Good News - Bad News

It was a mixed week of running for me. My runs were both encouraging and disappointing. First the good news. I did my longest run since attempting a come back from long-standing multiple medical issues. I covered 8.5 miles yesterday under bright blue skies and cool temperatures. It was one of those rare days when you feel like you could run forever. I thought the better of it though, and stopped after 80 minutes, 10 minutes more than my previous longest run. I was pain free from the plantar fasciitis I have in both feet and didn’t want to push my luck by running too long. Now for the bad news. I had to run on the synthetic track at my local Jr. High School. About two weeks ago I did a 4 mile run on the roads and my feet were in pain for 5 days. Although my plantar fasciitis symptoms have improved from ultrasound and low-light laser treatments, I still have pain when running on pavement. I know what you are thinking;” I wouldn’t run that far on a track for a million dollars”. Well, maybe for a million, but you get my point. As bad as it sounds, I would rather do that, than not run at all.

More good news. I did a 5 mile trail run at Breakheart Reservation early in the week. Again another perfect day for running, sunny and cool with light winds. The trails have really dried out since my run here last month. Brown is fading to green as the trees are budding and the perennials are pushing up through the ground and autumn leaves. After several years of running here I thought I knew the trail system pretty well. To my surprise I discovered a new section of single-track running along the Saugus River and the Cedar Glen Golf Course. The trail has a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns and is covered with pine needles. It doesn’t get much better than that. Now for more bad news. This is the 3rd time I have run trails since developing neck pain and facial numbness from my cervical stenonis. I can keep the symptoms to a manageable level when I stay on the track but they flare up considerably when I run trails. I’m not sure if it’s caused by looking down at the trail or from the additional impact on the skeletal system when running downhill. Whatever the reason, I have been in pain for the past 5 days since doing the trail run. Very discouraging but it is what it is. I’ll just have to be content running in circles. Or should I say ovals!