A Difficult Foot
FINALLY!!! I saw the podiatrist and got some information that actually makes sense. First off, I obviously have plantar fasciitis. I think everyone has agreed with that since day one. But the real question I had- and the reason I asked for the MRI- was the pain I have on the bottom lateral edge of my foot. He put his finger immediately on the exact spot, and told me it’s peroneal tendinitis. Ah… we meet again. Peroneal tendinitis has the dubious distinction of being the very first running injury I ever had, when I was twenty years old. The reason I didn’t recognize it this time is that I feel it in a different place. Let’s look at this picture… You can see where the peroneus longus and brevis tendons run along the outside of the foot. Where these are colored red is where tendinitis pain usually occurs, just under the ankle. That’s where mine was so painful years ago, but it doesn’t hurt there at all now. See how the peroneus longus tucks under the foot? THAT’S where my pain is. It attaches to the bone on the bottom of the foot, and therefore is considered “insertional tendinitis.” After looking at the MRI, the doctor told me I have a “difficult foot.” (Oh really? I hadn’t noticed.) He said I have an extremely high arch, and also that my foot turns in a little, which causes me to over supinate. It’s incredible to me that he was able to tell that without even seeing me walk, because I am pigeon toed on that left side- I was born that way. I actually had a night brace when I was a baby, and then a brace I wore all the time in first grade, which forced my feet to turn out. Ugh… I hated that brace SO MUCH. It went around my waist, then had two bands that went down the outside of each leg, attaching to sturdy orthopedic shoes. Luckily I was too young to realize I looked like a total dork- what I hated is that it was so uncomfortable. It forced my feet into a turned-out position, and every once in a while it was adjusted to turn out even more. Whenever it was adjusted, I could hardly walk at first. Eventually the problem was corrected as much as possible. But my left foot still turns in. I want to say this picture makes it look worse than it really is- I did pick a shot where it’s especially prominent… but the camera doesn’t lie, right? Backtrack to the peroneal tendinitis when I was twenty… the podiatrist I went to back then made me some custom orthotics, which I wore for years and years. Somewhere along the way I stopped using them… I think after I had my kids my feet changed, and those orthotics were no longer comfortable. I decided that I didn’t really need them. I bought into the theory that most people don’t need orthotics, and that injuries should be addressed by strength training and focusing on correct running form. I thought people should just run the way they run naturally, and make it work. Well, I guess it’s not working for me. My doctor today told me that I am definitely one of those people who truly needs orthotics, and they need to be custom-made. Generic over-the-counter orthotics are made for people who over pronate, and I have the opposite problem. As he was explaining what the orthotic would do, he was holding my foot in a neutral position and showing me where the support would be… and just having him do that felt so good. Yes! Give me orthotics immediately!!! But, he said he wants to heal up the foot first, then fit me for orthotics. He wanted to do shockwave therapy. I told him my old doctor already tried that and he said his shockwave machine is the real thing (WHAT? My old doctor had a fake one???) and that he’s had a 100% success rate with it. AND, he said he could treat the plantar fasciitis and insertion of the peroneal tendon in the same session. So I had the first (of four) shockwave sessions today. Yes, it hurt, but that’s okay- when does that foot not hurt? But here’s the best part- I asked him if I could run and he was almost surprised by the question. He was like “Oh yes- running is great!” Ha ha, well, I think we agree on just about everything. He did caution not to run too far- but my foot already lets me know when it’s too much, so there’s no danger there. I’m feeling really good about this! I know it’s going to take a while. I have three more shockwave sessions, scheduled one week apart. Then I have to be fitted for orthotics, and then I have to get used to them. But I’m optimistic that I’m on the right track. I really want to break out of this continuous cycle of injuries and do some fun things with my running. Onward! Tune in on Friday where I promise, I will not talk about my foot at all! I think we all need a new subject, right? Have you ever worn orthotics?
Weekly Rundown- Yep, I Ran!
