The End: Time to Hang Up Those Marathon Shoes

So 3 weeks ago after completing my first half marathon in preparation for Athens, the foot pain began..

Starting with the heel and then radiating up the achilles until the base of my foot stiffened.

The whole process took a week and by that time I was limping badly and in discomfort with every step.

This time the acupuncture, the electro shocks and the nonsense was out of the window. I knew I had to act fast to avoid my body over compromising and causing other issues (pelvic alignment etc..).

Last Friday I went back to the specialist who administered my second cortisone shot, 5 months almost to the day since the first.

I did't sleep most of the previous week as I anticipated the pain of the shot the first time round. Thankfully it was not as bad at all and I was pretty chilled.

Of course I knew that the worst was ahead of me as a week of transatlantic travel and walking between offices lay ahead of me.

Sure enough the pain the following day was bad and got worse over the next 2 days..then...mercifully things started to improve.

I rounded off the week with an intense sports massage to loosen things.

I have had to concede that my distance running days are behind me and for me to set my sights lower/shorter.

The specialist concurred and said that all is not doom and gloom and let's face it (as my daughter said), "this is not a terminal illness..get a life".

So it's time to thank everyone for following my exploits on the path to marathon glory.

2010 London, 4:14

2010 Loch Ness 3:37

2011 Brighton 3:33

2012 Edinburgh 3:35

2012 San Sebastian 3:27

2013 London 3:26

2013 Pisa 3:17

2014 Paris 3:11

2014 Loch Ness 3:16

The best of the best

• The elation at Loch Ness, marathon No 2 when I knocked nearly 30 minutes off my first time.
• San Sebastian after having 2 hours sleep I cracked 3:30
• Pisa in breaking 3:20, the day after family tragedy struck
• Paris - the 3:11 and Boston Qualifying achieved.

Time to focus on recovery and then maybe, just maybe a return to some shorter distances to tackle with gusto.

Au revoir.

Achilles!!! 55 days to go....

Athens: No chance of a PB but the journey will have been the hardest

And here is a song where the chorus sums up how I feel about it.

D'Angelo

This Could Be The Year!!

2015 Athens Marathon Drops Elite Runners - Open Season!

Back To Training: Slowly! Athens Marathon 2015 is ON

So it is now 4 weeks since the "shot".

I saw a running specialist on Friday as I have managed to creep up to 5 miles with no dramas.

Stability is an issue as I have been "off games" for 6 months.

Good news is that Athens Marathon (No 10) is ON like Donkey Kong.

Here's the rub: No more than 3 runs a week for the next few months!

Will keep you posted on my ascension to 10 k and beyond.

Suffice to say that I am made up BIG TIME.

Taking The Shot: A Marathon Runner's Perspective on Whether a Cortisone Shot will Heal Plantar Fasciitis ?

So folks..6 months on from Loch Ness and my situation has remained miserable.

Continued to try "natural" healing

Having taken 3 months off running and subjecting myself to a regimen of weekly hurt care of my friendly osteopath I have finally taken the plunge. Over this time period I have had my pelvis realigned and alignments and muscles brought back to their (mildly flexible) former glory.

After being given the all clear to run on grass I enthusiastically went out and after 2 tough miles going round and round in circles I stopped, stretched and crossed my fingers.

As feared the pain returned...I was very upset. Was there ever going to be a path back and would there be the opportunity to run my 10th (and final?) marathon in Athens this coming November?

No other option than to hit the meds..
Yesterday I went to the specialist and had a cortisone shot.
Many folks said "go do it" but medical professionals warned against the potential side effects.

So what is it like?

• So no BS here - It hurts. An injection with a rather large needle into the side of your foot/heel.
• An initial "scratch) followed by a prolonged (10-15 seconds) of pain as the fluid goes into and across your entire PF..
• Immediately I felt like I was walking on jelly as the fluid is a mixture of cortisone and a local anaesthetic.
• Late last night (about 4-5 hours afterwards), things started to hurt as the meds wore off and I started on the Nurofen. 

