We are now 7 weeks after the Boston Marathon and I’m just starting to see daylight at the end of the tunnel from another running injury. This time it was a weird muscular/tendon issue in the ball of my left foot.
After a few times of being hurt with running injuries, I’ve learned a few things.
- General practice doctors appointments are a waste of time in general. I am a big believer in Western medicine, but doctors just really can’t help you very much with most running injuries. I did go to the doctor to confirm I didn’t have a stress fracture. That and give me some heavy duty anti-inflammatory pills was about all they could do.
- Rest is key, but you have to “rest” correctly. My current foot issue didn’t actually start getting better until I read enough on the internet to come across some obscure stretches. I’ve found that running injuries almost never fix themselves. It’s always an active process. If you want to get better on a limited time table, you must combine rest with a focused stretching/therapy regimen.
- Massage is key. My massage therapist is more valuable to me than my doctor.
I was finally able to get a near 50 mile week in, and the pain I was feeling is now just a manageable tightness. This time away has in part been a blessing. Toward the end of Boston training, the miles were starting to feel a bit like a job. Sufficient time away and I’m once again super excited to begin another training journey.
I’m looking forward to a summer preparing for my first Falmouth Road Race and my first Berlin Marathon. Hopefully I can stay healthy.
