I have not seen a doctor but read a lot online and it seems I have tendonitis in my right foot, the tendon that goes from the big toe along the top of the foot. It was after my 15 miler last weekend when I felt the pain. Then later in the day I could actually feel the kind of "rubbery/friction" feeling under the skin when I touched the top of my foot. I had tendonitis near my ankle before a few years ago (posterior tibial tendonitis) so I know what it feels like - it was the exact same sensation. Basically I had to stay off of it for 2 weeks, take 800 mg of ibuprophen 3 times a day and then build back up.

The issue is I am smack dab in the middle of training for Boston Marathon on April 16. I have 8 weeks left. Last week, following that 15-miler on Friday, I took 3 days off. Then I did 5-6 miles on the treadmill last Tues, Wed and Thurs. At first it wasn't bad. I didn't feel that friction under the skin. Then on Thurs night it came back slightly. I didn't run Fri and then yesterday (Sat) I did 14.4. I wasn't in too much pain, but did not run my normal training pace. Again, the friction feeling came back a few hours after the run. I have been icing it all week. That seems to help.

I want to see if I can still do Boston. If I take 7 days off, ice, do the elliptical instead, take the ibuprophen, should I try to run again the following week and see if it's gone? Or should I just take the next 2 weeks off completely, only do elliptical, take the ibuprophen, ice and then build back up. That leaves me with only 4 weeks really to get a few 20-milers in. I have a lot of training left. Should I just defer my entrance to 2008 and not bother? I am not in extreme pain but my training has been severely compromised. I have not been able to do speed or tempo workouts. I feel it may not be worth it to try to train through this for a sub-par performance. Anyone have any strategies???

thanks a lot-

Anthony



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My 2006 Boston Marathon Story:

http://www.geocities.com/abaldman/marathonlog6.html