Three days to recover

Well, I'm three days away from the Ras na hEirran and the diagnosis doesn't look good. I can walk without a limp now and at a moderate pace. I still have to ice at night, morning and take Aleve, but I'm otherwise in relatively little pain.

That is, until I try doing something strictly load bearing on my foot - such as forefoot running, calf raises, lunges, etc. Even the plank/push-up plans for last evening fell short because I had to do them one-legged, which provides additional difficulty to the exercises and disheartened me, ultimately my downfall.

Ab Ripper X is getting easier. I excel at Crossovers, Roll Ups + V-Ups, and Leg Climbers. They are very similar to pilates moves that I used to love. I suspect there is some muscle memory at work here. The Mason Twist is a struggle to complete and my oblique v-ups simply aren't up to his speed.

Did I mention that I miss lifting at the gym? Nothing has changed, except me. I think it'll take a couple of months, but I'm hoping to match my previous lifting numbers by mid-May. Anything I accomplish over the summer should be a big bonus.

Not running is bringing me down, but it's beginning to be a sad old story. I'm wondering about the wisdom in pushing it the way I do. But about 5 minutes into upright bike intervals, I remember why running outside is nirvana-inducing.

On a fun note, we've decided on our Warrior Dash team theme: Ke$ha Warriors! There will be neon, glittering facepaint and crazy hair.

...glitter on our eyes
Stockings ripped all up the side
Looking sick and sexy-fied...

My foot has shown remarkable improvement over the past few days, and I don't think it's just because I swapped over to Aleve and medicated myself into numbness. Yesterday I discovered that I could walk without a dramatic limp and that the stepping motion which causes my toes to bend upwards didn't result in sharp, balance-losing pain. Last night, the top of my foot even felt itchy like a healing bruise.

The top of my foot is still swollen, but its feel more superficial now that I'm not in constantly pain with every step. I even half-jogged back to the locker room when I forgot my ipod yesterday afternoon. Okay, maybe not half jogged; limp-bounced in an awkward fashion.

All in all, I have high hopes that I'll be in good enough condition to run the 5k on Sunday. This might seem a bit optimistic. But really, how much damage can I do in 30 minutes? Or if I do damage, how long will it take to actually physically manifest itself in a debilitating manner? More than 30 minutes is what I'm betting!

The other option would be to skip the race and focus on healing in order to pull a normal time at the BAA 5k in April. That's 5 weeks out. I just really want the RNH medal, and to jog in costume. I added a green tie from target to my festive outfit this year. I don't want to waste that $1.00 elasticized tie.

I'll be back with an update later this week. Today is leg day. We'll see how calf raises go.

Having diagnosed my problem, you'd think I could focus on the road to recovery. But if you thought that, you probably don't know me that well. Faced with the possibility of not being able to run, I've returned to my old standby: heavy weight lifting.

I jumped back into my old routine this week with a vengeance (upper/lower body splits plus cardio on the bike). It was both exhilerating and humbling. "Humbling" seems to be a common feeling when it comes to fitness for me lately. I'm lifting dramatically less than I used to, which is expected, but makes getting back seem very far away. For example, I was around 250 on the leg press last year, but was easing myself back in yesterday with 135lb. I didn't bother with additional weight on my squats at first, trying to just get my form right, and when I did, I was quivering (okay, my injured foot gave out) after my fourth set of 6 reps at 65 lbs. That's right, 65lb. Shame!

This past week I've found myself fantasizing about doing box jumps again and jumping lunges. I remember the way it felt to do a pull-up without half my body weight compensated for with a band. I remember what it was like to gave guns.

In any case, I went to the laundromat this morning (a new routine because I've had it with the laundry in my building) and then went grocery shopping. My foot feels like its broken, just straight up broken, and my entire body aches all over with exhaustion. How it is that walking cumulatively like a mere mile with groceries or laundry rivals the most challenging days at the gym?

My foot is wrapped in ice, elevated, I've taken advil and I am fed.

I'm going to take a nap.

I had a sad realization today that perhaps it wasn't my ballet flats, but the forefoot running had led to what feels like a broken foot (<-- melodramatic, not broken). I was reading several barefoot running blogs that discuss how top of the foot pain is fairly common due to overuse, tight calves, etc.

From Go Barefooting:

The typical runner making the switch will usually complain of sore and tight calves after the initial barefoot runs. This is because the calf muscles are now being tightened and flexed. After that initial shock is gone and the calves begin to adapt, the same runners typically complain of pains in the tops of their feet. These pains are usually coming from two muscles and/or three tendons that run the length of the top of the foot, one of which actually starts along the tibia.

....

All of you who started out with calf pain transitioned to top-of-the-foot pain for that very reason. Your calves got extremely tight and sore. A lack of proper stretching and relaxing caused a counter balance problem, which manifested itself in the connective tissues in the top of the foot. Remember that every joint in the body is a balancing act between muscles, and the pain you feel is rarely coming from the spot you are feeling where you feel it.

With top-of-the-foot pain you should stretch the calves and arches as well as taking anti-inflammatory meds. Getting the calves to relax and loosen up should be the main focus, as this will allow the release of the muscles and tendons in the top of the foot. Icing the top of the affected foot will also help in the recovery process. As with any injury the main prescription is rest. This may be the toughest of all pills to swallow, especially for someone who has just learned the pure joy of running bare, but rest and time, stretching, and ice will heal this issue, allowing you to get back out there and do what you love.

I had diagnosed it correctly, it seems. I feel reassured, however, that this is both common and I can address it through stretching my calves more. Which apparently IS, in fact, possible. Even last fall when I did the TRX training with Janet, she told me my calves were impossibly tight. I can't imagine how much worse it has gotten since I began forefoot running, even with my careful stretching.

I had recently noticed that while I could run anywhere from 3-5 miles in the vibrams, that my calves ached considerable just after 1 1/2-2 miles still. That I could still physically run, but my calves were definitely maintaining a dull ache for the run. I also noticed some uncomfortable sharp pain through my left foot at times. I always slowed or stopped when it happened, and it immediately went away, but there could be some cumulative effect.

I'm still icing 2-3 times per day, taking ibuprofin and trying to be as gentle as possible. My plan is to not leave my couch this weekend. It sounds insanely boring, but its all I can do. Okay, I might leave to do laundry but that's it! Besides I ant to do that at 7am on Saturday morning. For workouts I'll do non-foot-loading strength training and P90X. I can do the pushups and stuff as long as I balance on my right foot or do them on my knees.

I have a plan. That always makes me feel better.

On a side note, I signed up for the B.A.A. 5k this morning. I'm excited to celebrate Marathon Weekend with a race, even if it's not 26 miles. And I talked my best friend into doing the Warrior Dash in June. It will be my last hurrah - as in, I turn 30 on Sunday. Saturday, however, we will be Warriors! Woohoo!

This is a shot of my swollen left foot today: