Day 4,039 —Running with Pain—

 

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I didn’t know how much pain I would be dealing with, but it hurt to bend my right foot when I started this run. At first, I changed my stride, so I was running with my left foot to steer while I tried not to bend my right foot. Eventually, it wasn’t something I noticed as much.

         When I was on Grant’s trail, it was barely a passing thought. I reached my parents' house and arranged a card for my mom and grandmother. My mom had left some picture books there, which I put in my bag before I left. I was tempted to run through Crestwood Park, but I went towards Sappington and through Whitecliff Park. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find the back way into the park because the main road is dangerous to run on foot. I always think of riding my bike that way when I was a kid and wish there was a safer way. I want to tell that kid that there was/is a safer way! I made it based on memory because I wasn’t positive I was going the right way, but I felt it out and followed my intuition. I thought my ankle might feel better running on the trail, but I irritated it more with all the twists and turns I encountered.

         I got the 52-mile race this Saturday, so I should take it easy this week. I cannot imagine this will take long to heal, but I don’t think anything should take long to heal, and this injury seems like a symptom of how I usually run versus a mistake. I just took a bath, hoping that would help, but it feels mostly the same. I am going to plan on soaking in the bath and stretching every day this week. I bought a new tent that blows up. It is amazing. It took me fewer than 10 minutes to get it fully assembled.