What the Heck? (that is my current Injury I decided)

So lately I have been battling an injury. It is a small manageable one and I am able to train through it but at the same time it is really frustrating. I am not 100% sure how to diagnose it, (I have asked the all knowing Boulder Running Company shoe experts what it could be) and they think it is plantar fasciitis. But maybe not, I prefer to call it, What the Heck?

Here are my symptoms:

-my heel hurts typically after a run

-occasionally my whole foot will feel tight (but I can massage it and then it feels fine)

-and now all of a sudden, my heel doesn't hurt so much as my calf was in a HUGE knot one morning when I woke up. (but it is seeming to get better)

Now, here is my dilemma. One of the classic symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis is pain when you wake up in the morning and start walking. I do NOT have this symptom. Nor, do I have any issues with shooting pains up my arch which I have heard is a major symptom. So I ask you, what is my problem!?!

Although I do feel like I am on the mend, it wasn't until I started this lovely regime:

Foaming rolling constantly (AGAIN, I had an IT problem over a year ago which also lead to hours of foam rolling).

Icing after every run, and sometimes at night just to be sure. (also, for those of you who noticed, my sister and I sport the same winter running coat! That's right, if it is good its good and I am proud to say all three of us tend to walk around with similar items on occasion ;))

Wearing supports in my cross training shoes constantly (No more cute shoes for me until this is taken care of.)

AND
Popping Advil on occasion to keep down inflammation

Can you believe this list of things I do daily now in order to keep up this crazy addiction I have called running! 

Here's to you all and hopes that you are all INJURY FREE! Also, if someone out there does have any other diagnoses they would like to share, please do.

Staying Motivated

This was me after a nice summer run.  I like to stretch against that brick wall behind me.

For most of 2010 I have been injured.  Injured enough to keep me from running.  I have been running for a few years now and I would say it is my favorite workout. That being said, because I haven't been able to do my favorite thing, I have had to look for alternate options.  It is easy to get down on yourself when you physically can not do the things you would like to do. So this is what I do to keep my spirits up!
I try out a new classes at the gym (this was when I was at 24 Hour Fitness). Yoga, Spin, Bootcamp etc.  Anything that would keep me moving but took the impact of my leg.  Currently I do not belong to a gym, so I try other at home methods.  DVDs are a great way to keep me moving at home.  To keep from getting board with DVDs, I play them on my laptop and then have a TV show on in the background.  This will distract me from getting bored while I am doing the same moves. I was doing the P90X series for a while but recently I have been changing it up. Netflix has a lot of different workout option DVDs.  I rent them and if I like it, great! But if I don't, I just send it back to try another one.

The most important thing here is staying positive.  I try to remember that with most injuries, they will heal over time.  It is being patient during that time and finding alternate plans of working out. I think of it as a time to get to try something new! To get me out of the rut of doing the same thing over and over again.  Remembering your body loves to change it up.  I may even loose a pound of two, or even better tone my body in a place that was not being targeted before. 

For me it's staying positive, staying motivated, being creative and before I know it, time will fly by and I am back to doing what I love again!

This is Scott my husband handing me flowers after my marathon.