The latest from Derek

Calling it off

My foot still hurts.  I believe missing the miles this week (and tomorrow) are too many missed miles too close to the race.  I will not be running in the marathon I have been training for since May. 

I was able to get a set of radiology images (X-Ray) taken yesterday of my foot.  The doctor's office left a message on my home phone requesting I call back.  I hope to at least get a diagnosis today.

I intend to continue posting over the coming days to keep the interested few informed of my diagnosis and treatment. 

I am grateful I had the opportunity to undertake the effort.  Maybe I'll attempt marathon training again someday.

Thank you for your support over the last few months.

--DW

Pain and a booklet

I cannot walk or even stand for a few minutes without significant pain in my left foot.

I did not get the X-Ray exam today.  I will try to go tomorrow.

I received my Suntrust Richmond Marathon Participant Confirmation Booklet in the mail today.  It lies on the desk next to me as I write this blog entry.

--DW

A trip to the pool and a trip to the doctor

I get a green for today.  I went to the pool and was in the water for nearly an hour, resting very little.  I really enjoyed it.

I went to the doctor this evening.  My left foot is no better today than it was yesterday.  The doctor suspects some sort of a fracture - fifth metatarsal.  Radiology was closed, so I'll need to visit again tomorrow.

I asked him to look at my right foot, as it has caused discomfort since early October.  He suspects some form of tendonitis common in runners.  He gave me a prescription.  I think it is glorified Advil.

I intend to sleep in tomorrow.  No training.  I am beginning to think I will miss the race.

--DW

Am I done?

Am I done?  This is the question on my mind.  I could not get my 5-miler in today.  I had to stop and walk home when I got a sudden, sharp pain in my left foot.  Heretofore, all of my foot problems have been limited to my right foot.  This is a new problem, and seems to be distinct in it's characteristics.  All other pains have built slowly while out on a particular run and have eased with walking or standing motionless.  Not so with this one.  Is it a stress fracture?

I did some reading before bed last night that leads me to believe I should not attempt to re-do my 20-mile training run, as I alluded to in yesterday's post.  The author stated no more amount of training would enhance my marathon experience, but continuation of hard running would increase my risk of injury.  So, I went to bed contemplating whether or not I should re-attempt my 20-miler or run a 9-miler as originally planned.  I have altered my posted training schedule to reflect my state of indecision on the matter (see ?? at the right).  I feel asleep knowing that I had until Saturday at the end of mile 9 to make up my mind about which path I would take (taper or one more long run). 

I woke this morning feeling rested and eager to start the week of running, I dressed and got a bite to eat.  I put on my "new" shoes and headed out the door.

Wow, was I stiff!!!  In many ways, it felt like I was continuing my run from Saturday.  I felt just as tight this morning as I did on mile 17.  The only difference is that the waist-down all-consuming pain was gone.  I was very stiff, and uncomfortable, so, I walked and ran for about 3/10 of a mile and started to feel a familiar sensation in my right shin...that creepy feeling of tightness I got just before getting full blown SHIN SPLINTS.  I WALKED balk to the house, got into my old trusty shoes and headed out again.  This time, my shins were not bothering me. 

I jogged a little, walked a little on my old course that I used back when 5 - 8 miles was as far as I had to run.  It took me  a long time to get about 1.5 miles in, all the while, trying to run in grass where possible.  I veered farther away from the sidewalk at a point where the grass had a bit of a slope to it.  I was so inflexible, that I feared any extra stress due to running on uneven ground could be dangerous.  As I veered, I got up onto a high spot and realized this was some dry, hard ground.  At which point I also hit a clump of grass just the wrong way.  My left foot was suddenly hurting.  As I stated earlier, the pain was sudden and distinct from all other sensations I've gotten while running.  I stopped, turned around and limped home.  Fortunately, there was a short cut.

Even now, it throbs, and hurts to put any weight on it. 

I think the problem stems from the fact I overdid it on Saturday.  Overrunning was unintentional, but the 10 days off allowed me to de-condition to a point that I was so unwittingly ill-prepared for Saturday's run.  I ran through a lot of pain on Saturday.  My body still had not recovered as of this morning, and it could not absorb the jarring motion of running.  Without my legs being flexible, all the shock had to be absorbed by the foot (or so it seems to me).  I think this is why I am in pain now. 

So, tomorrow I intend to head to the pool.  A nice cardio workout in a non-weight bearing exercise should do me some good.  We'll see how the week shapes up.  The interesting thing to me is that before I left the house this morning, I prayed a prayer saying that I would continue unless the Lord did not want me to.  Is this his way of saying that my goal of running a marathon needs to be put aside for now?

This morning was a nice morning to be out.  Not too cool. The grass was damp in some areas.  A clear night sky with plenty of stars.  It was ideal by many standards.  I wish I could have taken full advantage of it.

--DW

My hardest run, yet

Until yesterday, I had not run since my middle of the night run on Wednesday 10/15.  My neck problem had me flat on my back last weekend.  I was recovering throughout the week, and had no motivation for running.  Finally, on Friday(10/24), I was getting excited about running again.  I was looking forward to my last long training run of 20 miles.

The temperature was in the low 60's, with overcast skies and a light breeze when I started out Saturday morning around 9:00AM or slightly before.  It had rained a few showers throughout the night.  As I would find out later, it was going to rain a few more showers throughout the morning. 

I added an extra out-and-back to my familiar 8-mile course, to give me a 10-mile course that I intended to run twice, for a total of 20-miles.  I had a decent pace for the first 8-miles, then things started to go wrong...

I am not certain I have mentioned my foot pain, but that has been with me since my 16-mile run on 10/4; even on my off days.  The discomfort started in around mile 5.  By mile 9, it was painful.  I found myself having to stop to massage my foot and ankle.  I continued on at a slower pace interrupted by stops to tend to my foot.  I managed to make it through and about mile 14, or so, the pain disappeared.  Was I going numb?

Overall tightness in my ankles, knees and hips started to set in around this time (mile 14), as well.  This would turn out to be the most difficult.  I think the cool rain I was running in contributed to my legs getting tight.  The temp was not cold, but I was not getting "warm" either, and I think just the lack of heat was part of the source for my tightness.

I made it to mile 17, and decided to start walking mile 18.  Mile 18 would bring me back to my car where I could get some food and drink, then I thought I could get my out-and-back completed to finish off the 20-miler.  Not so.

The one mile walk was very painful.  Everything hurt, or at least it seemed that way.  I decided I would just walk the out-and-back, once I got to my car.  Well, I got to my car, and was in such bad shape, I drove home.  Hence the yellow for my 20-miler - I didn't even complete all 20-miles.

I think the 10 days off was the biggest factor in this run being so difficult.  Basically, this was my 18-mile run that I missed last week; my body was not able to support going from a 17 mile run to a 20 mile run in one step, especially since I had not been running at all in the past 10 days.

So, this coming week was supposed to be the start of my taper.  A 5-8-5-9 was on the schedule.  I think I'll try a 5-8-5-20, in hopes of doing better on the 20-miles.  I think it is important.  I hope the shortened taper will not compromise myself for the big day (11/15).

I posted the remainder of my training schedule so you can see what I have left - not much at all.

A few good things did come out of yesterday:

1. I don't think I injured myself.

2. I still have health to continue training.

3. I started with some discomfort in my neck, but the run must have worked out the kinks - I felt great last night. This was a real answer to prayer.

--DW