Round 2

Two weeks after the first cortisone shot I was right back in the podiatrist office getting another one.  Yup.  My miracle drug was not so much.  I was told to take it easy and so the following Monday I ran two miles and there was definitely some pain, but manageable and I set off to run three miles on Wednesday morning.  By ten o'clock I was in so much pain I was in tears.  This past week I ran 2.25 miles then 2.75 miles and while running I seemed to be ok, the aftermath was not right.

Along with the shot on this visit came explicit instructions to not run for two weeks.  Supposing at the end of those two weeks everything is hunky doory, I will have exactly four weeks to try and figure out how in the hell to run 13 miles.  It looks like the goal I set which was completely attainable is now needing to be reworked and I don't know how I feel about that.

Cortisone

Meet cortisone...my new best friend.  Heel spurs SUCK!  This has been the worst three weeks, well, not of my life, but it's pretty much been awful.  I've run a total of three miles in the past three weeks and each run brought on pain in my foot that refused to go away without one week non-physical activity and copious amounts of Aleve.  I went to my podiatrist today and she did an ultrasound of my heel to make sure that cortisone shots were necessary.  She measured my inflammation, not sure what the measuring tool was, but she said a 2 was pretty normal, and she only did shots if the inflammation was at least a 4.  What was mine?

8.2.  That's right, more than double what her normal standard is.  Yikes!  Out came the needle and in it went and I yelled, "Mother Effer!"  Really, mother effer.  Seriously.  I don't drop f-bombs.  It hurt like a mofo.  See?  No f word.  So far it's done exactly what the doctor said it would.  A little tingling and burning and getting worse before it's getting better.  Eight hours later and I'm already walking better than I have in weeks.  I can't wait to see what the morning brings and she said I can be running by Monday.  Glory be.  This chubby girl will be running again.  Life is good.

Motivation

My conversation with Cat (age: a week shy of 4, though she may not last if she keeps it up) yesterday: Cat: The Earth is REALLY big! Like THIS big! (stretches her arms as wide as they'll go) Me: Wow, that's really big. Cat: Yep! And your butt is this big. (moves her arms in a quarter of an inch on either side - and I'm being generous) Me: Gee, thanks. Cat: But my butt is REALLY small. Like this. (puts her hands so close together there's barely light visible) Me: Uh huh. Just remember, sweet daughter, Karma's a bitch.

Diagnosis

So, I went to a podiatrist and she told me that I had plantar fasciitis and did an x-ray of my foot and it was not pretty.  Good news is she said I could start running again, but to listen to my body and if it's not going well, then, well, stop.  I have a few stretching exercises to do a few times a day and a really cool big ass boot to wear at night.  I wore it for the first time last night and it is not very conducive to good sleep.  Oh well.  If it fixes the problem, I'm fine with it.

I did go running this morning and I was totally happy.  I only went 1.43 miles and finished in 18:14 which ends up being 12:45.  I'll take it :)