Bethany Meyer hits her second speedbump on the road to the Boston Marathon. Bethany is running as part of the team sponsored by Stonyfield Organic Yogurt: to check out the other badass runners on their team and see what’s going on with them, check in here.
I used to take my kids to the mall for lunch and a carousel ride when they were little. I held one’s hand, buckled two into a double stroller, and strapped the fourth to my chest. I remember the idea of it being so much fun. But in reality it was mentally and physically draining. I have to apply the heating pad to my lower back just thinking about it. During those outings, I could always count on three things:
- I would eat too many of my kids’ french fries.
- One of them would have a meltdown in the parking lot on the way to the car.
- Even if the parking lot were completely empty save for my minivan, a lone car would inevitably pull alongside my van, precluding me from entering the car on that side, and force me to wait until its occupants vacated their vehicle. All the while my toddler, in the throes of a tantrum, would buck like a wild bronco in our double umbrella stroller.
That car pulling up alongside us was my personal Murphy’s Law of being a Mom and taking the kids out in public.
When I first looked at my marathon training plan for Boston, I had several thoughts. I peered out the window, and the sun was shining. It was an unseasonably warm December day. Warm enough that earlier that day I had worn shorts to run. I moved my gaze from the window to my children, who were in various stages of play in the same room. I smiled at each of my boys. Two of them returned the smile, the youngest one threw his arms around my neck, and the teenager asked, “Why are you looking at me with that weird smile?” proving that everything was as it should be. I was injury free, feeling strong, fit, and up for the challenge. “Boston,” I thought, “I’m coming to get you!”
But there’s something about Murphy’s Law and being a Mom training for a marathon, isn’t there?
Because within hours, the temperature dropped below freezing and has remained well below there for the past 5 weeks. There has been snow. Freezing rain. Hail. Rain that hits the ground and freezes immediately, rendering four-wheel drive useless. As I type this, the forecast predicts more snow. More ice. More freezing rain. Even lower temperatures. My running friends are dropping off old pairs of sneakers for my husband to drill sheet metal screws into their soles and convert them to screw shoes. Our weekly runs sound more like a number from A Chorus Line than they do mother runners logging miles.
Five of the six of us were sick with the stomach thing for the better part of a week. I’ve had visitors by my bedside at all hours of the night recently. One complained, “I am sorry to wake you, but I can’t hear. My ear is clogged. I can only hear the buzzing of a stink bug flying around in my room.” Another woke me to tell me, “Mom, I’m just so thirsty. I woke up because I was just so thirsty. I want a cough drop, but I know you won’t give me a cough drop because I always accidentally swallow my cough drops. So, instead I got water. I just wanted to tell you.” A third woke me by tapping me with the Aveeno container. “Mom, I have itchy skin because I coughed once. You better put this lotion on me. Because I coughed once. And now my skin is itchy.” I love that they seek me out when they need comfort in the middle of the night. Is it too much to ask that no one needs comfort in the middle of the night until–oh, I don’t know–May?
So, the weather has turned. And the kids have been sick. But let’s look on the bright side. At least I’m injury-free, fit, and strong, right?
Well…
Last weekend, I had a Saturday progression run on the schedule. The treadmill is my jam when I am looking to hit and hold a pace. Otherwise, I find myself looking at my watch every 30 seconds, “I wonder what my pace is now? And now? How about now? Am I holding steady now?”
I followed it up with 8 outdoor miles on Sunday morning. With Snowmageddon allegedly on its way, I braved the grocery store and–after running–stood in my kitchen for three hours and made every soup and stew in my arsenal. With the refrigerator full, it was finally time to sit down. “Ow,” I thought as I made my way to the sofa, “What is that pain in my heel? Did I step on a Lego earlier today?” With each step I took, the pain in my heel got worse. “Ooof. It must have been a pointy Lego hat.” And still worse. “An entire army of Lego soldiers, every one holding a Lego sword.” My husband saw my pained expression, so I explained the sensation to him.
