What we finally suspected and I’ve come to think of as the best answer is that coming out of 60 degree water after 90 minutes, I was numb. Running up stairs, over the rough terrain the carpet covered to transition area I think I had a miss-step or pulled a too cold muscle and only began to feel it as it thawed and I pushed harder on the bike.
The podiatrist was a little too matter of fact and reality shock for me. Though I like him a great deal I was looking for answers and didn’t have any.
More closely, I was looking for hope.
So what does that mean? My foot might not be able to handle that kind of duration or stress any more. It will always be a weaker link even once it heals. I asked about the 2011 AZ IM that I was already registered for… no answers. He asked me to come back in, check back at the appointment when I picked up the orthotics. I said, “Why? What for? You’re depressing!” I was only partially kidding!
I sought a Physical Therapist/runner’s opinion and her optimism helped. “Let’s exhaust every possibility before we rule it out.” I began strengthening it. I left running alone for a while. Pain-free after a month I began running 15 minutes at a time. Then 17, then 19 and so on and so on. Never two days in a row. Just two- three times a week the same duration until the next week as long as it was going well. How excited was I when I actually ran 45 minutes all at one time? Big time! Imagine – after the year before when 90 minute and 2 hour runs were at one point “short.”
So I’ve seen massage therapists, done my due diligence with strength training- heel raises- balance challenges, very little running compared to last year and am in the final stretch.
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