full in 1 week and injured

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bonjour24
bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
My 1st marathon is in 7 days time (Rotorua in New Zealand). I have been experiencing foot pain for the last week or so. I haven't been to a dr yet- I was just hoping it would go away on its own.

It's like an area on my foot that's tender to press (right above my heel, where you'd get plantar pain). It was one of those things that I'd just noticed but didn't really bother me, until I went for a 20k run yesterday. I only got to 17kms, and found that my hip was killing me because I was running oddly (I didn't roll normally). Last night it was noticably uncomfortable. Today I'm ok (although I did bike to work instead of run to try to keep off it).

So, apart from go to my dr on monday, what can I do? Not doing the marathon is not an option, but I've already accepted that I run what I can and walk the rest if I need to (but I'm not effing happy about it! I only wanted to do 1 full, but if I can't give it everything then I'm going to have to do another in 6 months).

Is it ok to run on ibuprofen and panadol? I don't care how much it hurts after- I just want to get through the run.

Obviously my GP will tell me what to do (I suspect they'll tell me not to run). I just wanted to know your experiences and recommendations.

And what do I do about training for this last week? I didn't haul my fat *kitten* through 19 weeks of training to have it all turn to custard at the very end.

Replies

  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Take the rest of the week off or do cross train (that doesn't hurt).

    See how you feel on race day. Start the race, but be ready to make smart choice (so as to avoid long term injury).

    I've had a few instances where I've done my entire taper on the elliptical instead of running.

    Check out this race report of mine from a few years ago. I was injured until the morning of the race. You never know...

    http://www.kickrunners.com/t/50678/big-sur-marathon-care-for-some-howling-headwinds-to-go-with-those-endless-hills
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
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    DO NOT TAKE IBU!!

    They block proper kidney function, it'll mess with your bodys ability to hydrate properly and give you a badass stitch. Found this out the hard way
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Agreed NO ibuprofen while running.

    Tylenol if anything.
  • Rsespaniak
    Rsespaniak Posts: 17 Member
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    Injuries late in training suck. You've invested all that time and effort and the end is in sight. Cross train this week and you might try doing some additional stretching. I've been dealing with plantar fasciitis for about a year now and it's the stretching that really made a difference for me. (FWIW, I only deal with pain relievers post-run if at all.)

    That said, listen to your body on race day and be prepared to change your plans if necessary. I had no issue with PF during my last marathon and it actually felt much better after the race for reasons I never understood. Hopefully you'll have a great race!

    BTW, I was only planning on running one marathon but caught the bug. Number 3 is in October and I have my sights on another next March.
  • rockieschick
    rockieschick Posts: 321 Member
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    Weird. I am seriously having the EXACT same problem.....It reallly sucks. I iced it yesterday and I am going to try to get some running this weekend. Hope for you it gets better but I agree, just see how you feel on race day!
  • ironmom77
    ironmom77 Posts: 45
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    Go to the doctor! I was in the same boat last year, and I went to the doctor. He was able to give me the good news that it wasn't a stress fracture, and the even better news that I could run without causing a serious injury. He also gave me a cortisone shot that reduced the swelling and inflammation. This caused a TEMPORARY relief of the pain, and I was able to get through the race. After that, I went to PT to fix the underlying cause of the pain, and I have been running mostly pain free ever since... well as pain free as 26.2 miles will ever be... Good luck on your race!
  • jillybean9881
    jillybean9881 Posts: 39 Member
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    Doctor and rest! You don't need to do anything in the last week before your race; you're only doing it to stay loose and because you likely have nervous energy and feel you need to. You will complete the marathon even if you rest all week (assuming your doctor gives you clearance to run).