There was exactly one month (thirty days) until race day when I received my Dream Card and confirmation letter for the Bull Runner Dream Marathon 2011. I could barely contain my excitement then, but I wanted to keep my plans low-key in hopes of avoiding the pressure and panic. But being the ENFJ personality that I am, I already had plans in mind.
At the time my longest run was my 21k-turned-24k at the Quezon City International Marathon, which I finished in decent time. I figured I needed at least one long run before race day, so I decided I would run an extra 10km or so after my Unilab Run for Wellness 21k race to be held in two weeks. My marathon shoe would be my one-month old Brooks Ghost 3, a well-reviewed neutral cushioning shoe. I'd be full accessorized with a comfortable top, bib and water belt, compression pants, blister-prevention socks, and visor. I would go on diet so I'd be lighter by race day. I would faithfully attend the weekly Wednesday sessions of AdiNation of Runners Ortigas in addition to weekly easy runs around the village or UP Diliman to build up enough mileage.
I achieved about 18 km of mileage during the first week of my training, and lost about three pounds immediately during the first few days of my diet. I was elated; things were going well. One day after an enjoyable aNR session, I had a chicken dinner with my friend Xander, along with Irish and Pedz, fellow aNR members. I met Pedz during the aNR 5th Sunday Run in January where we both ran under the aNR Ortigas banner. I've admired Pedz since that event; I knew him to be a speedy runner/sprinter who has achieved podium finishes a number of times. During our dinner, however, I learned that he hadn't been too visible in the running scene in the past months since he'd been inflicted with plantar fasciitis, which he described to be a painful inflammation of the foot that tends to get worse unless treated.
It didn't strike me immediately, but after a day or so I realized my right foot was experiencing the exact same symptoms he'd described. I couldn't remember for how long; I thought they were normal post-run foot pains. When I read more about the condition, I became scared and more convinced that I was indeed suffering from plantar fasciitis, but I wasn't sure I wanted to see my doctor given the possibility he would tell me not to push through with my marathon plans (and knowing I skipped my followup appointment with him...guilty). I decided I would put off going to the doctor but simmer down training a bit, sticking to spinning sessions to avoid exerting pressure on my feet.
That wasn't my only problem. Given how I never manage to stick to my diet, my first days of decreased food intake worked wonders. Before it had lasted a week, however, I began to experience the effects of not eating enough to satisfy my voracious appetite. I felt so weak and clumsy that I decided to call the diet off.
When I ran the Unilab Run for Wellness about a week after, I became convinced that I needed to seek medical advice, more so when my doctor friend Rich told me I did seem to have plantar fasciitis and that it would be best to see an expert regarding my condition. Reluctantly and resignedly, I scheduled an appointment with my sports doctor the following week. This wasn't the first time I'd suffered an injury, and the last time I did, I knew it helped me a lot psychologically when my doctor assured me everything would be okay.
Most people visit doctors to be treated; in my case, I visited my doctor hoping he would dispel my fears of not being able to run the Dream Marathon. When I finally did, my doctor confirmed my fears; I did have plantar fasciitis, and he advised me to get started on self-therapy exercises as well as anti-inflammatory medications immediately. But there was good news: the plantar was either in its very early stages or just starting. My x-ray was normal, there was no serious injury, and my symptoms weren't particularly alarming, so I didn't have to stop running. He did, however, tell me I probably needed to change my shoes, because the injury is often caused by inappropriate shoes. (I didn't see it as a problem; it would have to spend, of course, but it gave me an excuse to get a brand new spankin' pair of shoes!)
After finding out about all of this, however, I was confronted with new fears. I couldn't put my foot under too much stress, and in fact I'd already been lying low during the past couple of weeks ever since my suspicions arose. I needed new shoes, which I might not be able to break in time; all my other shoes were racers, which were not only inappropriate for anything above a half-marathon, they would mean torture since I would be subjecting my feet to merciless pounding. I was out of shape and severely lacked training, faced with the question of whether I would rather risk being overtrained (due to my plantar) or undertrained (I chose the latter). I couldn't cram if I didn't want to cause trauma to my foot, and there were only ten days ago.
