Friggin' Foot Pain Mystery Solved!

So, the excruciating pain in my left toe/foot that practically stopped me in my tracks around mile 15 is... drumroll... capsulitis.

The pain in my foot felt like what many describe as plantar faciitis, but the pain didn't seem to occur where most people say plantar faciitis strikes.

The doc told me today that capsulitis is actually pretty common among runners and that it can be addressed with either a shot of cortisone - which might weaken the ligaments around bones and cause the bones to separate under extreme circumstances -- and/or a metatarsal pad, which is something of an orthotic insert in the shoe.

I'll wear that around until the Rouge Orleans Ultra. We'll see how it works. Will report on the success.

Looks like the Tao of Po as found its wu wei into a Top 50 ranking. Feets don't fail me now!

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Reflection on Houston Marathon

Though my angry foot wrecked the last 10 miles of the marathon, I ran surprisingly strong for 15 miles. I was on pace to finish 4:20 or 4:30, which isn't great but would've satisfied me plenty.

In retrospect I should have done one more thing to improve my race performance: run in some warm-up 10Ks and a half.

By running in races prior to the big one, you get accustomed to the energetic race environment and race conditions in general.

For me, it would have helped me gauge how fast I could run and for how long. I could have knowingly entered the marathon with a faster, sustainable race pace.

More importantly, I might have encountered the foot thing well in advance to have it treated.

If my foot hadn't given me the finger, I know my time would have been much better.

Funny, even as I type this, the guilty middle toe still tingles and feels a little numb too. Wait, that's not funny.

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A little Houston Marathon memento

They gave us a beer mug too, though I haven't tried it out yet. Boy, am I sore today.

Houston Marathon. Done.

My middle left toe and arch hurt like hell, which prevented me from finishing 4:20-4:30. Still hurts and I'm limping. A doc visit in my near future.

I was disappointed in my 4:45 finish, but dang don't it always feel good to finish. I'm very psyched.

Now I will soak in a hot shower. Plop on the bed. Watch the Texans game (I am in Houston after all) and feast on a bounty of post-race snacks and Advil.

Next stop: Rouge Orleans Ultra then New Orleans then Fat Boy 5k.

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Houston Marathon is tomorrow! Are these butterflies I feel or too much Gu?

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In 20 years I never thought I'd say this: SMU is killing Pitt in the BBVA Compass Bowl. Go Peruna!

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At least my coffee mug is inspirational (wife approved)

Houston Marathoners, do not mess with your pre-race routine!

Why was my 6-mile run so lame this morning? I slept horribly last night so instead of the usual Gatorade and bagel bite, I drank a huge cup of coffee and part of a hotdog bun.

Man, this ain't college any more. I'm too old for improvised marathon training.

Whatever you're doing now before daily runs, keep it up and don't divert -- especially race day!

Coffee is ok, Gatorade is great, bagel bites are good too. Whatever you're doing now, stay with it.

And while you're at it, you should be carbo loading and tapering this week. My favorite part of marathon training!
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Aching ankles, shoe adjustments

I blogged after Christmas about my joy over my new running shoes. Good, quality running shoes are your most important running equipment. They're expensive ($100 - $200 on average), but they're cheaper than a gym membership.

So while breaking them in the last 2 weeks, my ankles and achilles heel have been killing me. Also, while running my heels felt like they were coming out of the shoes. Very aggravating.

I had forgotten that this exact problem occurred last year when I was breaking in another new pair of shoes. After several months of painful ankles and achilles heels I loosened my shoe laces toward the toes and top of my foot while tying tight. Problem solved. The shoes felt more snug and there was no ankle slippage.

Now, I admit that this is a boring anecdote. Why did I waste 2 minutes of your life telling it? So you will know how important good, quality shoes are to your feet and that if you experience problems, tinker with them. If you can't solve the problem, go back to the store and have them fit you properly. That's their job and they should know how to do it.




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Thanks for the tweet RunningRebecca!

She asked how it was going with my beach run training. Sadly, those days were fleeting. I'm back to the circuitous monotony of doing laps in my neighborhood. But alas, the Houston Marathon is 9 days away! Then Rouge-Orleans in Feb, NOLA Marathon in March, Fat Boy 5k in April, and then crawfish season, which will ruin me for the rest of the year!
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This is what the end of a 6 mile run at the beach looks like. Happy New Year!