Mileage AND Maintenance

Did you know I'm training for a marathon?


Actually, my training is almost done and my taper is fast approaching. YIKES! That went fast!

I should be feeling all kinds of apprehension. After all, I'm about to finish my second consecutive 100+ mileage month (currently "sitting" at 87 as I type this). The past two years, it's been in the month of May that I've had high mileage...and it's been in the month of June when I have paid dearly for it.

Coincidence?

Both times, I was rewarded with Plantar's Fasciitis, first in the left foot (2015) and then in the right (2016). I had never before experienced PF, and (in retrospect) I was fortunate to have had very mild cases compared to what others have described. Both times, I felt it mainly in the heel area (called a heel spur...it felt like there was a jagged pencil eraser poking my heel with each and every step of the affected foot). **Side note - the heel spur didn't hurt much when running, due to my mid-foot strike. Walking, though, was another (painful) story.

But, so far, nothing's happening with my feet. And I'm not complaining (and keeping my fingers crossed, just for good measure).

So, what am I doing differently this year? The short answer : Maintenance. With the demands of 26.2 training, I have had to be very careful to keep the daily maintenance going...not just with the increased mileage, but throughout this entire training cycle.

Here are the key maintenance crutches that have kept me (mostly) injury-free as I've trained for Grandma's Marathon:

Maintenance crutch #1- Foam rolling. I have foam rolled in the past, but I have never been as consistent with the roller as I have been in recent months. In April, I made it a goal to foam roll daily for 4 minutes. Often times, I rolled for much longer...not because I "needed" to, but because it felt good. For me, foam rolling is a lot like house cleaning...the more often you do it, the less frequent you seem to need it.

I foam roll before every run. Not for a long time, but for at least 5-10 minutes. It warms up my muscles and helps get a few kinks out before lacing up the shoes. I'll be honest, I do not foam roll after every run, but I'm diligent about rolling before I hit the street.

Maintenance crutch #2- Foot/Ankle TLC. Before I climb out of bed in the morning, I take a couple minutes and massage my feet, especially my arches. I also do some ankle rotations, because after several hours of inactivity, they need to wake up as well. Since I do a lot of early morning miles, the "wake 'em up foot massage" is crucial.

Also, as a means of prevention, I tape my arches before all of my long runs, and sometimes before shorter runs if my feet have been feeling strained. I first learned this trick in 2015, at Grandma's Marathon (which was, coincidentally, just a few weeks after that first PF episode). While at the expo, one of the vendor booths had physical therapists taping runners for the race, so I got in line. Taping my arches adds a bonus layer of support, which lessons the strain from over-pronating. Even with good, supportive shoes, if I'm fatigued and my form starts to go south, the first place I'll feel it is in my hips as they absorb the brunt of the effects of my arches giving out...therefore, keeping everything taped and supported keeps everything else in its best working condition.

Maintenance crutch #3- more water. I have never been a water drinker, but if I add a squirt of flavor enhancer, I can guzzle with the best of them. I keep a 20-oz. bottle at my desk, and  I usually can drink two or three full bottles of that while at work (I'm at work anywhere between 4-7 hours each day).

Maintenance crutch #4- Less sitting. I work for a great company where they are very pro-active and treat their employees well. Several of us have been given convertible stand-up desks, and that has made a world of difference for me! My piriformis issues have been dramatically minimized in recent months, and I have to believe not sitting on my bum has been a major factor in that.

How does May 2017 compare to the past two years?

In 2015, my May mileage came in at 98, with 320 cumulative miles for the year (at that point). In 2016, my May miles just reached the century mark, bringing my cumulative count to 337. Not a big difference between the two...and, actually, my 2016 PF epidemic was much shorter and easier to deal with (because I actually knew what it was) so  I was able to "treat it" right away when I felt the early symptoms coming on.

Currently, my cumulative 2017 mileage is at 381 (87 of which are from the month of May, so far). I still have another 10-mile long run on my agenda, and a few more #5at5's (5-milers), so I will easily surpass the 400 mile mark by months end. (gulp) And I'm feeling pretty good.

So, that's my story (and I'm sticking with it).

Have you ever surpassed the century mark in a month, and resulted in injury? Ever experienced Plantar Fasciitis? Any secret "crutches" that have helped you through a training cycle?

I'm linking with Suzie and Rachel and Debbie and Lora for the Running Coaches' Corner

And with Nicole and Annmarie and Jen for the Wild Wednesday Workout