“Uh-oh,” he said, “You have plantar fasciitis.” He would know. He’s been struggling with it for 11 months.
Good old Murphy’s Law has found me again. If it can happen, it will happen.
Outdoor running conditions are treacherous.
My kids have been sick.
Caring for them made me sick.
And now I am injured.
Luckily, Coach is all over it.
I’ve scaled back my mileage and am hoping to see the doctor this week. When I told my old Ragnar buddies that I’d caught my husband’s plantar fasciitis (who knew it was contagious?), their advice, support, and virtual hugs were immediate. There is a special place in my heart for those women. They are my bright spot in what’s been an otherwise dreary month.
And so I am happy to bid January farewell.
In February, I’m hoping for warmer temps, healthy kids, and a body that will cooperate.
My goal is to outrun Murphy’s Law. What are my chances?
And because I have you, plantar fasciitis tips: Lay ’em on me. I’m getting over this PF asap.
Oh no! Sorry to hear about the PF. I struggled with it years ago and finally needed two cortizone shots. Now, I baby my feet and respond with extra stretching and icing as soon as I feel a twinge. I’ll soak my feet in an ice bath after runs (brrrr), strech my calves, and EVERY night I stand barefoot on one foot at a time to strengthen my feet (weird, I know). I also have prescription orthotics, and, sadly, wear sensible shoes everyday. Flip flops all summer wreck me. Feel better soon!
PF is the worst! I was stricken with it about 18 months ago, and I often feel like I am one bad run away from a relapse. The best advice I have is to always wear supportive shoes. Even when you are in the house, even when you get up in the middle of the night to deal with a kid or go to the bathroom. I have a pair of very good slippers with a lot of arch support that I wear in my home, and flip flops are right out once it’s warm enough. My PF flared up last summer, but I quickly realized that it was because I was walking around barefooted at home and wearing flip flops outside. Once I got some Birkenstocks and wore them ALL THE TIME, things got better.
Bummer!!! Wishing you a speedy recovery and nicer weather for training!
Ugh! Sometimes it seems like one thing after another….which is why us mother runners are crazy awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have never had PF…sorry. I do like to roll me feet on a foot rubz almost every day. Here’s to a great Feb!
Here’s what helps me: rolling my feet using the Trigger Point roller, no bare feet ever, wearing compression sox (any height to keep your feet snug). Good luck!
If your PF is caused by high arches (like mine), try Orthaheel shoes by Vionic. They can be a little pricey, but if you search the web, you can usually find a decent deal on them. They make every thing from sneakers to really cute sandals. They’ve been a Godsend for me! Good luck & *hugs*!
So sorry to hear about the PF. And I feel you with the sick kids. I battled the same “Musical Chair Germs” while I was training for my last half. Felt like I couldn’t catch a break! Hopefully things settle down for you!
I was diagnosed with PF just yesterday so I feel your pain, literally. What works great for me is filling a water bottle 2/3 full of water, freezing it, then rolling my foot over it to ice and massage the foot.
Great post – sorry to hear about the PF! In the past, I’ve found many of the aforementioned techniques (icing often, supportive shoes especially if walking on sandy/mushy surfaces, avoid wearing heels, etc.) to be helpful, but what helped me the most by far was walking over small rocks/course gravel in bare or stocking feet after every run, and sometimes even more often. Think the small rocks that folks place around their foundations, or as a gravel driveway. It sounds like outside isn’t an option for you right now, so you might try buying a bag or two from a hardware store/Home Depot and laying them over a big piece of cardboard or something in your basement/garage, and then walk back and forth over them. Hurt a bit, helped a lot. I also found that my calves were pretty tight and that working on stretching/loosening them up helped quite a bit. Best of luck!
I agree with all who recommended supportive shoes. Over the counter orthonics did the trick for me when I had PF. I still put a pair of insoles in all of my shoes and don’t buy shoes that won’t take them. Also, strengthen your glutes and do a glute activation exercise like bridges before every run. Hope February treats you better.