Progress

Day 1: Got out of bed and the whole area was very sore. On the Nurofen and hobbling about. Must do stretching exercises and ice the underside of my foot nightly. I have a 13 hour flight today so no harm of overdoing things.

Day 2: Arrived in Shanghai. After the flight I could hardly walk - excruciatingly painful at every step. Managed to walk/hobble for a few miles. Gritted my teeth and carried on. By end of day was in a whole heap of pain.

Day 3: Was asked whether I needed a wheelchair when I arrived at reception but as the day went on things started to get a little better. Starting to stretch but goodness me it hurts...so tight.

Days 4-6: Steady improvements but still not markedly better.

Day 7: At last things seem to be getting a bit better..no better than before the shot but at least getting to be more comfortable.

Day 8-9: Whoah! Something must have clicked or maybe it was the 13 hour flight not moving but for the first time in 6 months I am not hurting...my walking style is starting to revert to "normal".

Day 10: Genuine improvement - like never before. I am starting to get nervous as I am sure the osteopath will scold me when I see him tomorrow - but gotta come clean.

Day 11: Judgement Day #1: OK so came clean and he understood. Gotta do more stretching but otherwise I should be OK.

Day 12: It has begun - Ran 2 x 2 miles to check things out. Honestly achilles hurt when I had orthotics in - so ditched them running in softer insoles. Result = no pain.

Day 13: Tried a 2.5 mile run...still stiff and worried afterwards but felt - OK.

Day 14: Back to conventional cross training...feels like things are improving steadily.

Day 15/16: Cycling around Amsterdam - foot feels great.No pain at all. Tomorrow here we go!

Day 17: Ran 5k around Amsterdam - felt awesome.

Day 18: Day after 5k = no pain.

Day 19: Check-up today...we will see. AND......huzzah! Given the all clear but urged to go slowly. To celebrate did ANOTHER 5k!

So for me (and remember effects depend on the individual), I would give cortisone shot the thumbs up...just be patient and try all other "natural" methods first...oh and take it SLOOOOOW.

Next stop Marathon No 10 in November (see what I said about taking it slow).

Hasta la vista!

Chapter 23: The Final Chapter? Life Beyond Running?

I'm not my usual self of late.

Since late October I have been off road.. No no the ultra marathon kind but sidelined due to injury.

Approaching 45 and never before been injured. And it has happened...again. Race withdrawal but not just ANY race.. Boston.

Now I have to admit that since 27th November (my last post) I have had shockwave therapy. Did it work?

Firstly I should say that it felt like having a metal ball bearing rammed into your heel - not great but then it did feel like it was dissipating the problem (or so I thought).

So did it work? In short "No".

It is now end January and I have cancelled my flights to Boston, cancelled the hotel and written to Boston advising them of my withdrawal.. I also bailed on London Marathon as that too was off limits.

My heart goes out to anyone who has been sidelined through injury. IT SUCKS.

You do need to go through the grieving process as something that has become part of you vanishes overnight. I have come through the other side and having foolishly tried to "test" whether I was getting better with brazen 5k's - I have to concede defeat.

I have been off my feet now for 26 days I have not run.

25 days ago, the day after my last run I could not walk. I managed to walk though - to an osteopath.

I have realised that I have spent ages trying to address the symptoms rather than the cause.

My leg is completely tight, to such an extent that my flexibility had gone down to c30% on my foot.

So prognosis: Swimming, cross training (no foot impact) and stretching....lots and lots of stretching. And deep tissue pain (not even a massage when someone is digging their elbow or knee right into the most painful of painful places and pulling you around in an effort to right many years of wrong).

I am hopeful of a full recovery but need to be patient and embrace the downtime knowing that one day soon, maybe even this spring I will rise like a phoenix and run my 10th (and final?) marathon. There will be nothing left to prove at that point and I can maybe go back to being an ordinary bloke who once was not bad at running.

Wishing all you sidelined folks a speedy recovery - keep positive!