The wheels have fallen off the taper train.

I am so down at the moment as I feel my hopes and dreams have been snatched from me 🥺

I am tapering for a virtual marathon with a running friend. The last long run of 19 miles went well, two weeks ago. Last weekend we did a hm and all was good. On Monday, I had a niggle on my inner ankle going down to my foot. Very odd I thought. Tuesday the pain moved to my heel and it looks like the dreaded plantar fasciitis. It was a bit sore in the mornings or when getting up from sitting but otherwise was manageable. Barefoot walking was/is sore so I've been wearing trainers, supportive sandals or oofos, indoors and out. It felt a bit more normal on Thursday so I ran 4 miles before heading to a funeral. Admittedly I was in heels for the funeral 🤦‍♀️ It was a bit more painful on Friday but wasn't sure if that was the run or heels! Yesterday we drove home and i started the stretches, icing, kt taping, ibuprofen etc that they recommend to help. Sadly this morning I could barely walk to the bathroom 😭 It has gotten so much worse that I'm not sure that I will get to start the virtual marathon. I see my hopes and dreams just crumbling before me. I just don't know what to do. It was my only event that started to mean a lot to me and they put it on as a virtual run after the cancellation. I will be gutted if I can't run it. I have 8 days so what do I do?

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Eeek RFD, that’s rough. I’ve had PF and was able to soldier through it with ice, tennis balls, gel inserts, support bandage, etc, but it only began during the last couple of weeks of C25K, so super slow and barely any distance, so absolutely no comparison to your virtual marathon. 🙁

I don’t really know what to suggest. Does it ease after the initial pain in the morning? Are you able to run pain free at all?

I hope you can find a solution. 🤞

[Hidden in reply to cheekychipmunks]

This morning has been the worse day so far. Up at 7am, hobbling about in my oofos so took some ibuprofen. I did some calf and plantar stretches then went to walk the dog. I was limping initially on the dog walk and walking by the end. So it has eased up a bit. I am about to ice it whilst sitting with a cup of tea. Definitely feeling sorry for myself. I don't think I will be running the planned 8 miles today.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Definitely recommend a tennis ball. It’s pretty uncomfortable, but it helped me no end.

[Hidden in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Ah yes, mine is a hockey ball which is pretty painful. Do you stand up and roll your foot or whilst sitting?

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I stood up, holding onto something for support.

[Hidden in reply to cheekychipmunks]

OK lovely. I am doing the same! Let's hope it works asap.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Oh no ☹️ I think you need a proper diagnosis quickly so you know what you’re dealing with. Can you get a real or virtual physio appointment? Once you know for sure then it’ll be a matter of getting your head around what happens next. It might be rest and a few physio appointments could work wonders.

However, if the worst happens and you can’t run run it, then of course you’ll feel gut-wrenching disappointment. But I’d say, one step at a time and the body has a tremendous capacity for recovery but first things first, you should try to find out exactly what you’re dealing with.

Just one little thing though. I assume your shoes are still ok? I only ask as I made this mistake when training for my last HM and forgot to check the mileage in my shoes and paid the price 🙄 I’m sure you have that covered but i just thought I’d throw it in....

I’ll keep everything crossed for you that it’ll be ok. Keep us posted.

[Hidden in reply to Irishprincess]

I am hoping the body has fabulous healing powers and I can pull off the run. I know I will pay for it afterwards but I will be able to rest with nothing on the calendar.

My trainers are the brooks adrenaline gts 19 and newer 20. I have run several hm in the 19s and shorters runs in the 20s. I have binned my older 19s some months ago so all trainers are good for mileage. Unless they don't suit me so well??

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Given your mileage I’m sure your shoes are fine. I think Linda’s idea about a sports massage is a good one. Maybe you could do some self-massaging. I use a golf ball under my feet to loosen up any tightness there I get from time to time and it works really well.

[Hidden in reply to Irishprincess]

I am using a ball and a spikey roller on the bottom of my foot but making the mistake of massaging the heel, I think. I am going to foam roller my calves and hamstrings too i think. I'm trying anything at the moment.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Calves is definitely worthwhile (I'd been doing that which meant the massage was very sore, but well worth it!)

