Listening to the body

In the past I have run through nagging pains hoping that they would just go away. Sometimes they did. Other times they may have hindered my performance a little. After the last few weeks of relatively high mileage the arch of my left foot was yelling at me...and this time I listened. First I did a little bit of research and it seemed to be just a touch of plantar fascitis but I didn't want it to turn into anything worse.

Miles for the week: 51

Monday= Rest/ 1 hour massage
Tuesday= 4 miles through Cass Park and lifted weights at Island
Wednesday= very easy 8 miles through Iroquois Trails 100 course (Daisy Hollow out and back)
Thursday= up tempo run with Alona on Skunk Cabbage 1/2 marathon course (5k warm up, 10k at 6:43/mi, 5K cooldown)
Friday= foot was still hurting a little...took another rest day
Saturday= 14 miles with Ian, Andrew, Derrick and Scotie through Recway and Ithaca College campus
Sunday= 12 miles through Sleeping Giant State Park in New Haven, CT

I'm very pleased with the way I am feeling now. This drop back week was very beneficial in many ways and my foot is thanking me. I was supposed to run the Virgil Mt. Madness this weekend but we are tending to a very sick family member in Connecticut right now. I am happy to be of service to her as she is struggling from Lupus. Hang in there Janna!

I was surprised to find out that my brother Jamal placed 8th in the Madness 12K yesterday. A pretty good time for a tough course and just getting into the trail scene. Way to get that heart pumping Jamal! I have been using some arch support inserts over the last few days that have really helped and have avoided walking around bare foot. I'm really looking forward to Green Lakes on Sunday...until then enjoy the Olympics and happy running!

Quote of the week: "You have to imagine that training is like a bow that you can pull back as far as possible to shoot the arrow at an exact point in time. This can be dangerous. Sometimes you can't hold the bowstring back any longer. Or you can overpull it." Uta Pippig