A little break from running.

So I took a little break from running but not from working out!

Shortly after I ran the Columbia Gorge Half I begin to experience a bit of lateral ankle discomfort in my right foot. I shortened my stride up a bit, tread lightly, and it seemed to be doing fine until one day I leaped from one embankment to another and I knew it was not okay. I felt something tweak. I've never had a stress fracture but it sure felt like it could be one.

That day I made a decision to give the foot some time off from running before I truly couldn't run on it. So I gave it 5 days and then went on a short run. Not better.

I gave it another 11 days and went on a run. Better, but not perfect. So I went to about 3 runs a week at this point only because I had figured out it was not the stress fracture I'd thought it might be. I haven't gone to a specialist, but I'm 90 percent sure it is peroneal tendinitis.

So in short, I'm back to running but I have this nagging thing going on and I'm not ignoring it I'm working on it.

What did I do on all those non-running days? Worked hard. I worked so hard I was dreaming about getting back to running because it would be easier. The running break has been good, and I hope to be good about continuing to include some of the same stuff as I ease back into running.

Without going into great detail, I did bike interval workouts and resistance training. (kettlebells, free weights, TRX etc.) I worked hard because I did not want to give up the fitness I've worked so hard to attain. I may have lost some running specific fitness but I've gained in other ways.

One indicator has been watching my bodyfat drop during the non-running workout stretches. My weight has stayed fairly consistent so I've built muscle. (That is tough for me, and takes a deliberate plan to consume more protein as well.) Interesting how the body responds when you begin to throw it some stuff it's not used too!

Lastly, I want to leave you with a video of some IT band applicable stuff just because I try to be faithful to bring you everything that seems helpful in that area. You can go over to Endurance Buzz and check out the full scoop on a great injury management post-- but here is the one I'm referring to:


thanks for stopping by!