage, to my car to get my wallet (with my insurance card for verification) while on the phone, I finally got a 10:15 with a sports med PA. 

...and then the fun began. I crawled around my house for about 40 minutes getting ready for the appointment (filling water bottle, getting dressed, making and eating food, getting a new ice pack on my foot), and then crutched out to my car and realized that the injured foot was my right foot.... y'know, the one you drive with. 

crutches are no good when you need your hands, like, in the kitchen

so I used kneepads to scoot around

I've haven't been too thrilled with Resurgens the last few times I've been to them. They've been good, but not to the same exceptional standard I'd come to expect after a year of excellent care back in 2014. This visit was a step back in the right direction. The front desk staff was really helpful, not asking me to come back and forth to the desk, or carry anything with me to the exam room. The x-ray tech was pleasant and quick. Best of all, the new PA I saw gave me exactly what I needed (and more) in terms of question/answer talk, lots of explanations, sufficient exam time, and follow-up instructions. Huge fan. 

using my crutch as a prop to keep my foot elevated = engineering degree at work

Here's where the "fun" stops. I was diagnosed with exactly what I thought I had: a partial tear (or possibly just a severe strain) of the plantar fascia at its insertion point. 

What this means:

• RICE for the next 2-3 days
• take prescription anti-inflammatory drugs for 10 days 
• use a pneumatic walking boot (which we already own, of course-- hooray for not having to spend $100 on that guy) in conjunction with crutches until I can comfortably bear weight with the boot alone
• begin PT on Monday, with the hope being that three weeks of 1-2 sessions of ultrasound, stretching, etc, will facilitate correct healing with minimal scar tissue
• follow-up with foot/ankle orthopedic specialist in 2-3 weeks

Hello, Old Friend

PA's initial estimate was that I won't be running again for at least a month, since I can't even stand on the injured foot right now. 

Thoughts in my head:

• Bourbon Chase is in 18 days. (this is a lottery-only overnight relay race that I've wanted to run for three years and am captaining)  F.M.L. 
• Guess I'm not doing the 1mi Perk this weekend... but I can at least enjoy the coffee festival. Oh. Wait. How am I going to carry around coffee when my hands are on my crutches.
• At least I'm not racing Saturday. Oh. Wait. It's just my kid that's running. How the heck am I going to push a stroller/wrangle a small child on crutches.
• Well, good thing I don't have any other races this month... except that fundraiser 5K I was going to do in costume with my kid. Guess that's out. At least the money was for a good cause.
• Oh, and the 10 Miler is this month. Guess that's not happening. Let's tally up how much money in un-run races I'll have... No. No, let's not.
• So, there goes the entire month of Runtober.
• How am I going to get to/from work? The idea of MARTAing on crutches is NOT appealing.
• Maybe I'll go treat myself to a coffee and blog from Starbucks today. Oh, wait. I'll never be able to carry my laptop and/or coffee to a chair with crutches. Never mind.

I'm still in denial right now... 

Oh, and there goes my 10KTuesday streak... I was supposed to hit 100 during Thanksgiving week. :'( 

End of the Week Thoughts:
Whelp, my week is over and it's only Tuesday. FML.