Blog Post

Hi everyone, I thought I'd share this as it underlines everything Eric tries to teach us about embracing the unknown.

I've been getting sore feet and ankles for the past few weeks, nothing I havn't been able to cope with but all the same my left foot in particular has been giving me some grief. I think it's because I've transitioned out of my orthotics altogether while I'm running, I haven't been wearing them at all no matter what the run might be. 

Last Sunday 22km into a 30km run my left foot became very sore around the ball of my foot and on the top just back from my toes. As a result and 24km I just had to stop the pain was too intense & I called my wife who came & picked me up. This week I've trained as per Eric's marathon program finding if I was strict in my form, really concentrating on it, I could manage any discomfort.

Then yesterday at work my feet were very sore particularly my left, with my left ankle feeling very week on the outside at the ankle bone. So I purchased an elasticated ankle brace and once on I had an instant feeling relief & support which made my day at work oh so much better. Then Last night walking down to have & back from dinner, I'm back working in the Gold Coast & Brisbane, my feet were again very tender, particularly the left.

This morning I woke with a small egg shaped swelling under the toe next to my big toe and tenderness on top of my foot near the ankle bone. I wanted to go out for the run that was planned as part of the program I mentioned above as it's 3 weeks today, Yike's, to I run the Melbourne Marathon but didn't want to make it worse. So after tooing & frowing not knowing what to do, I didn't want o make it worse but I needed the run, I'm running the Melbourne marathon in 3 weeks!!!!!!! did I tell you :-], so decided to give it a go. I said to myself if it's too uncomfortable I will stop walk back and I'll just have to rest it for a few days, not ideal, but you have to do what you have to do,...... right? 

So with my ankle brace on, wearing my old NB 1080's with my orthotics in and  a couple of Ibrufen tablets in my pocket, just in case, I set off at 6.35am. At first my left foot was very tender and uncomfortable but I concentrated on strict form and where my feet were landing. I tried to find the area's of the footpath with the least camber, I avoided the pram ramps when I crossed the road and I tried not to land on any surface that was raised or narrow. And after about 3-4km the discomfort in my feet and ankles started to gradually ease, eventually to the point I didn't notice any pain at all. I did however continue to concentrate of my form and cadence for the whole run.

I ran 32.2km in 3.14.06, stopping to drink as the Poweraid bottle I had & the 1 I bought along the way had no drinking cap & I did this so I could drink it without spilling it.  While I walked and drank I left my watch going as I did when crossing roads etc.

Now here's the thing, I went out truly having no clue what was going to happen, in fact before I went there was a point where I had almost convinced myself I wouldn't be able to run. I had no idea if I was going to get one step out of the door, 100m or a km down the road or if I was going to be ok. Now there was a time not that long ago where I just wouldn't have bothered. I would have said I won't be able to run so I won't try, I won't go and that me would have missed a fantastic run on a warm sun filled morning. That me wouldn't have got the affirmation that I can run 32km even when everything isn't exactly right, would have missed the valuable training session and missed the pure joy that is running itself.