Hello! Welcome to the Weekly Rundown, hosted as always by Kim and Deborah. It was a good week! My foot held steady and I got in a few runs. Hooray! Here’s how it all went down: Monday In the morning I did a 45 minute yoga flow class on the Peloton app with my Peloton BFF, Denis Morton. Rewind briefly one day… on Sunday morning we watched the Chicago Marathon. Monday, we recorded the Boston Marathon so were able to watch that after work. That was especially fun because,, unlike the coverage of Chicago, they actually showed the women. As soon as we finished that, we tuned into the livestream of my son’s concert at Baylor. Soooo fun to see him playing in the concert, so far away! Without leaving our couch, we really saw a lot in that 38 hours. Tuesday After seeing all that incredible running, I couldn’t not run! My foot is back to being normally sore- in other words, whatever “extra” inflammation I had seems to have died down, and it’s just the usual plantar fasciitis. So…. why not? I started with a 20 minute Strength for Runners class with Matt Wilpers on the Peloton app. It was a weights class, but I used light weights so it worked as a warmup. Then I ran three miles! Hooray! Wednesday I did a 60 minute yoga flow class. Guess who doesn’t help my yoga classes? Although she meows sadly outside the door, she’s been banned from my yoga sessions. I learned my lesson quickly- having a cat stand on your trachea during savasana ruins your flow. Thursday More yoga! I did Denis’s glutes class. This class was hard- lots of balance, which I love. Friday More running! After a warmup of hip circles and lunges, I did another three mile run. Followed this run by Denis’s “pride reset” yoga flow. This is supposed to be paired with a cycling class- the cycling class going first as a warmup. I figured a warmup run was just as good! Saturday Started the day with Denis’s 45 minute hamstring focus flow. My hamstrings are so, so tight- especially on my left side. The same side as my plantar fasciitis. (Coincidence? I think not!) Have I ever mentioned that I don’t like working on Saturdays? I guess that pretty much goes without saying. Depending on the clients, sometimes I feel like I get a second workout at work. Luckily this day was relatively easy- but I was still ready for a nap when I got home… before the Baylor football game! It was Baylor’s homecoming, and this game was extra great. One of the announcers was a former Baylor football player, and he described Baylor as having a “culture of joy.” Joy! How cool is that? I think everyone was extra happy because the weather cooled down there and they had a beautiful day. Chip and Joanna Gaines were there to cheer on the Bears, and oh yes- they won. It was super fun. Sunday I did a “long” run! Six miles, and I loved every step of it. It’s still warm here, but I got out early. I listened to this podcast where Alicia Jenkins and Lucja Leonard recapped their races at Moab 240. I love running while listening to people talk about running. I know- I can’t get enough of it. I had a chuckle because Alicia said for one stretch she listened to David Goggin’s audio book. Yes, that would be good motivation during a 240 mile race! I was sooooo happy to do this run! I felt my foot, but other than that everything felt good. I figured I might as well run and feel good, until I see the podiatrist. That appointment is coming up on Tuesday (finally!). Can’t wait to hear what he has to say. I hope everyone had a great week with lots of running! It’s funny how much better three days of running make me feel. Did you watch the Boston Marathon? Do you get motivated to run when you watch the elites?
The Comeback Quotient- Book Review
In his latest book, The Comeback Quotient, Matt Fitzgerald describes a mindset he calls “ultrarealism.” He relates instances where athletes utilized ultrarealism, both in races and life, to recover from serious setbacks. The stories range from Mirinda Carfrae’s come-from-behind victory in the 2014 Ironman World Championship race, to Jaime Whitmore’s comeback from a devastating cancer diagnosis. Matt explains ultrarealism as a three-part process of accepting reality, embracing reality, and addressing reality, and describes each of these steps. He includes quotes from stoics and spiritual teachers, but one of my favorites comes from Matt himself. One of the ways to embrace reality, he says, is through positivity and gratitude. “In even the worst moments, a lot is happening. Each slice of conscious experience has layers and facets, and they’re truly never all bad at the same time.” So true- just because something hurts- oh, let’s say your foot, for example- doesn’t mean that’s your entire reality. I’m going to say one thing upfront, because it was something that nagged at me for a lot of the book. Parts were very engrossing, and some parts were less so. I appreciate the fact that Matt likes to bring in science, but sometimes the studies he cites just weren’t that interesting. In one section he talks about how a process-oriented approach is more effective than a results-oriented approach, and then goes on to describe, in detail, studies that back this up. They weren’t interesting to read, and I would have been fine if he had just said “studies back this up.” It could have been a footnote. BUT! The book is only 200 pages, so I understand why Matt included them. Although I did like this book, I felt that it could have been a pamphlet. Having said that, it was a really interesting book (pamphlet.) I found myself underlining certain parts, and I don’t mark up all my books. Another of my favorite quotes is from his section on David Goggins. Someone asked David if he takes any supplements and he said, “Yes, I take a giant suck-it-up pill every morning and wash it down with a refreshing cup of hard.” Hee hee. The last chapter, “When Comebacks Fail” addresses the fact that not all comebacks have fairytale endings. I really appreciated this, because sometimes stories like these leave me frustrated. The message seems to be that if you have the right mental attitude, anything is possible. David Goggins completed a 100 mile race with several broken metatarsals- why am I being sidelined by something is tame as plantar fasciitis? Does the fact that I’m not willing to run on broken bones mean I’m a lame-ass? Matt includes several stories of comebacks that did not go as planned. Sometimes having the right mental attitude and trying your hardest don’t lead to the desired outcome. Matt maintains that in every situation, if you accept reality and make the choice that will make your present situation most meaningful to you, it can still be a success story. Overall, this book was an inspiration. It left me with a feeling of empowerment. It’s a great read if you’re struggling right now, and would be an excellent gift if someone you know is facing a difficult situation. Although I did feel that it was short, it’s a reasonably-priced paperback (I paid $14.68 on Amazon) so it’s worth the cost. Next up… Wendy just reviewed this and I can’t wait to read it! What’s one of your favorite running books?
