Just at the end of my marvelous 10K run, I was doing a few laps to get me over the 10K number at a park near home. I was less than 100 meters from wrapping up.
I started noticing a sharp pain in my right foot. On occasion, I’ve experienced some niggles in my feet during running but they’ve always come and gone. I’ve also got some neuropathy in my feet so I’m used to odd sensations like feeling my socks are bunched up under my toes when they aren’t or like I have a pebble in my shoe when there isn’t.
I stopped running. I had hit 10K and the pain persisted. I actually found it difficult to put pressure on the ball of my R foot. I limped home, about 5 minutes, showered, relaxed, and went to bed thinking this was a new version of my neuropathy.
Throughout the night, getting to the bathroom was still troublesome. The next morning, I noted that the top of my foot was a bit swollen and called my sports physio that I had been using to improve my running and got an appointment. I had looked up ball of the foot pain and come up with the idea of metatarsalgia.
He did his inspecting and a bit of poking and prodding; very tender on top of the foot. He felt I needed an x-ray just to be on the safe side. I didn’t want to go back to the A&E as I had been there just six days ago for my eyes.
Fortunately, it was at a very slow time of day and I got in and was out within 2 hours. The ER doc thought I could have a possible stress fracture but wasn’t sure so he referred me to Orthopaedics/Fracture clinic. They reviewed the x-ray and are calling it a regular fracture.
I’m guessing it occurred when I bumped my foot into that stone on the roughened track of the canal path? It really didn’t seem like I had hit it that hard and it was in the middle of the run and the pain started only as I was finishing.
Looking forward to seeing someone in person. I understand I’m to have a ‘boot’. And of course, it looks like I’ll be out of commission for some time until this heals.
I’ve spoken to the Run the Rivers folk and they are happy to take one of my documented runs as virtual completion – even though it will be out of the date window which is next week. Very kind of them.
One of my other races, in Greenwich Park cancelled for the 29th.
My other race this month was a Chase the Sun: Hyde Park. I’m hoping they will let me transfer this fee to another race when I’m back up and running. I have also volunteered for this race if they can find a position for me that doesn’t have a lot of walking.
So there we are. I’ve waited a few days to make these posts just because I’ve felt a bit lost at the thought of no running and because I still haven’t been seen in person yet. I know I’ve got a good sports physio and he’s told me that once I’ve been treated by Ortho, he’ll get me back up and running.
Written by
drl212
Graduate10
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Oh, I’m so sorry. Just when your running is going so well! It sounds like you’ve been really unlucky.
You’ll have a better idea of what you’re facing once you’ve seen someone and then take it from there. While you’re not able to run there’s a lot you can do with strength training, although I can understand why you feel despondent - it’s a real blow. You’ve been doing everything right!
Thanks, J2020. Yes, I'm going to continue with my strength training as I learn to hobble around the gym. So there will be something to gain at the other side...
Plus - you know what works for you. So you’ll be able to slot back in when you’ve got the all clear to run again - and with all the strength training you’ll be doing in the meantime, you’ll be unstoppable! 😊
I'm so sorry you're going to be on the IC for a bit, how frustrating. I haven't been on here for a few weeks for similar reasons. But mine was an unchallenging simple 4k-ish run, after which my right hip was really painful and I could hardly walk for 3 days. Fast forward three weeks, still feeling sore and unable to run, managed to get an NHS physio appointment 2 weeks later. Have had that appointment now and been given some strength exercises (which I probably should have known about before). When you have a pain, lump or whatever, it's tricky to know whether to rest it or plough on. I'm so sorry you've had to cancel events - like me, you'll be gritting your teeth and feeling FOMO when you see others running! I've found that volunteering at parkrun is getting me through for now. Good luck with your diagnosis and treatment.
I find that once I have a diagnosis and a treatment/ rehab plan, I channel all of the missed running frustration into the recovery exercises. Each day feels like progress, which dilutes the disappointment, especially when you can feel that your getting somewhere. You will get there.👍
Oh my! What a sad tale of woe... BUT, ( there is always, a but) !
The runs wait! They truly do! My longest time out was twelve weeks... and on the day the consultant gave me the all clear, and told me I could run back to my car, I did!
So... now you are getting over the shock of the injury and the no running verdict... time to look forward.
Loads of folk have had the boot and are still here and up and up and running, and there is so much you are able to do, to keep your body and mind fit and ready for when you get out again.
I expect to see you on the S and F Forum and to be reading your progress there, from exercise done through the forum and in conjunction with the gym work.
Loads of seated and exercise, using one leg only... upper body and core strength, essential; I maintained my exercise throughout my 12 weeks off, whcih allowed me to run back to my car!
So... no doom and gloom... we know you will be back and we will look for your regular exercise updates!
The only thing left for me to say to you... you have guessed it... patience is the watchword and of course, take it, slow and steady!
oh no! I do know exactly how that feels. A few years back I was in a similar situation, with the diagnosis unclear between metatarsal stress fracture and Morton’s Neuroma. I wrote a whole post about it, which might be of interest. And it does demonstrate, as Oldfloss has confirmed, there is indeed active life in existence on the injury couch!
Here’s the link to my post about reflecting on the differences between Morton’s Neuroma and Metatarsal Stress Fracture:
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and are still here and up and up and running, and there is so much you are able to do, to keep your body and mind fit and ready for when you get out again.
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IC - gutted 😢
Park run done , felt gooooood, but I prefer the 10ks
9k? Don’t mind if I do! 👏👏