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Oh no! I feel that disappointment😥 I agree with IP - can you try a physio? If not, then maybe a sports massage? This week I was struck by a niggle from just below my inner ankle, along the foot and under the arch. I ran on it and from then on it felt worse. It was also extremely tender to the touch on a small bony bit below the ankle. The more I walked on it, the more achy my plantar fascia felt. On Friday I had a sports massage in the hope that loosening my calf would take some pressure off the tendon that I was sure was aggravated. Yesterday it was totally painfree and I ran 11k (which I couldn't have contemplated the day before). Today it is still pain free, even the tenderness has gone. Of course your issue may be totally different, but don't totally write yourself off just yet. Try to see a physio or sports massage therapist if you can, it may still be salvageable. I do hope so

[Hidden in reply to linda9389]

This sounds like mine, started just below the ankle bone on the inner foot where it was tender and ran along under to the heel. I will call the physio tomorrow morning and see if they are doing sports massages. My calf on that leg feels tighter but I don't know if that is because I am walking differently.

Thank you, it gives me a plan!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I wondered if I had laced shoes too tightly and bruised the tendon, but the calf massage clearly freed something. I am still marvelling at the difference because it was significantly painful!

[Guinea70 Marathon]

So sorry to hear about your injury and I really feel for you and understand your disapointment so wishing you a speedy recovery and hope that your physio can help x

[Hidden in reply to Guinea70]

Thank you. I'm formulating a plan and starting to face up to how I can support my friend if I can't run.

[mrrun Ultramarathon]

That sucks, really sorry! Get you physio to look into that before doing anything else. I had a major scare when attempting my ultra where at the 31st km the right leg seized up in sharp pain. I thought the thigh tendon had gone. Took me nearly half an hour to walk to the bus stop but a few days later all was fine (bad cramp). I took advise from an old marathon pro on Twitter and delayed another attempt by two weeks (took first week off, ran just 4 very short slow runs in week 2). I then ran my 50K as if nothing happened. You never know, that could be the case with you. Rest up, move the date, take it easy and give it another go. Hopefully it works!

[Hidden in reply to mrrun]

I ran on Thursday and am not running again until next Monday so total rest on the foot. So frustrating that I don't know if wearing the heels at the funeral made it worse or the 7km run. If it was heels then that's a one off occasion!! My running friend for the marathon has pulled their foot tendon along the side after yesterday's run! We will review our feet nearer the time 🤦‍♀️

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Bloomin feet! Would be so much easier without them!!!

[Hidden in reply to linda9389]

😂😂

[misswobble Marathon]

Rest up! Nuisance for sure. I wonder if nerves come into play and we get tense as we get nearer to the start line. I seem to regularly get an injury about three weeks before a race

Fingers crossed for you 🤞💪👍🙂🏃‍♀️

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

I always seem to get a niggle or the like during taper. It was my right achilles before the big half so I dropped running for a week! Had an awesome run and a pb! I do think we become more prone to injury in taper, i almost didn't want to run as I got close to my last marathon. This feels more than just a niggle. It was a niggle until Thursday and now it is PF I'm sure. Hopefully the physio can work magic as my calfs do feel tight, particularly the left.

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Oh I'm sorry to hear RFD. I know how disheartening injury can feel. Fingers crossed your rest break will help. A full week-2 week rest and some virtual physio worked for me on both my knee and hip issues, but everyone is different. And I am 4-5 weeks behind on plan now. Ah well, I think it's just been that kind of year.

[Hidden in reply to Decker]

Up until now my running had been going well, obviously virtual events or deferred to next year. I was keeping to my target of hm distance and 20+ miles a week with cutbacks when I felt I needed them. In fact marathon training had gone well physically, just my head was taking its time to get there! Bloomin tapering has caused me issues 🤦‍♀️ My plan was to cut back for a few weeks rest post virtual marathon, just not yet. Hoping to speak to the physio team tomorrow. It could be posterior tibial tendonitis or plantar fasciitis. Either makes for challenging healing sadly.

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to Hidden]

Tapering does mess with your head, doesn’t it? Hope the news tomorrow is good. If not, then it’s out of your hands. There is only so much you can worry about, right?