These feet were made for running . . . with inserts only!

So I’ve been having some toe numbing when I increase my mileage. Since I’m training for a marathon I increase regularly.

In the beginning, my toes would tingle and go numb at 60 minutes, then at ninety, then around 2 hours. When I would stop, or if I struck my foot in a different gait, I’d feel intense pain for a minute or so and then the toes would gradually come back to life.

After the Long Beach half, I started feeling pain after every run, even the three milers. But I learned that if my toes started to ache as though they were going to go numb I could wiggle and stretch them and ‘wake them up!’ They wouldn’t go numb. They’d jsut be uncomfortable.

Anyway, I was talking to another runner, a friend of mine, who mentioned the term nueroma. Then I read a little about this. Seems in this condition the toes go numb and the foot hurts and some people have to stop running.

I went to see my podiatrist today, terrified. The run on the treadmill went well, half an hour. The swim was great. But the whole rest of the day my foot hurt, and then last night, as we trick or treated around the neighborhood, I was in a lot of pain. I was sure I was going to hear I had to stop running.

So I’m lucky to report that no, I don’t have to stop: I just have to use an insert. This is a pressure relief insert that is supposed to cushion my forefront.

12 or so years ago I had bunion surgery. The podiatrist said he sees this pain a lot with those who have bunion surgery. Apparently we put more pressure on our forefront, and this causes the pain and numbing.

I hope this works! I’m taking tomorrow off as well and then I’ll do 11 miles on Saturday.  Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well and my feet don’t hurt! The inserts feel great. Can’t wait to test them out!