Gateway Trail Four Miles

The Gateway Trail is getting prettier by the minute. Fall color is coming fast; sumac is already red as can be, maples are starting to turn, and oaks are giving hints. The sky cleared as we ran (my sweeties ran too), and the temperature was a perfect 53 degrees. Best of all, I ran four pain-free miles today; not a twinge from the plantar fasciitis. Nada. Zippo. Only a little faster than 9-minute miles, but speed was not the objective today.

What’s going on? Why is it better now than it has been in months, even though I ran a tough marathon three weeks ago and the foot was still painful as recently as one week ago? Dunno, but I’m going to grab it and run. Literally. And cautiously.

One thing I’m doing differently: I keep the foot warmer, all day and all night. I added an extra layer of cotton sock to the Strassburg Sock night splint that covers and warms my foot all night, and I’ve been wearing a warm sock on that foot all day too, even when the other foot is bare. I suspect that healing happens in warm tissue much faster than it does in cold tissue.

Plan: Six miles Thursday, maybe five Saturday (there are scheduling issues), hopefully eight or ten Monday? I see the podiatric surgeon again Monday, so maybe I’ll run first and come in with very current data. But if so I’ll have to get up plenty early; the appointment is for 8:25 am. It’s worth it.


Tonight's salad: Organic romaine, cucumbers, avocado, organic plum, raspberry vinegar. Estimated Weight Watcher points = 2.


Tonight's dinner: Organic sweet potatoes, organic broccoli, organic beans, organic brown and wild rice, organic catsup, pineapple. Estimated Weight Watcher points = 6.