At the time my longest run was my 21k-turned-24k at the Quezon City International Marathon, which I finished in decent time. I figured I needed at least one long run before race day, so I decided I would run an extra 10km or so after my Unilab Run for Wellness 21k race to be held in two weeks. My marathon shoe would be my one-month old Brooks Ghost 3, a well-reviewed neutral cushioning shoe. I'd be full accessorized with a comfortable top, bib and water belt, compression pants, blister-prevention socks, and visor. I would go on diet so I'd be lighter by race day. I would faithfully attend the weekly Wednesday sessions of AdiNation of Runners Ortigas in addition to weekly easy runs around the village or UP Diliman to build up enough mileage.
 |
| The bright orange Brooks Ghost 3 was my projected marathon shoe. |
I achieved about 18 km of mileage during the first week of my training, and lost about three pounds immediately during the first few days of my diet. I was elated; things were going well. One day after an enjoyable aNR session, I had a chicken dinner with my friend Xander, along with Irish and Pedz, fellow aNR members. I met Pedz during the aNR 5th Sunday Run in January where we both ran under the aNR Ortigas banner. I've admired Pedz since that event; I knew him to be a speedy runner/sprinter who has achieved podium finishes a number of times. During our dinner, however, I learned that he hadn't been too visible in the running scene in the past months since he'd been inflicted with plantar fasciitis, which he described to be a painful inflammation of the foot that tends to get worse unless treated.
It didn't strike me immediately, but after a day or so I realized my right foot was experiencing the exact same symptoms he'd described. I couldn't remember for how long; I thought they were normal post-run foot pains. When I read more about the condition, I became scared and more convinced that I was indeed suffering from plantar fasciitis, but I wasn't sure I wanted to see my doctor given the possibility he would tell me not to push through with my marathon plans (and knowing I skipped my followup appointment with him...guilty). I decided I would put off going to the doctor but simmer down training a bit, sticking to spinning sessions to avoid exerting pressure on my feet.
 |
| I decided to do "internet diagnosis." Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fasciia, a ligment that connects the heel to the sole and the toes, and causes severe pain on the bottom of the foot. Picture taken from http://www.foot-care.org/plantar-fasciitis/. |
That wasn't my only problem. Given how I never manage to stick to my diet, my first days of decreased food intake worked wonders. Before it had lasted a week, however, I began to experience the effects of not eating enough to satisfy my voracious appetite. I felt so weak and clumsy that I decided to call the diet off.
When I ran the Unilab Run for Wellness about a week after, I became convinced that I needed to seek medical advice, more so when my doctor friend Rich told me I did seem to have plantar fasciitis and that it would be best to see an expert regarding my condition. Reluctantly and resignedly, I scheduled an appointment with my sports doctor the following week. This wasn't the first time I'd suffered an injury, and the last time I did, I knew it helped me a lot psychologically when my doctor assured me everything would be okay.
Most people visit doctors to be treated; in my case, I visited my doctor hoping he would dispel my fears of not being able to run the Dream Marathon. When I finally did, my doctor confirmed my fears; I did have plantar fasciitis, and he advised me to get started on self-therapy exercises as well as anti-inflammatory medications immediately. But there was good news: the plantar was either in its very early stages or just starting. My x-ray was normal, there was no serious injury, and my symptoms weren't particularly alarming, so I didn't have to stop running. He did, however, tell me I probably needed to change my shoes, because the injury is often caused by inappropriate shoes. (I didn't see it as a problem; it would have to spend, of course, but it gave me an excuse to get a brand new spankin' pair of shoes!)
 |
| X-ray normal! :) |
After finding out about all of this, however, I was confronted with new fears. I couldn't put my foot under too much stress, and in fact I'd already been lying low during the past couple of weeks ever since my suspicions arose. I needed new shoes, which I might not be able to break in time; all my other shoes were racers, which were not only inappropriate for anything above a half-marathon, they would mean torture since I would be subjecting my feet to merciless pounding. I was out of shape and severely lacked training, faced with the question of whether I would rather risk being overtrained (due to my plantar) or undertrained (I chose the latter). I couldn't cram if I didn't want to cause trauma to my foot, and there were only ten days ago.
 |
| My new marathon shoe: the Mizuno Wave Creation 12, the first shoe I'd bought in ages without a discount or gift certificate. |
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