Diagnosed!

Last week I finally got in to see Dr. Spector, one of the podiatrists recommended by the running club. He's also an active member and a marathoner so I felt going in that he would be reasonable, sympathetic and understanding. And he was awesome. Very friendly, chatty, personable and professional. He also recommended reading Born to Run, which I've heard great things about, and we discussed the Tarahumara and barefoot running (he said Vibrams have brought him a TON of business in foot and muscle injuries though he's for them in moderation). A+, would see again.

Just like I thought I do indeed have peroneal tendonitis. He diagrammed all the bones, ligaments and tendons on my ankle with a pen and explained all the anatomy. I heard the words peroneal tendonitis and my heart sank a bit, I'd read enough horror stories to think that was officially the end of my training. Luckily the diagnoses was immediately followed by "but you can run with this." Rock the hell on.

He hated my Nikes and said my Mizunos are much better, especially at this point I want to go a little overboard on stability so that those tendons don't have to work so hard. I also need new shoes for every day after I was admonished for wearing my adorable, cheap, completely unsupportive Payless flats. My mother-in-law gave me an oh-so-stylish pair of navy blue Naturalizers and the difference was immediate and astonishing.  If I'd know all it would take was some old lady shoes to essentially resolve the problem I would have bought them a week ago.

I'm also doing PT for a month, he said it's not entirely necessary but he's a big fan of it and if I want it to heal fast that's the way to go.  It's going to cost me a fortune even with insurance but I feel like I'm too far into training to let anything hold me back or keep me down so it'll be worth it.  I had my first appointment yesterday and it went well, I'm having so little pain these days that the treatment didn't hurt too much but I could definitely tell I need to build some strength in that ankle. 

So here's to being back on my feet, healthy and happy.  As much as running sucks sometimes NOT running sucked a whole lot more.