UKH

Good evening all,

I started running back in early January (hadn't run for about 6 months before and then just the odd short run now and then), and am wanting to train for a couple of half marathon plus a bit. 

My biggest concern about the training was avoiding getting injured. I started off running every other day, mostly short sub 10k runs at low intensity, aiming to keep in zone 2 for those into heart rate training, I did this for the first two weeks to get my body used to running again, then introduced one short high intensity run each week from week three. As I'm really stiff generally I've also been doing half an hour of yoga after each run to try and properly stretch.

A couple of weeks ago I started feeling a little niggle on the ball of my right foot, and last week after doing a hill interval session I felt a slightly sharper niggle on my right arch just behind the ball of my foot. I since rested for about five days before trying a short easy 5k, both niggles still there.

I've booked myself in to see a physio but earliest appointment I could get is in three weeks. This would put me a long way behind on my training program as the first race is in April (Balmoral 15 mile, thanks for those who recommended it).

I'm a bit unsure whether to keep going with a reduced number of easy runs until the physio appointment or rest it entirely. Neither niggle is particularly impacting my running at the moment, just a bit uncomfortable at times, but I don't want to make it worse, especially as my other half had a very similar injury and hasn't been able to run five years and counting due to it.

I'm not expecting anyone to be able to diagnose me across the internet, but can anyone offer advice on how to know when it's best to rest up fully and when it's ok to push on through a bit of discomfort?

it's never too early to stop running on an injury until you know what it is. Depending on what you were already doing it sounds like you did too much, too soon. imho it takes 3-6mths to build a base, with slow increases in distance, and not really worrying about speed or hill work. however fast your muscles gain strength, ligaments abd tendons will take longer. Just rest, etc and see a recommended sports physio.

Trial and error for me. Mostly error as I simply did not want to stop running!

Anyway, if I found running didn't make something worse, I'd carry on. A lot of the time this prolonged recovery but meant I could maintain fitness and stick to a training plan (more or less). Needless to say this has backfired at times!

Whilst you're waiting for the physio appointment, make sure you eliminate causes like shoelaces too tight (it happens!), poorly fitting shoes, or running form (can you video yourself? Get someone else to look at it?).

Edit: also Summo is right, maybe avoid the intervals/high intensity stuff for a few months if new to running...you can get very fit just running in zone 2. I did this for a year and knocked a minute and a half per mile off for the same heart rate.

ps.. plantar fasciitus

Thanks, quite possibly too much too soon. I'd sporadically go through phases of running before. I'd say I could comfortably do 10k before I started training, just not particularly fast, and had never really run further in one go.

I was aware this would be quite a bit more running than I was used to so was hoping that just doing easy low intensity stuff and lots of stretching would be enough to keep injury at bay.

And thanks for the tip about planta fascitis. Sounds quite a likely culprit.

I think the old mantra about not increasing weekly mileage by more than 10% probably applies here? As another said you may have done too much too soon. If you use Strava or something maybe look at the period before you started formally training and see what your average weekly mileage was and then make the training plan start from there. This is what I've just done, I added an extra 4 weeks to the beginning of a training plan from a book to bridge from my current weekly mileage to the starting weekly mileage of the book's plan (so far so good, on week 5).

When I sprain my ankle I probably have 3-4 weeks without running at all, then start with easy 5ks for a couple of weeks before going up to 10km runs. Though I recognise a sprained ankle is different to a niggle.

Also ... do you walk bare foot in the house? Over the last 5-6 years I've come to realise I basically can't walk bare foot in the house so I always wear crocs now or something, if I don't for a few days then it hurts my toes / ball of my foot. The physio said (wise words) "if walking bare foot in the house hurts your feet - don't walk bare foot in the house".  :-D

Thread hijack.... Google metatarsalagia. I wear crocs indoor with arch support pads...

tried cycling?

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure how I could apply the 10% thing to my situation, at least at the start, given that my running had been very sporadic over the previous year, and none existent for the past six months, but I was at least 10k fit. However, as I said to summo I expect your both right that I overdid it.

Given that I've been working from home since March 2020, I spend most of my time just in socks and often barefoot. I can feel it in the ball of my foot when barefoot/in socks but wouldn't describe it as painful.

Before lockdown I used to cycle about 20 hilly miles into work once or twice a week. We're due to be returning to the office in March so hoping to start that up again, but the office has moved so it'd be nearer 30 miles and twice as many hills!

Because of my current situation the only time I can train is in the evenings. I suppose I could go out for an evening cycle but it's not as appealing as running. I might give it a try though, thanks.

reason i ask, is if it is plantar faciitus then biking is normally ok. Diagnosis first though! 

