Feeling sorry for myself...😞

[Mummy23]

Any advice.... please... Last Thursday, sudden pain in ball of my left foot, not while running. Friday morning, severe pain in joint of big toe, foot mostly swollen and hot to touch, can’t ‘scrunch’ my toes. Over the phone Dr’s appointment suggests gout (we both laughed, I’m 43, 10 stone, don’t drink beer.....!) Followed all the rules and went to face to face appointment (mask, temp check outside etc). Dr said cellulitis, antibiotics and NO RUNNING. There was no redness, but I was told if the ‘warm patch’ spread, call 111, go to hospital 😳 Thankfully, that didn’t happen. I have now taken a weeks worth of tablets (all of them), not done any running, swelling has mostly gone, no ‘hot patch’ but I am left with continued pain in the joint of my toe. Nowhere near as sore as it was, but more painful if I’ve been standing/walking. I have an acquaintance, who is a GP and in desperation (I feel rude asking....she’s not my GP and was obviously not at work!) can I run yet...? The answer was a firm NO, not until there is no pain. Rest and ice, she said. I am a mum of 3 and a primary school teacher (3 days a week)...you can calculate the rest periods yourselves!!

Sorry for the ramble....what I’d like to know is... does anyone have any experience of cellulitis? (not cellulite!!!!! I know all about that too 😂)

How long do you think it might be before I can run....? It’s been just over a week and I miss it sooooo much. I’d just managed 10 miles....

I’m still signed up to New Forest half in September... will I still make the distance if I can’t run for two weeks now (or three or four 😥😰😨😱)

I will welcome any and all advice and thoughts, even if you’re going to tell me what I don’t want to hear..... and I do, honestly appreciate, that in the grand scheme of what’s happening in the world right now, this is not a disaster of epic proportions (but it feels a bit like it is to me).

Thank you all!

[Guinea70 Marathon]

I'm really sorry I don't have any advice for you (hopefully someone will have some) as not suffered with this just my annoying ankles but I wanted to give a bit of moral support to you as I know how frustrating it can be not to be able to go out and hope things improve soon so that you can enjoy your running again x

[Mummy23 Half Marathon in reply to Guinea70]

Thank you. It helps to know someone has heard me! X

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

I can well imagine how epic a disaster it feels. I've never had cellulitis but recovery time does seem to vary a great deal. It takes longer to lose fitness than you might think, and there are things you may be able to do to help while you wait to run. Check out Caroline Jordan on YouTube - she has lots of videos which are all non weight bearing, some of the chair cardio routines will give you a great workout and she is incredibly positive too. Alternatively, could you cycle for a while instead (that really kept me sane when I couldn't run on my foot)?

The New Forest HM is a great goal, but if you can't run it as you'd hoped, there will be other chances to race. When you look back this will feel like a small blip and you will really, really appreciate being able to run again. Speedy healing. Take care.

[Mummy23 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thank you. I will have a look at You tube....I’m so proud of where I’ve got to and I love it. I don’t know if I could start back at the beginning! X

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Mummy23]

You will never have to start at the beginning because you are a runner now! I had four and a half months out last year with a fractured metatarsal. Cycled and used CJ videos. I did restart C25K at w1 r1 as it had been so, so long. But it wasn't back to square one and I enjoyed every second of those runs. I was back to 10k pretty quickly (I condensed C25K and ju-jus magic 10) and then ran a HM within 5 months of a cautious comeback. Each setback has made me more and more determined. Try not to worry too much, you'll be back 👍😊

[Mummy23 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thank you so much....your words have made my day! I think I still struggle to think of myself as a ‘runner’. Somehow I still fell like I’m only pretending....! I am definitely in awe of the whole system....I don’t really believe I went from no running, ever, to 10 miles in a fraction over a year! I never really believe that each longer distance or faster pace is achievable, but somehow, little, by little, I do it! 🤣

Well done on surviving your months out and successfully completing the HM so soon.

I guess ‘us runners’ are a determined bunch! 🥰

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Mummy23]

Absolutely! It took me at least two and a half years before I could quietly call myself a runner - just a whisper, just to myself 😊

[Mummy23 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Sshhhh! 🤣🤣

[SlowLoris]

Sounds like it's on the mend. When it feels better have a little try out run around the block and build up carefully to be on the safe side. NFHM is a way off if it goes ahead. If you get comfortable with your long run being 10 miles or so then the HM will be no problem.

[Mummy23 Half Marathon]

Thank you. I’m not sure 10 miles will ever be comfortable...but I was super over the moon when I did it! 🤣 I’ve learnt to ‘never say never’ on my C25K, then 10k, then 14k..... journey, but I think my ‘comfortable’ distance is 10k.

I had decided that even if NFHM is cancelled, I would run the distance locally, to say I had done it...then enjoy not having to run that far again!! 😳😆

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

Ohhhh noo, doesn't sound good. No experience of this. But do take care and have a speedy recovery. You are a runner so will still be a runner!