Hiccup

2 weeks ago (Saturday) on a barefoot run through Sugarhouse Park I hurt my foot. It hurt really badly initially, it felt like I stretched my foot way too far and like something was displaced in my arch. I really wasn't sure what I did wrong so I hurried home and stretched and iced. I figured I would stay off it a few days and see how I felt. It throbbed most of the week, but I decided I was ready to try it out on Thursday. I went on a really mild run--slow pace, easy, light, form, but at 2.5 miles it was as if I did the exact same injury again, same amount of pain (but nothing up until that point, strange), grrr. So i scheduled an appointment with my podiatrist to figure out the diagnosis, and more importantly make sure it wasn't a stress fracture. Stress fractures can be pretty serious and with a Triathlon coming along in May, the last thing I needed was on of those to keep me from training for it. (I was confident it was not a fracture--I have heard they hurt terribly.)
The Doc took lots of X-rays. And without finding a fracture (phew!), he moved onto an ultrasound (no, I am not pregnant) of my foot. And there it was a lovely little tear of the plantar fascia muscle, so inflamed it was causing pressure through to the top of my foot where a I had a quarter sized tender spot, ouch!
He taped me up, and sent me on my way, encouraging lots of Advil to keep the inflammation down. He also told me to keep the tape on for a week and try and run when the pain seems to have let up. The tape was to keep my metatarsals in place and stable to prevent further damage and encourage healing. And the best part? Well, I am glad that Doc thought it would probably be only 3-4 weeks to full recovery, just in time to get serious for my Triathlon.

So in the meantime, I'll be doing yoga.

Note to self: Take it easy.

P.S. Doctor said I have great feet for barefoot running. No Bunions. No Hammertoes. Good arch. Thanks for the encouragement!