August 14, 2011

So I am starting to wonder if I have lost my mind. My foot started feeling better towards the end of the week and I was going to try and get out Thursday but had a schedule conflict so I decided I would just run 12 on Saturday. I was camping so I just ran down the canyon for 10 miles and then back up for two. The 10 miles felt great and I was hitting some nice times on my miles. My foot was hurting but not unbearable so I decided to keep going. There was a couple of times I got some sharp pains but they were short and I felt like I would be ok. The last 2 miles up hill about done me in but I finished and in a super good time that got me all excited for the half in two weeks. I got back to camp and relaxed and tried to elevate as much as possible. I stuck my foot in the river for a minute but talk about frost bite :). When I got ready to leave early afternoon, by foot was sore but I wouldn't call it pain so I was pretty excited. We decided to go to the fair that night and that was a big mistake. My foot was killing me by the time we left and I seriously wondered if I would make it to my car. We got there, I got home elevated and iced my foot. Today I woke up and this is when I realized my stupidity. I haven't done much down hill running. I am talking very little. In fact, it is something I had planned on doing a little more so the Half didn't kill me. Well I got out of the bed this morning and I don't know which hurts more my foot or thighs. OUCH! I am seriously so sore and I had to laugh at myself a little. I didn't want to look like a wimp at church so I was trying so hard not to limp but I don't think it worked :(. I honestly at this point don't know what to do. Everyone keeps telling me to go to the doctor but I guess I am scared he will tell me something is really wrong. I can live not doing the half, and in fact have kind of told myself it might not be the best idea but to not do the marathon seriously brings me to tears. I feel like I have worked towards this for a year. I knew after the half was over last year that I wanted to do the full. I even toyed with trying it last year but didn't feel like that was the best idea. I tried to keep my running up all winter so when I started out I would start strong. I have felt so good after all my runs and minus some (what I feel is normal) soreness and tiredness I have felt great. My foot has never hurt in the past and it didn't hurt during the 20 miles. So why after? Why after I was rested and should have felt great. I don't know whether to go to a doctor because I honestly don't like medication. Don't get me wrong I know it has its place but I don't feel like it is natural so I don't want to go and just get drugged up. If there is something really wrong, I can live with that but I worry that they will just say try ibuprofen or something and that isn't going to fix it. I feel like that will mask the pain and even maybe set me up for further injury. I wish someone would just tell me what to do. I have asked a few runners and of course they really don't know what the pain is like so they can't tell me what to do. I am relying pray at this point. Wish me luck and pray that I will get better so I can do the only two races I have planned this year ;).