(G): I have been running for about three weeks and I have some great days where I am sure my foot is back to normal. And I have other days post-run that my foot remains sore for the rest of the day.
Sometimes I walk around barefoot and feel great and other days that doesn’t feel so great.
Needless to say when someone asks how my foot feels I don’t really know what to say. Is it getting better? I think so but some days I am not sure.
Was the pain continuing even when I didn’t run? Yes, so clearly my recovery had stagnated.

It feels like a constant up and down.

I am learning that my recovery is on its own timetable and it’s not interested in my input. Further, being diligent about every aspect of my rehab is imperative and somewhat overwhelming. For example, I have gotten distracted and started to be primarily focused on running and my strength work. And I have been less focused on stretching, which previously was a big part of my recovery. Time to get back at it.

It’s tough to balance it all out. Everything related to running has become complicated and unsure. I am used to my running being regimented but the only variable was whether I was going to get the planned run in or not. Now it’s unending variables all floating around. And even then the outcome is vague.

What continues to be weird is that I feel great while I run. Great in relationship to how my foot feels. The rest of me sometimes is struggling like on Sunday when it was 84 degrees before noon and I felt like I was about to catch fire.

I am in need of some serious heat acclimation. One of my least favorite things to do.

And after yesterday’s physical therapy appointment I now have even more to be diligent about. More exercises, more ways to consider how I move and, of course, more waiting until my foot is 100% pain-free. I continue on. Diligence I am fairly good at, patience is becoming an acquired taste.

For now, if you see me standing around on my left leg don’t be alarmed I am just working on one of my PT exercises.

(L)  I am still a few weeks out, but I am on schedule for doing the Slacker on June 24th.  I do need to up my consistency through the week but my long runs are going well.

This weekend, I met my running partner, Melissa, for a 9-mile run.  We decided to meet at the trailhead, leave one car and then drive 8 miles north.  Our plan was to run a half mile north and then back down to gain an extra mile.  We had it all mapped out and were ready to go.

It was a beautiful, sunny morning and I had even remembered to lather myself in sunscreen so I wouldn’t have any surprises later.  Everything was going well and at about mile 2, Melissa’s daughter called from Italy.  She is studying abroad and, of course, Melissa needed to take the call. Her daughter, Julia, proceeded to share all of the details of her crazy weekend in Italy while we steadily ran south on the trail. At about mile 3.5 I was thinking about how much I loved this part of the trail and that I was happy I didn’t have to turn around in another mile.  At about that time I had a vision of Melissa throwing her keys into my glove compartment so I turned to her and asked if she had the key to her car.  The look on her face said it all.  She did not have the key to her car and so we were running 9 miles south with no ride at the end.  Neither one of us wanted to turn around and head north so I decided to call my hubby to see if he would be willing to come get us.  He didn’t answer.  It’s always a good feeling when you are out on the trail running and you can’t reach your husband.  What If I really needed him?  I assumed he was in the shower and he would call me momentarily so we decided to keep running.

After about 30 more minutes and no phone call I gave my hubby another call.  Still nothing.  Once again, we looked at each other and decided to take the gamble and keep running.  Surely, my hubby would look at his phone sometime within the next hour, right?

With just under 3 weeks to train, I am definitely feeling better than last year.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G