Taking A Risk with Plantar Fasciitis

QUESTION: I am recovering from plantar fasciitis. I started resting the foot in May, but have started to run again. Over the last three weeks, I've run about 20 miles per week. I should be about 23 at the end of this week with my long run at 13. I have a goal marathon that I would like to run on September 3rd, my last chance to qualify for the 2013 Boston Marathon. Am I dreaming? Can I start my training up again and get ready in time to run a September marathon? I feel my conditioning is still pretty good, which should improve once I start adding more miles and upping my long run distance. My thought is to start Intermediate 2 beginning at week 10. I know upping the mileage too soon is a risk and may cause a relapse into my plantar fasciitis woes. Should I take that risk?

HAL’S ANSWER: Maybe. I assume you've run a few marathons before, otherwise you would not be accepting the burden of Intermediate 2, which features as much or more mileage than even my advanced programs (intermediate programs do not include speed-work, advanced programs do). So take a chance - sometimes we need to be willing to fail. Also, plantar fasciitis is an injury that you sometimes can run through. It's uncomfortable. It hurts. It's painful. But as the body warms, often the pain diminishes and you can run free - for a while. That doesn't mean it will be fun getting out of bed the next morning - I would suggest you stretch and/or put on your running shoes before your feet hit the ground. Another suggestion: warm up thoroughly before starting to run. Don't blaze out the door at full race pace. Take time. Jog. Stretch. Walk. Only then begin to trot. You also need to stay in close touch with your podiatrist to make sure you don’t slide backwards. Would choosing a program with less mileage make more sense? I'm thinking Novice 2, but do the fewer miles at a faster pace. Good luck getting your BQ.

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. Archived Q&A's from Hal can be found here.

Numb Feet

QUESTION: I have a problem with one of my feet going numb as I run. I purchased a new pair of shoes last week. So far, I have run two times in the shoes, and both times my right foot has fallen asleep. It didn’t seem like my laces were too tight. This hasn’t happened before.

HAL’S ANSWER: Whether or not the laces were too tight, the shoes apparently were. Check the fit, particularly the right shoe. Should you have gotten a half size larger? As we run long distances, our feet begin to swell. So runners often need shoes somewhat larger than street shoes. As we run, fluids descend to the low points on our body (feet). But then those same fluids must be pumped back to the top. Unfortunately for beginners, their cardiovascular systems are not yet well enough developed for efficient circulation. So some of the fluids get stuck down below, and the feet swell. (So do the hands.) Don’t worry. Developing a more efficient cardiovascular system is one of the positive results of training—but it takes a while. In the meantime, you need to be more careful about shoe selection, particularly if your plan includes regular long runs.

Hal uses TrainingPeaks to power his interactive marathon and half marathon training plans. Check out more of Hal Higdon's training plans here or on his website. Archived Q&A's from Hal can be found here.