Sometimes I’m stupid. Actually, a lot of times I am. Especially when it comes to my health. I often say to my kids or friends, “Do as I say, not as I do.” I’m trying to change this about myself especially now that I’m blogging, because it doesn’t bode well for me if people come to my blog for suggestions or advice and I don’t even follow it. Needless to say, the old adage of “listen to your body,” is one I need to work on.
If you’ve read the “about me” section yet, you know my goals for the year are to run smart and race healthy. So during this past Sunday’s DRC 5K, after my mile 1 beeped 6:45 pace, you’d think I’d have been pleased. (that would have set me up to beat my 21:34 PR if I kept it up). But I felt a throbbing in my big toe that wasn’t a surprise and was making my gait different. I slowed to a 7:45-7:50 pace for mile 2, and even slower for mile 3 with an average 7:43 pace at the end (24:06 was my chip time finish). Not awful especially coming off my recent half 2 weeks prior and I’ve really been training for distance. But based on my easy runs in my training log, and the fact that my hamstring wasn’t even activated, I knew that I didn’t give it my all … because of my toe. Not to say I could’ve kept a 6:45 pace because I’m realistically not in 5K shape right now, either. (and if you know me, you know I start out fast – a terrible problem that no one should mimic).
Toe, you might be thinking? I thought her hamstring was what afflicted her. Well, my hamstring does bother me and I see my chiro weekly to treat the tendinopathy for that. But after last Monday’s speed work, I noticed pain in my big toe on my right foot in the phalanx part, deep in the bone, not muscular/tendon pain. I even told Amanda on the last 800 that it was killing me and she encouraged me to finish, bless her. I limped around that day and as the week went on and I continued to run, it got worse. Last week during my runs, my times were slower and my cadence was slower by 4-5 steps/minute. And, I signed up for a 5K. Real smart.
I assumed it wast just speed work soreness. Until the race and it affected me to the point of “wow, I don’t want to run through this,” for fear that I could have another stress fracture or could impact my race season if I act anymore ignorant. So it’s now Wednesday, 3 days after the race and I’m headed to my podiatrist later this morning. I’ll keep you posted as to the results of the visit. I hoping it is something minor that doesn’t impact my Dallas Half training. But I also am smart enough to know that if my body needs rest, than I may have to transfer that bib to Dustin. We shall see.
Back to Sunday’s 5K… since most participants were running the DRC Half, my time actually qualified me for a 1st AG award! Ha, that was a nice surprise! It was also great to be running in the company of good friends and amazing local elites, Rachel Harp and Jessica Smith, who finished 1st and 2nd female overall. There were lots of speedy people from the DFW Running Community I got to meet or reencounter and I enjoyed sticking around after the race to do that. I’m always humbled by the amazing talent around here.
I’ll keep y’all posted with how my podiatrist appointment goes. I’m trying to stay optimistic in the mean time! I have so much to be grateful for and this is merely a small bump in the road.
XOXO,
Jess
Praying your big toe is ok! You poor thing