It's the Very Moment That I Wish That I Could Take Back

Days to Marathon: 96

Miles to date: 151

"Life all comes down to a few moments. This is one of them." (Wall Street, 1987--excellent movie)

I am at a crossroads. This past weekend on my 9 mile run, I made the arrogant mistake of running barefoot along the beach while on my vacation in Florida. Long story short, it's led to a very painful pressure type injury in my left foot, just in front of the heel and ankle. This is where most people just pack up and quit, saying "maybe next year," and others find it easy to get into a lazy frame of mind while waiting to recover, only to find that they aren't in good enough shape to continue the program they started when they were healthy once upon a time.

This is where I am, disappointed in myself for not re-reading the marathon training guidebook I finished so many weeks ago, and upset that I did not make safety my number one priority for just one run...and that's all it took. But, this is also where I break the mold. I have already committed to running in both the Rock and Roll Half-Marathon on August 31st and the Marine Corps Marathon on October 26th, and fully intend to be there at the finish line after each race is through.

I am taking this week off of running just to ensure that I get ample time to heal up, and will not run until I no longer feel tenderness when I put weight on my foot as I walk. As it is now there is a noticeable limp in my gait, but the pain has quelled considerably since it flared up on Sunday, the day after the run.

Running in the sand barefoot was something I had thought I had read was actually good for you in training, but I will have to go back and double check. It provides a softer surface than your average hard gravel or asphalt surface, and supposedly gives you a better workout in your muscles, making them stronger for future runs. This all seems well and true, but perhaps the mistake that I made was that I did it without shoes, or that I failed to run shorter distances to prepare myself for the sinkholes on the coast or the proper place to run so I could to avoid them. I think it was a combination of both that led to the injury. My calves also took a beating in that run as well. They were very sore, but the good kind of sore, until this afternoon; 3 days after the run. It felt as if I had gone into the weight room for the first time in 4 months and woke up the next day so tight it hurts to even bend.

So, one point for leg strengthening. Score. I am scared about this foot injury though. It could very well be plantar fasciitis, which is a debilitating injury to the tendons that connect the heel to the balls of the foot that could take up to 6 months to recover completely--not good. My hope, though, is that its just a muscle tear similar to that of a strengthening tear when people lift weights, where when it recovers it will be stronger than it was previously. Signs over the past 3 days have been good too, as the pain has definitely subsided quite a bit. I am definitely watching it and proceeding with caution from here on out.

Also, I am going to swim while I cant run, just to keep my lungs at a high capacity while my foot recovers. With any luck, I'll be back on the road within a week, but as I said earlier, I wont take any chances until I'm certain there's no tenderness there. If I still notice some pain on Saturday I will have to pay the ol' doc (or a podiatrist specifically) a visit and see what he has to say about my situation. Hopefully it won't come to that.

My cousin Dusty got married on Saturday as well. It was held in Daytona Beach in a penthouse suite the families had rented out in this very luxurious hotel on the coastline. All in all it was well done, cutely decorated, and really enjoyable for everyone involved. I will have to post some pictures when I get a hold of them.

Here's to high hopes and plan Bs with fingers crossed!

B Easy