I’m also battling PF and on the road to Boston. Frozen Dixie cups – a pressure ice massage daily, PT with ultrasound, sleeping in boots, lots of Aqua jogging and cross training. My doctor recommended Hoka shoes and I’m sold. They provide the cushioning my tender heels need. And thank you for the Lego imagery – that was the best way to describe the pain!
I’ve also heard about using a frozen golfball for PT and keeping up with those calf stretches. Good luck. Poor mommy!
I suffered for over a year and eventually had a partial plantar fasciotomy. Before you stand up, pull the toes of your hurt foot back and hold for 30 sec. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Also do stretches for your calf and Achilles.The biggest thing that helped Mr was Orthoheel slippers and shoes. The slippers were expensive so I hesitated but they saved me. I wore them all the time in the house and put them on immediately when I got up (even if I had to get up in the middle of the night for kids/bathroom) The pain went away within 2 weeks of wearing Orthoheels and now I am never w/o them.
The therapy that worked the best for me for PF was getting my foot scraped by my LMT. It hurts like crazy but is amazing after. Chiropractors do it too. My husband’s PF went away with consistent wearing of a Dorsiflexion boot while sleeping – and if he has a little flare-up, he wears that for a few nights and it settles down again. I didn’t find acupuncture to be too helpful for PF but my acupuncturist had solid advice – send love and positive energy to your injury – try not to be mad…the stress hormones aren’t good and you may heal faster filled with positivity (I try my best but I hate being told I can’t run!!!). Give it time – all athletes get injured. I’m sending healing thoughts your way right now!!
When I had it my doctor suggested stretching my ankles and calves by standing on a stair with my toes and slowly dropping my heel until I could feel the stretch, holding it then repeating it several times. I did many of the other things suggested above, also…rolling with a tennis ball, ice and wearing Orthaheel shoes that I discovered on sale at our local shoe store. All of which worked! To this day, I still do the heel drop on the stairs before I go out for a run and whenever I’m standing or sitting I replicate that same exercise. Sending you healing thoughts right now!!
I had great results from using the Strassburg sock and rolling my foot on a frozen water bottle. I also rub out the bottom of my arch every night before bed. Good luck!
This series of 5 easy exercises that you can do while making dinner (well, most of them) has saved me! http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/the-body-shop-arch-enemy?page=single
Good luck!!!
Danskos resolved my plantar fasciitis problem for years. I even wear them with PJs.
I have only similar suggestions as previous posters– I’m struggling with PF myself. Sending you hope that yours resolved more quickly than mine is! I also got that stick roller to work my calf muscles, and I have found that my PF is worse when my hamstrings get tight, so yoga or at least hamstring stretches are pretty helpful. Stay strong!
PF is the spawn of Satan. It hit me after marathon training hill sprints. It forced me to slow down for a bit, but I have made a full recovery without surgery and am back to marathon training and healthy (knock on wood). After being in pain and denial for months, i saw an orthopedist, got the diagnosis and got a cortisone shot that was worse than the PF, but it did buy some relief for a month or so. In that time, I used an orthotic insert to be able to cushion my foot while running limited miles, and invested in Merrell zero drop shoes to wear about town. They felt like my toes were higher than my heels. After running while muscles were warm, I did TONS of stretching: hamstrings, calves, ankles, glutes…up the ENTIRE chain. Lots of good stretches on YouTube. Pronation seems to aggravate PF, so no un-supportive flip flops…Tevas rock! Within about 4 months pain began to ease. Just like pregnancy, it took awhile to get to this state, and it takes awhile to recover, but it IS possible. Sending healing thoughts your way!
I found that calf stretches are the key to getting over PF, along with a Strassburg sock (in my post is a link to how to make your own version) and KT Tape Pro. http://fitfunmom.com/2012/12/03/how-to-recover-from-plantar-fasciitis-heel-and-arch-pain/ Good luck!