So, here is the run down: I started running barefoot in January this year. It was slow but steady progress. I did fracture a metahead from running VFFs so that slowed me down for several weeks. Fast forward to now with a retrospective on the past 4-5 weeks: My body has adapted faster than I thought it would in the sense I'm capable of running a 10k at about a 10ish min/k pace. I can go faster but I'm still discomforted that form will fail at higher speeds in the sense that I"ll switch to more forefoot striking than midfoot; hell I'm just now starting to finally get into a relaxed habit of running barefoot.
Which brings me to my problem. The area directly underneath the metaheads (all of them, especially two, than one) on my left foot is aching. After my last run of 6k it seemed fine; even during the mild stretching I do afterwards. However, when I got out of the car the second metahead (bottom of foot) hurt like hell. I had to ice it. It started off only happening every once in a while but would go away; now it isn't going away and that last run I mentioned has resulted in a persistant ache; just at the edge of being painful but mostly just annoying. It's just sort of there, especially when I have my foot resting flat. It happens to both feet but the left one is persisting. Odd thing, it doesn't happen during movement. I"ve tested it countless times, it never fails me or hurts during movement but I think I did find a limit where after a certain distance I start to feel it bit. The rest of my body is capable of these longer distances with the BFR form but perhaps my feet are not just yet.
so here were my goals: Two short runs and one long run per week and keep doing this for a long while. Short runs to equal a 5k, long run for anything in the 6-10k range; this is what I had been doing, oh I'd say for the past 3 weeks. I can run on pavement, trails and gravel, no problems. This was going smoothly for the most part. I'm not ready to go further and now I'm wondering if I should back off. Perhaps to something like two 3k and one 5k per week. I'm starting to wonder if I have damaged my foot from going too far too soon. It wouldn't be the first time I push my boundries to the point of failure. These last two weeks I have been focusing on relaxing while keeping a decent pace and distance.
I'm going to the podiatrist today for some scans and examination just to be sure if there is no bone damage. That aside, why is this even happening at all? Am I doing something wrong? Please tell me some one else had something similar. My first idea is that I'm putting too much force on the forefoot and not enough mid sole striking; I THINK that may be the issue, but I'm not sure. When I run, I don't feel like I'm doing something wrong. I can take some pics of the soles so you can see where the skin is adapting; it seems most prevelant in the forefoot directly under the metaheads; which doesn't seem all that uncommon or incorrect to me. Perhaps the aching is just part of the process for me; it's not like it's unprecedentated as evidenced by some searching I've done of other BF runners. This seems to effect a very small percentage of them and resolves itself but nobody really went into detail about it. It feels like I can keep running but I'll have to reduce my milage and REALLY, really focus on softer midsole landing. Ug. It's always something; I would like a refund on my body.
I dunno; I just want to run and I can't go back to shod running (already tried, it hurts and is uncomfortable; no way I'm buying more footwear) and if I'm gonna run in huarches or VFF I might as well do it barefoot. I'm not ready to quit and I'm rather well known for pushing limits so perhaps that is all this is about and I just need to chill out for several weeks. Perhaps take 2-3 weeks off running entirely then restart with the 3-3-5 routine I mentioned. I would think at this point I would be able to run reasonable paces and distances withouth hurting myself. Sigh; despite the odd ache it feels like I can keep going and there is nothing that stops me while running; that is what sucks, I get no signals that I'm doing something wrong. Expect afterwards.
Which brings me to my problem. The area directly underneath the metaheads (all of them, especially two, than one) on my left foot is aching. After my last run of 6k it seemed fine; even during the mild stretching I do afterwards. However, when I got out of the car the second metahead (bottom of foot) hurt like hell. I had to ice it. It started off only happening every once in a while but would go away; now it isn't going away and that last run I mentioned has resulted in a persistant ache; just at the edge of being painful but mostly just annoying. It's just sort of there, especially when I have my foot resting flat. It happens to both feet but the left one is persisting. Odd thing, it doesn't happen during movement. I"ve tested it countless times, it never fails me or hurts during movement but I think I did find a limit where after a certain distance I start to feel it bit. The rest of my body is capable of these longer distances with the BFR form but perhaps my feet are not just yet.
so here were my goals: Two short runs and one long run per week and keep doing this for a long while. Short runs to equal a 5k, long run for anything in the 6-10k range; this is what I had been doing, oh I'd say for the past 3 weeks. I can run on pavement, trails and gravel, no problems. This was going smoothly for the most part. I'm not ready to go further and now I'm wondering if I should back off. Perhaps to something like two 3k and one 5k per week. I'm starting to wonder if I have damaged my foot from going too far too soon. It wouldn't be the first time I push my boundries to the point of failure. These last two weeks I have been focusing on relaxing while keeping a decent pace and distance.
I'm going to the podiatrist today for some scans and examination just to be sure if there is no bone damage. That aside, why is this even happening at all? Am I doing something wrong? Please tell me some one else had something similar. My first idea is that I'm putting too much force on the forefoot and not enough mid sole striking; I THINK that may be the issue, but I'm not sure. When I run, I don't feel like I'm doing something wrong. I can take some pics of the soles so you can see where the skin is adapting; it seems most prevelant in the forefoot directly under the metaheads; which doesn't seem all that uncommon or incorrect to me. Perhaps the aching is just part of the process for me; it's not like it's unprecedentated as evidenced by some searching I've done of other BF runners. This seems to effect a very small percentage of them and resolves itself but nobody really went into detail about it. It feels like I can keep running but I'll have to reduce my milage and REALLY, really focus on softer midsole landing. Ug. It's always something; I would like a refund on my body.
I dunno; I just want to run and I can't go back to shod running (already tried, it hurts and is uncomfortable; no way I'm buying more footwear) and if I'm gonna run in huarches or VFF I might as well do it barefoot. I'm not ready to quit and I'm rather well known for pushing limits so perhaps that is all this is about and I just need to chill out for several weeks. Perhaps take 2-3 weeks off running entirely then restart with the 3-3-5 routine I mentioned. I would think at this point I would be able to run reasonable paces and distances withouth hurting myself. Sigh; despite the odd ache it feels like I can keep going and there is nothing that stops me while running; that is what sucks, I get no signals that I'm doing something wrong. Expect afterwards.