Eff. My foot STILL hurts.

I have descended into the depths of hell.

In other words, I have been dealing with an injury.  Runners do so well with those, don't we?!

#Crabby

Last week, I completed two of my prescribed four workouts.

Before Injury and After Injury.

In the lovely before injury phase, I needed to get a 4 mile easy run done (check!) and the following track workout:

2 mile warm up with 2 x 2:00 moderate paced sections near the end.  (This simulates my 5K race day warm up.)  3 x 1600m @ 6:18 pace with 2 minute rest in between.  4 x 200 m @ 40-42 seconds with 200 m jog in between, 1 mile cool down.

I headed out for the track workout really late in the evening.  Last Wednesday was A DAY.  I could feel a sinus infection coming on.  My head hurt.

Depending on the route I take, I can make the run to the track in 1.7-2.2 miles.  On my way to the track, I misjudged a puddle on the trail and ended up with two soaking wet feet.  UGH.

I got to the track and was happy I brought music along, which is something I usually only use on long runs.  I plugged into the Avett Brothers and set off.

My first 1600 was way too fast.  5:59.

My second 1600 was still too fast.  6:03

My final 1600 was also a 6:03.

My head was hurting but I obviously didn't feel too bad because I cranked the 1600s out.  I finished out with the 200s at 39, 40, 38, 39 seconds.

The sky was scary looking.  Time to head home.

About 1/2 mile into my cool down, my left foot HURT.   It felt like I had tied my shoes way too tight, which is not something I have ever dealt with.  In my Adidas Boosts, my RIGHT shoe is the finicky one that I have to tie and re-tie just to get it in the zone.  I took my shoe off, REALLY loosened the laces so it felt like my shoe would fly off if I gave it a good kick, and made it home.  My foot was definitely sore.

I thought, "No big deal.  It will feel better in the morning."  That and my head was killing me.  Start the Sudafed train.

Thursday morning came and my foot really hurt.  Luckily it was a planned rest day.  No running.

Friday came and I was going to have to get up early to get my 6 mile + 8 hill sprints in.  My foot still hurt so I opted to skip the workout and try to make it up later in the weekend.

We were away for the weekend with the kids.  I started limping at one point on Saturday.  I skipped the 10 miler.

Yesterday, my coach checked in and I told him all of the above.  His gut said tendonitis.  So I googled.

Extensor Tendonitis is what I am Internet diagnosing myself with for the time being.

He also asked if I had been icing.

DUH.  No I had not been.  We got the kids to bed, I threw a bag of ice on my foot.  It didn't really feel any different post icing for 10 minutes but I thought I was just being a wimp so I put on my running shoes and headed out.

I made it 1.5 miles.

UGH.

Now the plan is no running until Wednesday at the earliest.  Keep icing.  Waiting on the x-ray decision until Wednesday.

I iced this morning on way to work.  Again - the ice is not really making it feel any differently - just cold.   (I am also still on the Sudafed train.  When it rains, it pours!).

I am lucky.  Despite the fact that I have been running since age 14 (21 years), I don't have vast experience with injury.  My inclination would be that icing SHOULD be alleviating the pain some if it was tendonitis, right?

oh-my-god-please-don't-tell-me-I-have-a-stress-fracture

stay tuned.