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I'm a bit frustrated and angry right now. My half was a bust. It was much warmer than anticipated. 71F and 74% humidity, but nothing I haven't run in all summer.
I might have had to ease on an all out PR pace. I've logged more miles than in the past so I thought I would let the race come to me. I was cruising along through 11 miles at a 7:24 pace. The last three miles are slightly downhill (total course has 155ft gain). I really love this course. Running along the Fox River or tackling hills in the neighborhoods About mile 11.5 I got a sharp pain on the inside arch of my right foot. There was a huge gap between me and the runners behind me before all went south. Top 10 in AG was assured until I got hurt. Really too painful to run and I shut it down. I hobbled and walked the rest of the way to finish 1:47:03. I was audibly swearing when no one was around and took the walk of shame back to the finish. The weirdest part of the whole day was runners going by me saying encouraging stuff like, "You can do it" or "Almost there" was the LAST thing I wanted to hear. You mean if I wasn't in searing pain I could. Runners are too nice. I skipped the post race beer got into my car and headed home straight from the finish line. I must have been upset to pass up free Sam Adams.
I was having some slight PF issues with that foot earlier in the week. But I was wearing my night splint and did not have any stiffness or soreness the past couple of days. My foot felt normal all day until the sharp pain suddenly appeared.
I was able to get in to see my doctor on Monday during lunch. Always reassuring to walk into her office and see running bibs all over the wall. Quite calming knowing your race future is at stake. She knows her stuff relative to us runners. She thinks it might be a small tear in the plantar fascia. If I press on the area there is no pain. Only when I push off. X-rays were negative but no surprise there since I know this is soft tissue. It still hurts to walk on it but she thinks it will heal very quickly. I was given a soft brace and an anti-inflammatory prescription. I can run in the brace if things don't hurt. She thinks I could even run later this week. Three days later and I can't walk normally. Ultrasound, cortisone and physical therapy could be future steps. Bottom line is that the marathon is still very much in play in her estimation. So now it's wait and see.