Running Advice

chelciebrown07
chelciebrown07 Posts: 255 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been training for my first half marathon that is this saturday, but due to injury (plantar fasciitis) i've only been able to do 8 miles as my longest run. I only have one week left to train before the race and I really want to complete it, but i'm not sure what is best. Should I do one more long run and try to hit 10-11 miles, should I run a few shorter runs this week or should I not run again until the race and let my foot rest?

Any help would be great! Thank you!

Replies

  • pkdscript
    pkdscript Posts: 28 Member
    I did my first half marathon a few years back and the most we ever ran during training was 8 miles. After 8 miles, it's a mental thing. You have come that far, mile-wise, that you will finish - no doubt!! Good luck!!
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    I personally would not do a long run this close to a race, but you are 5 miles from your race distance. Is your injury still bothering you? Can you switch to a shorter distance?
  • Shampres
    Shampres Posts: 64 Member
    I've run ten half-marathons, and I've had plantar faciitis too, and it's so painful. Does your foot still hurt? When did you do the 8 miles? Was it within the last couple of weeks? If you are COMPLETELY sure that you are healed, and you can get in a long run tonight, then do a long run and then do the race. It is important, though, to be rested before the race so don't do it later in the week and then try to do the race this weekend; that's a recipe for further injury.

    If your foot still twinges even a little bit, don't do the race because it's not healed and to continue to run on it will make it incredibly painful, and will take forever to heal. Also, it would suck to have to drop out of the race.

    As an aside, frozen water bottles in the arch of your foot will probably give you some relief if you're still in pain. Worked for me pretty well.

    Good luck!
  • hecham
    hecham Posts: 118 Member
    Just finished my first half this past weekend. I had trained up to 16 miles (3 weeks before) the race. But honestly, once I surpassed 7 miles in my training, the rest was mental. You could probably cross the finish line for sure, but is the injury still bothering you? The race is not worth making the injury worse. I would try switching to a shorter race if you can.
    That said, if you do stick with the half, I would not try for a long run this close to the race.
  • dumparump
    dumparump Posts: 50 Member
    Coming from a career in massage therapy plantar fasciatis can be hard to treat because its nearly impossible to rest the foot since we are on it a lot. Rest it ice it compress it and elevate it as much as you can to prevent further injury. Ibuprofen or any anti inflammatory will help as well. Don't forget that the fascial tissue is INFLAMMED which means the more it works the nore it becomes damaged. You probably have heel spurs that have come to surface too--there's nothing you can really do for them but do listen to your body and rest when it needs it.
  • marimeet
    marimeet Posts: 2 Member
    You need to taper the week before you run a half. Do a few short runs but don't push yourself. Roll a tennis ball under your foot and that helps with the plantar fascitis.
    On the day of the race wait until after you run to take a NSAID, before you run can hurt your kidneys.
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    Don't put an unplanned long run this close to your half! A couple of short runs, not past Thursday, is all you need to keep loose so when you go out for your race you don't feel like you've never run before.

    Better to make to the finish line slowly and carefully then to not make it to the start.
  • chelciebrown07
    chelciebrown07 Posts: 255 Member
    It's actually the arch of my foot, not the heel that is really bothering me. I did my last long run (the 8miler) a week ago and about mile 5 it was really killing me, so I took the whole week off to let it rest. Walking around it felt fully healed so I ran again yesterday for 3 miles to test it out, and it felt pretty good while running but this morning it definitely was sore again. So should I run one or two short days this week and really pay attention to icing/anti inflams/stretching? I can't run anything less because its a half marathon only, and it's the last race before the winter (which means no more races again until April because I live in Alaska and they don't do races in two foot deep snow) and i'd really like to run it, even knowing it could be really painful.
  • chelciebrown07
    chelciebrown07 Posts: 255 Member
    I've never heard about not taking NSAIDs before a race, can I take them the night before instead?
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    You need to taper the week before you run a half. Do a few short runs but don't push yourself. Roll a tennis ball under your foot and that helps with the plantar fascitis.
    On the day of the race wait until after you run to take a NSAID, before you run can hurt your kidneys.
    Where did you hear that? About the NSAID?
  • DangerJim71
    DangerJim71 Posts: 361 Member
    I'd find another race to sign up for and let your foot heal and have time to properly train.

    I know. Not what you wanted to hear. I ran my first half last year on a pulled muscle and couldn't run for two months after. Worst fitness decision I've made.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    You need to taper the week before you run a half. Do a few short runs but don't push yourself. Roll a tennis ball under your foot and that helps with the plantar fascitis.
    On the day of the race wait until after you run to take a NSAID, before you run can hurt your kidneys.
    Where did you hear that? About the NSAID?

    Regarding NSAIDs and potential harm, from Runners World: http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/pill-primer?page=single and also from the Rock 'n Roll run series: http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/medical/recovery

    OP: I wouldn't do another long run if it were me. You want to be fresh and rested, and if you're experiencing PF now, it might worsen with that long run. Others have given you some good palliative treatment options. Try that and see how you feel. Might not be a bad idea to postpone the race in lieu of another one than risk a long bout with PF.
  • joyincincy
    joyincincy Posts: 228 Member
    Freeze a water bottle and use that to roll your foot. Also stretch your foot by stretching your toes gently up the wall, working your foot closer to where the wall and floor meet (think an "L" shape out of your toes & rest of foot). This will help to stretch that tendon. BTW, I don't believe that PF is an injury, I think it is something you will have to live with. Mine is due to being flat footed (also why my issue is with the arch and not the heel) those with very high arches are also at risk. I don't like taking meds, so I choose stretching & ice when it flares up, but Aleve does help.

    I'm learning to run, starting this week. In my desire to get going and find support, I had forgotten about my PF and now realize that I am going to have to be very patient with my feet while doing this new workout.

    Good luck with your race! Walk when you need, especially when you feel that tendon start to cramp up on you.
  • marimeet
    marimeet Posts: 2 Member
    I read it in Runner's world. A runner went into kidney failure because of it. Granted he was doing an ultra but the article said to wait until after a race just in case.

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