April Training:
My running in April went from awesome to an issue to another issue and then back to awesome. I hesitate to call anything that kept me out for a week “an injury” but back to back issues and mental fatigue caused April to be one of my least favorite training months. The Atlantic City half marathon the first weekend in April kept it from being a total bust.
Mileage: 243
Range of paces: 5:51-10:40-untimed
Shortest run: 1 mile to test out my foot
Longest run: April Fools half marathon
Favorite run:
1 mile when I realized my foot wasn’t broken.
Races:
April Fools Half (1:24.04)
80s Run 5k (19:10)
Run for the Veterans 5k (18:33)
Favorite Race:
April Fools Half Marathon
Two years ago, I ran the April Fools half marathon and was outkicked in the last 12 seconds. Until the Carlsbad half marathon this year, it was my PR. This year I came back and won with a time of about 40 seconds slower. The conditions were tougher but I also know I’m in better shape.
Thoughts:
The week before the April Fools half marathon, I dealt with a tight hamstring. Then I had a period of about four days that I felt great. One of those days happened to be the April Fools half. I recovered well from the half marathon and it wasn’t until the week after my foot started to ache.
In the middle of the month, it was a deep ache above my 3-4 metatarsal. It felt similar to my second metatarsal fracture two years ago. Instead of trying to run through the pain, I shut down running, went to my chiropractor as well as my doctor for X-rays. Luckily it wasn’t a fracture but a pinched nerve.
Could I have run through it without doing more damage?
Maybe but the rest also provided me with a mental break and I needed that too.
I believe my pinched nerve was caused by tight racing flats and too small of compression socks. It caused my metatarsals to be pushed into each other. Who knew that could be something to worry about?
Thankfully it wasn’t a fracture and for that I’m grateful. While April wasn’t the month I hoped, I’m leaving the month healthy and injury free, and I won’t complain about that. I didn’t make the smartest decisions with my training but I was lucky everything worked out.
May begins the hot months for NJ, so I expect my times to slow down, but my effort will still be there. I’ve already started on a good foot with an injury free race at Broad Street. I’ll have the recap for that soon.
Posts of the month:
Digging Out of a Hole (Dealing with Anxiety
Blogger’s Guilt
Touring NJ 1000 Feet Up
Running Related:
Saucony Kinvara 7 Review
Five Secrets about Buying Running Shoes
A Look back at Every Shoe I’ve Run In
29 Half Marathons Later
How to Run with a Significant Other
Does Running Ever Get Any Easier?
Questions for you:
How was your month of April?
Have you ever pinched a nerve?
All things considered you had a great month. Sometimes setbacks are for the better. They give us that mental reminder we all need every now and again. 🙂 I am sure even with the heat coming in for the year you will continue to have great runs and push yourself to new levels! 🙂
I’m happy to hear about your PR and that your foot is doing well! I hope everything else is going well with you and the hubby! I miss your awkward dates (awkward^2). I can’t wait to hear about your upcoming races! Miss you!!!
I miss you too Sara, let’s catch up soon.
I think April was the lowest miles I’ve logged in years. There has been so much going on outside of my training/workouts and it’s the first time I haven’t been training for a marathon in about ten years, so it’s a super strange feeling! I’m hoping that May gets me back to more normal running and more mileage again! I miss it! I’m so glad your foot pain didn’t turn into anything too serious!
Same here Sarah. It was a low mileage month but I would rather start May feeling refreshed and healthy. I hope you feel good this month too 🙂
Glad you ended the month healthy! April was the highest mileage month since January for me… and I ran like 10-15 miles haha
Glad to hear things are on track for you. You had a great month especially considering some setbacks.
I am so glad you don’t have a fracture! You are so good at listening to your body. Despite the injury scare, you had a strong month. You are so inspiring!
Things can always be worse! I had a great April with some running and strength training in the mix. I am trying to focus on more stretching and foam rolling to avoid stiff/sore muscles. I have had back issues for over 2 years now and I am really trying to get them figured out so I can live pain free.
Yes to the pinched nerve! I get one in my back about once a year. And have had two in my foot – both from too tight shoes. (I have the saucony A6 and you know that elastic strap over the top? I cut mine off and now lace them super loose. cutting the strap didn’t ruin them. i know we’ve both discussed having wide feet! just fyi – not sure if it will help you or not)
Great month! Pinched nerve sucks! Once I had it in my back and had to do everything from chiropractor appointments to pain medication.
How Running Makes Us Happy, But Happiness Makes Us Better Runners: https://candiesandcrunches.com/2016/05/04/how-running-makes-us-happy-but-happiness-makes-us-better-runners/
That is so interesting about the too tight racing flats and compression socks! I’m glad you figured that one out and fast. So far May has not proved to be warm but, it’s only just the beginning, right?
Although April was less than idea, it says a lot that you were still able to string together some solid races and log some good workouts. I’m looking forward to the weather improving, but I’m not ready for the summer heat and humidity just yet, ha!