Disclaimer that I'm not a physio or medical professional but...sounds like it could well be plantar fasciitis. This is common in new runners building up mileage quite quickly... while I may be wrong, what I can say for definite is I've had plantar fasciitis and I can assure you that if you let it advance its very painful and very hard to get rid of quickly. So, I would err on the side of caution and back right off until you have a proper diagnosis. Yes it might ruin a training plan but full blown plantar fasciitis or any other really aggravated injury will cost you far more training time in the longer term.  Whatever the outcome  I wish you well with it. 

I would just go back to doing the easy running and see what the physio says.  To be blunt when I ran seriously something hurt most of the time, but thats not a particularly good place to be for most people.   Build that base of aerobic fitness slowly and gently. 

 Usual stuff applies about shoes.  You probably don't need mega support shoes, but neutral , moderately cushioned is never a bad place to start.  Trying road running in offroad racers for example rarely ends well. Nike Pegasus are,a good place to start.

Don't go road cycling.  It's very time inefficient for getting fit and mind bending boring.  Work out how to run instead  

If you have enough time, walking may be good cross training at the moment as long as it does not flare things. You can do hill work in this way as well and combined with some strengthening exercises followed by gentle stretching you may still considerable benefits. I hurt my calf before an Ultra a few years ago and did OK doing this and only ran for a few weeks before.

I don't know of any physio (at least the ones that I have met) that have not told me to work on my glutes, stretch my calves and quads and strengthen my hamstrings (and this seems very common amongst my running friends) so as long as you are not getting pain at the site of concern you may do well by looking at exercises for these. A good site with nice explanations and careful advise is Kinetic Revolution (James Dunne).

Three weeks is quite a long time to wait, but may mean the physio doesn't have to tell you to rest too much and can then start on the proper rehab. Quite a few things are trained through now, but with strict rules about pain at the time and the next day to set limits and as others have said an accurate diagnosis.

Good luck

This ^ 

Thanks for all the replies. After talking it through with a running friend and reading the replies on here I think I'll lay off the running and try doing some strengthening exercises, see if they affect it at all.

Hill days would be great, but are few and far between for me just now.

Hi Mike 

Unfortunately I can’t diagnose you as I’m not an expert but I will recommend trying to get an appointment with a sports podiatrist as opposed to a physio. 

I had a little niggle over Xmas and had some bupa physio sessions with no real effect but he recommended a sports podiatrist who diagnosed in minutes (I was really suprised as the pain was actually really hard to locate when not running and he put his finger right on it). Did a biomechanical assessment etc and gave me some exercises to do.

if you’re local to Manchester or Yorkshire I can highly recommend someone.

good luck!

Dan

Thanks for the suggestion. The physio is a sports physio who will be doing a full gait analysis and runners MOT as well, and have come recommend, so hopefully they will be able to give some good advice. But would certainly consider a sports podiatrist if they can't help.

I'm in Aberdeenshire so Manchester is a bit far!

Sounds to me like you're just a bit footsore from starting a new training regime.  Could be gait related, maybe you're landing hard on that foot, who knows?  You're doing the right thing by having an analysis, that could shed some light on it, but I don't think it's anything to get worried about right now.  Introducing your body to regular running all of a sudden will bring out some aches and niggles.

You might think of a few things though like getting some well cushioned shoes and/or experimenting with different running surfaces or terrains.  I've been running for a long time and I avoid pavement at all costs as it destroys my ankles, knees, hips, back, soul.  But if you don't have any good trails nearby then make sure you've got some well cushioned shoes to absorb that repetitive impact and have your gait analyzed.

There are slippers called oofos billed as "recovery" slippers (I know, I know), and they are great for wearing around the house when you're footsore.  

Good luck, and keep at it!

lots of stretching and strength work and slow build up of miles. I found cycling helps a lot for cardio when I cant put the running miles in.

I fully except I can't go from the odd 5 or 10k to running hilly 15 plus miles without some pain and suffering! It's just knowing when to push on and when I need to rest, but I think I'll play it safe for the time being.

I've been thinking about where the discomfort is a bit more today and am now less convinced about the plantar fascitis as it's more on the side of the foot rather than under the arch, and feels a bit tender just where the bone runs along the inside edge of my foot.

Thanks for the recommendation of the recovery slippers! I'll give them a look.

Push on through the occasional pain and discomfort, but if it persists and is reoccurring, then it's a problem that needs attention.  Could be a simple matter of pronation which can be helped with different trainers.  Some running shops used to do free gait analysis to put you in the rights shoes, might find one in Aberdeen?  

All the best

If I wasn't able to walk barefoot as our species evolved to be able to, then running would be the last thing on my mind.