Is it a premature end to my running dream?

[75bish]

On my week 8 run 2 ( May 13 morning), I surprised myself and ran full 38-40 minutes and completed bit more than 5 k. It was first ever in my life ( am turning 38 this October) , and I was so damn happy to reach at this level. But in the process, I hurt my left foot ( on side, near instep) and it was painful. I was hopeful that couple of days rest plus some muscle pain ointment and crepe bandage will all it take to get back on track. Well, it surely helped and yesterday evening, I put on my shoes again and was ready to complete my week 8 run 3. I could run only 1 km and pain came back. Stopped for a walk , ran another 0.5 k and again needed to stop for a walk. Last try, lasted for another 0.5 km and that was it. I walked another 1.5 km and was hating every bit of it, because I wanted to run !! ( what have you done Laura, to this truly couch potato who had never run before this March) .

I am now afraid that this foot pain will either take so long to cure or not go permanently and I might end up one of those person who will recall that dream run I had on May 13, 2013.

I think I am overreacting but that's what I am feeling today knowing fully that I will not be able to get another running chance at least for a week or two from today.

[greenlegs Graduate]

I very much doubt it will be permanent - so long as you let it heal properly, which I know is a challenge! I don't know much about injuries except for RICE - rest ice compression elevation - and as you say, let it get better before running on it again.

Very frustrating - but on the positive side, the frustration shows how much good the running is doing you, and means that even though you'll have to take a bit of a break now, you will get back to it again.

Maybe spend the time doing some running reading? Hope that's not too unhelpful. I've just got 'Running with the Pack' by Mark Rowlands 'thoughts from the road on meaning and mortality' - which sounds gloomy, but I am enjoying it so far (1st chapter). It fits in very much with how I feel about running - that it's more than just 'for' something - fitness etc, it's also just about the sensation/experience of running itself, if that makes sense?

You will be back soon.

[75bish Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Thank you for your encouraging words. Reading about running is a good idea too. I will surely give that a try. Meanwhile focus on RCE..not sure if I should use ice now . Thank you again and hopefully will be back on track soon. I think one full week should be enough, right ? ( not much pain except when I try to run) . Given that it will be a break of 10-12 days, should I repeat one week or can start with week8 run 3 ?

[greenlegs Graduate in reply to 75bish]

I don't think you can say a particular time scale - more a matter of seeing when it feels right again? But I don't really know, as I've been very fortunate (or maybe slow and steady is the trick) and haven't had more than twinges that have gone off after a day or two.

Similarly for how you start up again - I'd try and see what felt right, maybe doing a shorter/slower session the first time out to check things are ok, but you're unlikely to have lost much fitness in a week or so, going on other people's experiences I've read about.

[75bish Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Thanks again. Well appreciated.

[Mysticalmaid Graduate]

Hi, well done getting this far! I would advise resting until its healed, the more you push it too early the longer it takes to heal because it gets worse. I hurt a muscle a few weeks back and made the mistake of going for a run, it was fine until the last few minutes, I had quite a while off then. If its any consolation I just went 10 days without running and I went straight to next podcast today, it went fine, so a week or so won't do much harm. Rest easy and use this time to catch up on other stuff while looking forward to your next outing.

[75bish Graduate in reply to Mysticalmaid]

That's encouraging to know that once you are healed, you can go back where you left it. Advice from lola465 below seems bit more realistic though.

[lola465 Graduate]

I can only echo greenlegs comments about RICE and not rushing back. I'm a podiatrist (sports and musculoskeletal side not my speciality) and the biggest problem I gave in my clinics is getting active people to rest when they have an injury. Ice is more for acute injury, but is still helpful when the pain flares up. Rest is the key now.

Let your body have time to heal - if you keep pushing it before it's healed you're prolonging the problem.

When it feels better, do a short run. Rest for a day. If no pain do a SLIGHTLY longer run. If there is pain, rest more. Yes, it's frustrating. But if you want to run properly you've got to listen to the pain and work with your injured foot, not against it.

[75bish Graduate in reply to lola465]

Thank you for your wonderful advice! Noted, and plan to follow it to a T.

[lola465 Graduate]

I can only echo greenlegs comments about RICE and not rushing back. I'm a podiatrist (sports and musculoskeletal side not my speciality) and the biggest problem I gave in my clinics is getting active people to rest when they have an injury. Ice is more for acute injury, but is still helpful when the pain flares up. Rest is the key now.

Let your body have time to heal - if you keep pushing it before it's healed you're prolonging the problem.

When it feels better, do a short run. Rest for a day. If no pain do a SLIGHTLY longer run. If there is pain, rest more. Yes, it's frustrating. But if you want to run properly you've got to listen to the pain and work with your injured foot, not against it.

[runningme Graduate]

Hi! A similar thing happened with me... on WK 4 Run 3 I was 30 secs from finishing my final run before the cool down walk and something went wrong with my hip. I walked (very slowly) the rest of the way home in tears not because of the pain but because I thought that my running 'career' was over! I've never ran before and was doing so well. I went to the Doc's who suggested rest for two weeks. I waited the two weeks and then started again from week 1 day 1. I just finished my WK8 Day 2 run tonight... don't give up hope but make sure you rest it fully. Good Luck!