Still Injured? Why Yes I Am. .

Sometimes I think my plantar fascia is never going to heal. In the last three weeks I've run 2.8 miles and shouldn't have run the last .8, but I had to get home and by then walking hurt just as much. Stupid foot.
I wear running shoes with inserts to work, not the best look but if it helps so what? I ice my foot. I have a tennis ball on my desk that I use to massage my foot 2-3 times while working. I take mega-doses of Advil, destroying my liver, but if it fixes my foot who cares? The liver will grow back, my foot won't.
I massage my foot at home, stretch constantly, wear a boot at home, sometimes a Strassburg (?) sock at night while sleeping, though that is annoying.
The pain has gone down to maybe 20%, but I know if I run it will shoot right back up. If it stayed a constant 20% I'd be happy and deal with it. Getting old sucks.

Ten things about having an injured plantar fascia;
1. I drink more alcohol, well being injured is my excuse to do that anyhow.
2. I'm getting fat, gaining five pounds in two weeks. I guess this could be related to the alcohol?
3. My running shoes aren't getting worn down and still look clean. Maybe that is good?
4. I can bike without pain, so am doing that indoors about 3-4x per week.
5. I can eat anything since I don't have to worry about having bathroom issues while on the run.
6. Swimming is going well, again 2-3x a week.
7. Jan and I are doing a 30 day squat challenge. I pretend this will build up muscles to support my foot better.
8. My big 10k Thanksgiving Day race, coming up in 10 days, looks like it's not happening. I may be support crew for Jan and friends.
9. Driving actually makes the plantar fascia hurt. I find this weird, it's the left foot, not the brake/gas pedal foot.
10. Outwardly I pretend I'm patient. Actually people at work haven't noticed my limp. Jan puts up with my whining, at least somewhat.

Life as an injured runner

Fall is a time of crawling under a pile of blankets to sleep and waking up refreshed and ready to emerge from my cocoon.

I wait all year to run in the crisp, cool air of October and November, only to injure my Plantar Fascia.

Two days after registering for a 5k and 10k race my foot became sore enough that I’ve only run a mile in the last week. That’s what I get for pre-registering.

Rolling my foot on top of a tennis ball seems to be the best therapy. I don’t leave home without it. The ball sits on my desk at work and I use it 2-3x a day. 

Most of my exercise now consists of swimming 2-3x a week and lifting weights. I’ve biked a few times, but not fast enough or long enough to really call it a workout. If the injury keeps up I should look like a fat Incredible Hulk in a month. 

The Incredible Hulk can’t run very fast though. 

I need to get my bike on the trainer and start pedaling. 

I’m an okay injured runner for about two days, then the crankiness begins to come through. I start feeling fat, bloated, out of breath when walking up a flight of stairs and thinking that drinking isn’t such a bad sport.  

It’s amazing how much time I have to clean the house, fix things and go through my job jar. I’ve accomplished more in the last two weeks then the previous two months. 

I’d rather spend that time running.

Das Boot

Quick, ten things you can say about boots;

1. What happened to John, oh, management gave him the Boot.
2. Why, I should kick you in the behind with my Boot.
3. These Boots were made for walkin'.
4. Look at him Boot that ball. (football punter)
5. Boots, isn't he that guy who works for Fleet Feet?
6. He died with his Boots on.
7. He pulled himself up by his Bootstraps.
8. "They would not be smart enough to pour piss out of their Boots, if the instructions were written on the sole” (Garrison Keillor)
9. “A lie can be halfway round the world before the truth has got its Boots on.”
10. How many Boots do we have on the ground? (military troops)

Why all the Boot writing? Well, EW has a plantar fascia injury that won't go away and has been ordered to wear a boot to immobilize her foot/ankle. Also, I injured my Achilles Tendon and Jan has finally convinced me, after 5 days, that I need to wear her boot from previous injuries/surgeries she has suffered through. Jan promises me if I wear this for two weeks the tendon will heal.

I do not like wearing this. I am not a good injured runner. I get grumpy, more than my normal demeanor of grumpiness. I can't even bike, that hurt more than running. I can't do lower body weight exercises, so I concentrate on the upper half. I can swim without aggravating the tendon.

But I really like to run.