This running journey has had a lot of hard spots….but none of them have been painful.  Until now.

Talking about pain is tricky.  Some people are surprised that training for a marathon isn’t painful every day.  LOL  Others immediately react to the word “pain” with an instantaneous and righteous reaction — “well then you must stop.  Don’t do it if it hurts. “

Well — training for a marathon lives somewhere between these two posts.

Up until now, most of what I have experienced has been soreness.  aches.  exhaustion.  muscle fatigue.  stiffness.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Nothing a nice ice bath (HaHaHa!) or some IcyHot couldn’t cure.

I say, up until now, because in these final weeks, I am suffering from a really, really, REALLY sore right foot.  I don’t now what’s wrong.  I suspect it’s Plantar Fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the Plantar fascia tissue that connects the heel to the arch in the foot.   I’m doing all the things to relieve the pain, to reduce the inflammation, to try to heal it.  But the truth is this — it ain’t gonna get better until I stop running on it for a while.  And I can’t stop running on it for a while for another few weeks.  So…….it’s back to Math.  1+1 = Pain for the next few weeks.    Nothing bad, or permanent is going to happen to me by waiting until after the Marathon to treat this.  So…I’m not going to let it stop me.  The biggest issue I’m having is – that in baby-ing my foot as I run, I’m causing soreness in my knee.  It’s taking me about 2 miles to straighten out my running on the foot — to stop the limping sensation — so I can straighten out my gait.  This is causing some knee pain, and so the problem is getting worse.  The good news is — it feels much better after a rest day.  So, I’m moving from Tuesdays to Saturdays….trying to get short-term relief.  Otherwise, I’m learning to ignore pain.  Hell….I’ve had 2 babies.  I am W.O.M.A.N.  If I can survive childbirth….TWICE…..I can survive this.  Right??  (Fingers crossed).

Marathon Brian consoled me by sharing this thought….”Diane, nobody, no one…is going to leave that Starting Line feeling fresh.”  It’s important that I hear these things.  Hear these realities.  Because my perfectionism takes me to places, and thoughts, like…..geez Diane, why can’t you be strong like all those gazelles over there!     So, it’s important that I remember….that how I am feeling is EXACTLY the same as everybody else.  I’m going to show up to the Starting Line on par with all the other gazelles.  With my strengths, and my weaknesses.  No more.  No less.  But, I will not be L.A.C.K.I.N.G. anything.  I will be ready.  A little sore.  A little less than fresh.  But ready.

Ready for the Race of my Life.

Ciao for now……Diane