Ouch, Ouch

If you don't want to experience a painful post, you may want to skip this one. I've written about pain before, notably (because it's still with me), this one about my Achilles Tendonitis. It references some others as well. Some of the post titles say it all: Step, Ouch, Step Ouch, and Step, Ouch, Repeat. Staying with that theme, I've titled this one, Ouch, Ouch.

Yes, the old AT is back. I've had it for at least six years, but the pain mysteriously subsided almost entirely this past summer. But have no fear: it's back as bad as ever these days. Here's the thing: I don't know what I did to bring it on originally; I don't know what I did to make it go away (I was running Big Miles and also some speedwork during the summer); and I don't know what I did to bring it back again. If I did know any of these things, it would probably be a great help in prevention.

If AT was my only issue, I could have just repeated that previous post title of Step, Ouch, Step Ouch for today's story. But keen observers will note that today's post title is different. It's just, Ouch, Ouch. My left foot evidently felt left out since the AT pain was in the right one. So it decided to have its own issue: Morton's neuroma. I don't know who Morton was, but I certainly don't like his neuroma. The condition is a thickening (and inflammation) of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to one's toes. It can cause a sharp, burning pain in the ball of the foot. I've had it before, and guess what? I've got it again.

The good news is that this neuroma thing often gets better on its own with proper rest and recovery. Not that I'll do any of that; I've got a marathon in five days, not to mention a 50K and then another marathon.