My First Marathon
Watching the Chicago Marathon this past Sunday made me reminisce about my own experience running Chicago… it was my first marathon, back in 1990. Things were quite different then! How different, you ask? Well, the 1990 race (then sponsored by Old Style) was only the 13th running of the Chicago Marathon, and there were 6168 finishers. The course was different- I couldn’t tell you many details except that the last eight miles or so were a deathly boring out and back on Lakeshore Drive. And with that relatively small amount of runners, there was no rigamarole about getting into the race. You just dropped your application in the mailbox, and a few weeks later received your letter of confirmation. I was 24 years old and living in Florida at the time, but my family was back near Chicago where I grew up, so that seemed like a logical choice for my first marathon. Get ready for some poor quality pictures- all I have are some pictures my parents took at the finish line (and one from the start) on their 1990 camera. You might be thinking, wait! This was your first marathon! Don’t you have some professional pictures from the race? No I don’t, and there’s a reason… read on to find out, and also see a completely ridiculous clothing choice I made for the day! My longest long run before the marathon was 18 miles, and since I had done every single training run at a 10 minute mile pace, I told my family that I would be at the finish line at 4:20. I mean, obviously- right? I had also done all my training runs in the heat of Florida, so figured a nice crisp fall day in Chicago would make things feel easy. Ho ho! All I can really remember about the start of the race is that it was cold. When I asked my sister (who was there at the end to cheer me on) what she remembers, the first thing she said was, it was cold. So I looked it up- the race was on October 28th, and it was in the 30s at the start, and windy! Too cold for a Florida runner. I ran well until around 20 miles, where- surprise, surprise- I hit the wall. I didn’t know much about fueling, but I had taken a couple gels and was drinking Gatorade when it was offered. But those last six miles were P.A.I.N.F.U.L. For some reason, it helped me to run short stretches with my eyes shut. I definitely slowed down, but I didn’t stop- I ran the whole way. I know that picture was taken right before the finish line, because that’s where my mom, dad, and sister were, cheering loudly. The biggest lesson I learned was that I didn’t know what I didn’t know, going into it. Having a solid time goal for your first marathon is silly, and luckily I gave up on that early on and was proud to finish in 4:36. So why don’t I have an official picture of myself crossing the finish line? WELL… Again, since this was 1990 there were no digital photos. You would receive proofs of your photos in the mail, and could order what you wanted. My boyfriend at the time intercepted the mail and as a surprise to me, ordered a full size poster of me crossing the finish line. And it was a terrible picture- I even had my eyes closed. He gave it to me for Christmas, and I pretended to be happy. But I was actually so mad- I just wanted a picture of that moment. What was I supposed to do with a huge poster of myself, looking awful? Frame it and put it up in the living room? Somewhere along the way, that poster was “forgotten” in one of my many moves. I’m so glad I got to run a marathon back in the old days. No complicated training plan- no Garmin- no timing chips- no fancy gear (ahem, apparently!) I just figured if I could run 18 miles I could run a marathon, and I did it… the Old Style way. Who else is old enough to remember racing in the 90s? Do you have any awful race pictures? Do you look back at your clothing choices and cringe?