See Adrienne Run: My Right Foot

What's All This Then?

Greetings!

This blog has run its course, as it were. Actually three courses, but don't let that stop you from reading. Here's the skinny: I dedicated most of 2008 to running and fundraising for cancer research. On June 1, I ran the San Diego Rock n' Rock marathon. On June 21 I ran a half marathon in Anchorage, Alaska. Both of these feats were tackled with the coaching and support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, for which I raised $5,725. The final challenge was the New York City marathon on Nov. 2. This time I trained with "Fred's team" on behalf of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where I was treated successfully for Hodgkins lymphoma five years ago. I raised another $3240 (maybe more).

It was a banner year in many ways. I celebrated 5 years of health. I raised a lot of money. I earned a Team in Training triple crown for completing a triathlon, century bike ride and marathon. I was featured on a show about three first time runners in the NYC marathon, aired on NBC in New York. And ....

You can read all about my journey in sneakers below. And remember:
"A journey of 26.2 miles begins with a single shlep."

(For the back story, check out the Sept. 29th entry.)

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

My Right Foot

I didn't have a great run tonight. I'm not surprised exactly, but I'm a little bit disappointed anyway. My mind is in the right place. It's my right foot that's creating problems. I've been trying to ignore the fact that my it goes dead soon after I start running. I'm used to being uncomfortable so I've just taken this in stride, as it were. I figure that's just the way it will be for me. Now I've noticed that after a while, my left foot goes numb, too.

About halfway through, I was running even slower than usual, but kept trying to ignore the pain. I wanted to up the drill: push it effort for 3 lamp posts; regular effort for 2 lamp posts. I paused briefly once, but that didn't help. If anything, stopping--even for a few steps--made me more aware of how dead my right foot felt. It was better to keep moving. When I finally did stop, I was in real pain. There's no way I can run 26.2 miles with one, if not two, dead feet.

I don't know what to make of this. It's not numb in the tingly way my feet feel when they fall sleep. It takes a while for my foot to come back to life, but I don't get needles and pins. This is something else. I don't know what it is or what's causing it. I've played with all the easy variables I can think of: different socks, loosening the laces, wearing my pressure gradient stockings and not wearing them. It doesn't make a difference.

There are a couple of other possibilities. One is my sneakers. I've worn the same style, which I was fitted for by at a store highly recommended by TNT, since 2004 when I trained for my first triathlon. That style is the very fetching New Balance 992--men's 9 1/2 EE, which sells for the bargain price of $130 last time I bought a pair. Since I've had this problem with varying degrees of intensity since the beginning, it makes sense to start there. I just broke out my new pair and really hope I don't have to get a different pair now.

Another strong possibility is my physiology. Let's review my feet, shall we? They are flat. They are wide. And they have too much lymph and therefore feel heavy and appear swollen. One workaround might be an orthotic. A chiropractor recommended it to me.

I'm going to try to make it to the injury prevention clinic tomorrow night to get some advice. This won't stop me. I just have to find a way to mitigate obstacles as best I can. This whole enterprise is challenging enough.

I woke up this morning to James Brown singing "Get on the Good Foot." Coincidence? I think not.

Today: 3.4
Miles to date: 26