Heartland Series training week 5

My coach and I decided to ease up the mileage a bit this week, but still leave out the speed work until this thing, whatever it is heals.  The pain is still there although it is like a 2-3.  It certainly isn't getting worse, and that is what I am happy about thus far!

Monday: A very easy 4.  The wind was blowing 21 mph sustained from the NNW, but my running partner and I decided it would be fun to run straight into a wall of wind.  Yes, we have lost our minds.

Tuesday:  Off for parenting class.  We are taking Love and Logic classes again and thoroughly love them, no pun intended.

Wednesday:  A very easy 5.  I think i am starting to see a product of the weight coming back off.  I am down 6 lbs and back to my easy pace pre Chicago.  Glad to see those numbers again, was slightly concerned that running a marathon had made me a slower runner.  That is okay except that I was already a slow runner to begin with :)

Thursday: Strength training.  For whatever reason, my foot decided to be super ouchy, and much of my work out had plyometric exercises.  I had to switch some exercises out to keep my foot happy.  Still not sure why my foot doesn't hurt at all during up to 6 miles of running yet gets very angry when I try to do a lunge.  I must have major endorphins running through my blood that cover up the pain?

Friday: Another easy 5.  Headed out with Deuce for this one.  He was pretty over joyed to go.  He is turning out to be a very nice running dog now.  We met a black and white kitty but lucky for us, he was on his way somewhere and wasn't bothered by our presence.

Saturday:  Runner's Expo in KC and a day with Mel.  The expo was pretty small, so we were done pretty quickly (I got several t shirts, like I need more:).  We headed out for brunch, and then stopped at the local running store.  Got into a very long discussion with their resident PT student about what is going on with my foot.  After doing a few tests, his conclusion was Morton's Neuroma, based on the fact that i could not take ANY compression on my foot.  He fitted me for some orthotics that had a pad to help spread out the meta tarsals.  The orthotics should also help with my over pronation.  I am kind of skeptical, but I am willing to try ANYTHING at this point, so I can keep running and not have pain all day.  I am to wear my orthotics for a few hours a day at work to break them in for a few weeks, before attempting to run in them.  The PT student also put a metatarsal pad in the insoles of my normal running shoes to help when I run for now.  I so hope that he is right and that this fixes it.   He did say that I should continue the icing and advil, so I shall.  I try and do an ice bath after every run, and I take advil in the morning ONLY (i want to be able to feel pain during my run if it is there).

Sunday: Long run 8-10 depending on how my foot felt.  Had no pain at all during the run or even before the run, so went for 10.  It was a perfect day again, little to no wind, cold temps but sun.  I ran without the meta tarsal pad since I don't have pain when I run, but I put the insert in with it as soon as i was done.   I came up with this idea to make a pic with Mel and I with our arms being the heart and then Stella jumping through.  Here are a few of our outtakes.  We decided to be happy with her just sitting behind our heart:)  Here are the outtakes!

This one cracks me up so much.  She kept trying to run under our hands and succeeded on this take.  

I am hoping we are on the downside of this little injury.  The pad does seem to be helping, and I am able to continue running.  I am thinking about seeing a podiatrist anyway just to make sure this is what we are dealing with.  Hoping for more healing this week and more pain free miles again.

Total miles: 24 miles