Stress

As you might imagine, the last few weeks are nothing particularly to write about.  I squeeze in the Dark Valley Half Marathon, which is great fun, not least for the beer and sausage roll aid station, and with a time of 2:20 I'm fairly happy, given that it's off-road in the dark with a couple of steep slopes thrown in.

I keep up a reasonable but unremarkable schedule, doing a couple of runs in the week and a 9 or 10 mile long run on the weekend.  The aches and pains come and go, but generally things are good, even getting in my fastest 5k of the year.

The top of my left foot hurts.  With a ski holiday planned, I slightly dread the ski lessons at the local dry slope, jamming my foot into a stiff ski-boot.  But it just seems like an inconvenience more than anything.

Awaiting dinner with the extended family, having done a 5 mile run, I notice that not only is the top of my foot hurting, but seems to be creaking when I flex it. This is an interesting development.  

"Does it hurt after exercise?" says the sister-in-law, a nurse.

"Yep"

"And does it hurt when you tie your laces?"

 

"Yep"

"Classic stress fracture"

Right.  This isn't what I hoped for. 

"What can I do about it?"

"Nothing, just rest it and then start again slowly"

"How long for?"

"A few weeks"

Part of me is secretly delighted that I have an excuse to not run for a few weeks.  The rest of me is gutted, having gained a confidence that I'm on the right track. 

Plan B under consideration.