Training recap (week of 12/14-12/20)

Week 2: 

No post-run selfies this week... just didn't take any, not sure why! 

Monday  12/14--
AM: 5 easy peasy miles with Jess.  I wasn't sure that I would be up to running after my race, but Jess promised we'd keep it easy, and she made good on her promise!  Overall pace: 9:20.  Felt super good!
PM: Boot camp at Power Train.  Allison joined me for this workout and it was so nice not to be solo on a Monday night!  Dan worked us pretty hard, but again, I felt really good.  Sore glutes from my race, but that's it.

Tuesday 12/15--rest day

Wednesday 12/16--5 miles in Lewis Center with Erin and Steph.  I had planned on meeting Christine at 4:45 before my MRI, but her son had kept her up all night so when she canceled, I figured I'd be running solo up and down Polaris Parkway.  I texted Erin and she said to book it to Lewis Center and meet her and Steph.  I am glad I did--haven't ran with them in awhile, and I have missed them and the route!  Overall pace: 8:43.  Felt great :)  No evening swim workout because I had to bake 6 dozen cookies for a Christmas cookie exchange on Thursday!

Westerville runner mamas at the exchange!

Thursday 12/17--5@5 in Dublin with Becky, Lori, Lisa, Allison, Carol and Suzy.  I had made plans to run with Becky but she'd forgotten, so she asked if I'd join the Dublin girls today.  I enjoyed the different route!  Overall pace: 9:11.  Feeling great still!

Friday 12/18--rest day

Saturday 12/19--long run day!  12 miles on the Genoa Trail with Jess, Amy and Amber. I was apprehensive about this run... my last injury occured during a 12 miler in June, and I needed to get past this mental hurdle.  The plan was to run nice and easy, keeping at 9 min/mile.  We failed at this (overall pace was 8:51 and not a single mile was in the 9's), but as Jess said, at least we didn't run an 8:30/mile pace! ;)  This run was filled with stops--four shoe-lace-ties (Jess x3 plus Amy I think), one flying headlamp, and one stop to GU at mile 6.1.  Felt great, though! 

Sunday 12/20--hoping to get in my first bike ride on the trainer!

Total running miles for the week: 27
Total cross training workouts: 1 (hopefully #2 will be tomorrow, if I can get my bike trainer set up today!)

Other miscellaneous notes:

I had my MRI on Wednesday morning, and got a call on Friday at lunch from my doctor.  It is never a good thing when your doctor takes the time to call you; this I know.  So I was pretty nervous when she started to discuss the results of the MRI.  "Severe plantar fasciitis, with a partial medium to high grade tear of the fascia.  Possible stress reaction of the cuboid bone."  I almost died... these were not words I was expecting.  I'd had such a great race on Sunday... and such a wonderful week of running.  How could my injuries be that bad?  My doctor was able to fit me in that afternoon so that we could discuss matters further.  When I went in, she immediately felt my foot and pressed hard on the spot where the MRI showed a "spot"... no pain.  None at all.   She said that it was likely just fluid, and that we'd disregard the findings.  Disregard the findings!  Can I get a woot, woot?!!

Snoopy happy dance after meeting with my doctor!!!

This was music to my ears, but there was still that partial tear to discuss.  When I expressed my concerns, she examined my foot, noting that I was actually experiencing less pain than I was the previous week.  In fact, it didn't even hurt when she pressed on my heel.  I was kind of shocked.  I was even more shocked when she told me that as long as I still wasn't limping or altering my gait, she was fine with me continuing to run.  I went from thinking I would be in a boot for the next month, to hearing, "Go ahead and do your 12 miles tomorrow."  Crazy!  She did suggest physical therapy, as they will be able to do photophoresis (where steriod gel is applied via ultrasound), and she's had patients who have had PF and it has worked well for them.  So I scheduled my first PT appointment with my fav PT, Jenny, on Wednesday afternoon. 

As I said, overall, I've felt so great all week.  My heel was a bit sore on Monday, but icing and stretching this week has helped.  I never had anything more than a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10 on any of my runs this week, and I've felt good just walking around at work and such all week as well.  Praying this is the beginning of the end of my PF!