I ditched Larry and Wayne on Saturday, so I guess they ditched me this morning. Actually, I think what we have here is a failure to communicate. I wasn't sure they were running Saturday morning, and because of Saturday Larry probably wasn't sure if I was going to be running this morning. Fortunately, this sort of problem is easily fixed with a phone call, email, or text. After pushing the pace and distance a little on Saturday and yesterday, I decided to just take it at an easy pace this morning. I ended up running 6.9 miles at an average 9:37/mi pace. No foot pain again today (knock on wood again), but I'm icing the Achilles and PF areas anyway. I've also been wearing a small neoprene ankle support since Saturday that I feel has been helping. I was at Sports Authority on Saturday and noticed they had a wide selection of ankle supports. I've sprained my ankles many times so they caught my eye. They had Level I, I+, II, and III supports. The I+ support is a simple neoprene cup with a Velcro closure across the top. Because of the foot pain I felt on Thursday, and because it was less than $10, I decided to give it a try.
It feels so good that the only time I've taken it off is to run (my shoes provide support and cushioning) and to shower. It even fit well in my Sunday shoe. Besides the mild support it gives, it also retains heat. It almost feels like I'm wearing a little heat pad exactly where I need it, on my Achilles tendon, the plantar fascia near my heel, and across my ankle. The neoprene even provides a little cushioning in those same areas. It might all be in my head, but I've learned that can help as much as anything else. Time will tell.
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