Tis the season of our discontent...

... as my running buddy, Janine likes to call it :).

There comes a time in every season when all the workouts and high mileage catch up to you, and aches and pains (and even injuries) are inevitable. That time is now. The last long run, a 16-miler, was a tough one, but things weren't too much better at yesterday's 18-miler.

It was a gorgeous course--one of my favorites, Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz (due to weather, though, the second half of the course had to be re-routed, which is a shame, since the second half is the prettiest part), and we were incredibly lucky once again that rain decided to suspend itself for the run. But injuries being injuries, they have a way of making their presence known, and I wasn't going to come off quite so easy this time.

It all started with my heel injury flaring up a few days before. At the foot clinic at track, I learned that what I was experiencing was the beginning of plantar fasciitis, and that the best way to keep it from getting worse was to ice and roll (standard fare) and never, ever be barefoot. I followed this advice and was feeling fine by yesterday morning, but as soon as I started to run my first few steps, it was clear that this heel thing would not go quietly. Oy.

Eventually it did fade away, much to my relief. Only it was replaced by shin and calf discomfort (I refuse to call it pain), which found its way to the inside of my ankle. It settled there like a guest making itself feel at home, and left the last 3 miles of the run very, very, VERY uncomfortable.

My usual ice bath soak alleviated it some, but the true test will be when I run again on Tuesday. In the meantime, I will roll and ice and ice and roll. And do a lot of praying for it, too. Hey, ya pull put the big guns when you have to.