Trails!

Like I posted to Andy, instead of admitting that I'm a wimp I have a nice justification for running inside: I will be better prepared for the heat.

If your foot problem was PF then the pain would most likely be on the medial side not the lateral. The things Paul told you to do will still help. I have had some pretty nasty foot injuries in my days, one of which was a neuroma of the medial calcaneal nerve. Because of this I will some times get nots or lumps on the lateral side of my arch. If you palpate the sole over the heel and proximal midfoot you may pinpoint a painful lump (known as the "lamp cord" sign because the lump feels like a lamp cord under a rug)that easily can be misdiagnosed as inflamed plantar fascia.

The mileage on your shoes might not be the problem, they might be the wrong type of shoe for your foot. Your calves and Achilles tendon might be very tight causing more pressure on the arch or heel pad. Another cause could be that you crank your shoes too tight, which puts added pressure on the arch and breaks it down. Let me know if you do crank it too tight and I will show you a great new way to tie your shoes (a lot of people tie their shoes way too tight in the wrong spots).

Ice, rest, and massage (tennis balls are good) works wonders too. The important thing is not letting it turn into tenoditis or worse, a neuroma.

James,

Thanks for the tips. I still have more questions than answers, but since most of the treatment options people have mentioned are similar in nature, I should be able to take care of it. I am interested in your technique of tying shoes, that could prove useful.

You mentioned tightness in calves and the Achilles. My calves are in a state of permanent soreness. Ever since day one of running, if I run more than 2 days in a row, the calves are sore and tender to the touch. Working a TP massage ball into them feels awful, but will probably help. That and different shoes might do wonders.

We need to meet up at some midpoint of our runs in the morning as it seems you are running at the same time as me most days (when you run at 6 am at least). Let me know...

I would love to hook up on our runs! Lets talk about it in the next couple of days and see if and where we can hook up on a few mornings.

Next time I see you I will show you how to lace and tie your shoes in a way that will safe-guard your arches.

Whether you have PF, heel spurs, or the start of a neuroma (bad news) they all stem from something else, usually tight muscles. Keep working those calves out, it will help, and I know it hurts like crazy!