Well, I’ve done it again, another set of running injuries. I have in recent years developed a pattern of spurious soft tissue injuries whenever I put in a good effort. This time around I was more careful so as a result I made it most of the past year injury free. My symptoms are a series of nagging issues particularly with my left leg. With running injuries I always ask myself what is the source? Why did the injury occur now?
Last year I bought a pair of running shoes that tended to roll so I put the blame on them for my issues including a knee and Achilles tendon issues. So I immediately dropped that pair of shoes and went back to my standby brand, Asics. I got super lucky. I bought a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 21 at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale with my employee discount. This was a great pair of shoes. So after my half marathon a couple weeks ago I knew it was time for them to be retired. But now Asics had replaced them with the next iteration, Gel Kayano 22. Ugh, why do they do that? But a quick Google search found the 21s! I was able to get them through Amazon from a store in Texas. The price was good and I was pumped to get them.
So back to the injuries. I have terrible tightness and sharp tearing pain on the inside of my left knee. I can mostly rub this out. I have a more pronounced pain on my left shin that I cannot rub out. This is the most debilitating injury. It may be a shin splint but seems a little higher than previous. I have tight IT bands on my left side, more so than on my right side. I know these can be rolled out.
But when did I get hurt? It wasn’t the half marathon. But it could have been the Beckler Peak hike, where I used my newly retired running shoes as hiking shoes. Or it could have been my first run with the replacement shoes because every time I have worn them I get the symptoms. But there is another wild card. I got another pair of Asics, a different model, last fall that I have been holding in reserve. I ran with them once or twice after the half marathon, prior to getting the replacement shoes. One thing I got from those is a sore left heel, right at the base. Is that the dreaded plantar fasciitis?
So bottom line is I don’t really know when I got hurt or with which shoes. And I haven’t been to the doctor because I’m an unemployed dude so I don’t really know if these pains will work themselves out. I have not been able to complete a run without stopping to rub out my leg in over a week.
So, first thing to do is back off. I’ve already done that. Yesterday’s jaunt round Lake Union, about 6 miles, became a jogging/walking tour of about 7.5 miles taking over two hours. We visited the wooden boats and even went to a really cool open house on a house boat. It was a real fun walk with a little jogging. Pain was medium in my left leg when we jogged and dull on my left heel when we walked.
Sunday should have been a long run. Today I might walk the dogs, but only a couple miles. Tuesday I’ll try a 3 mile run, but will stop if I get much pain. And so it goes, biding my time while these issues resolve themselves.
There’s an assumption I’ll self heal. It’s my only viable option so I have decided this is my truth. I’ll take it easy and give my tissues time to rest and heal.