Couch 2 5 K Update, Aches and Pains

The morning after my first try at Couch 2 5 K, I had the worst plantar fascitis pain I've had in a long time, and also was having some sharp pain in my right knee with just walking. So, for the time being, I'm won't be trying to run anymore. I am going to wait until I get down to a more reasonable weight... what would that be? Maybe below 300 lbs? Below 250 lbs? I'm not sure. It is probably something I should try again at intervals of weight loss and see how I do, how my body responds. But right now it is sending me a pretty clear message that I should walk instead of run!

Plantar fascitis has been a frustrating thing for me to deal with. I think I experienced my first symptoms about 5 years ago. It has gotten worse and worse since then, and the more active I am on a given day the more pain I can count on the next morning. I have talked to my doctor about it. He gave me some stretching exercises to do, and suggested I buy some orthotic shoe inserts.

I bought the shoe inserts (something like this), and also bought a special pair of "orthoheel" shoes (something like this). I try to remember to stretch out my feet with the exercises he gave me at the end of the day but I admit I have been slacking a bit there lately.

I understand that the next step is to go to a podiatrist and get an injection of cortisone in the bottom of my foot, which I have heard is pretty painful but would pretty much take care of the problem as long as they get it (guided by myself) in the right place.

If that doesn't work there is also a surgery to consider. Rather not go there!

I've also seen various products online...foot exercisers that are supposed to strengthen your foot muscles and in so doing lessen the pain, and splints that are designed to stretch your foot while you sleep. My doctor didn't mention these things, but I sometimes wonder if they would help. I also hope that once I get down to a more reasonable weight, maybe that will ease some of the strain on my foot, but I know that even very slim athletes get plantar fascitis, so that's not the entire root of the issue.

Couch 2 5k

I started the couch 2 5k program today. I'm using a free one put out by the NHS available on itunes. today's assignment was 20 minutes of walking with 5 or 6 60-second bursts of running thrown in throughout. My "running" looked more like slow jogging, and I only "ran" three of the bursts that the voice told me to, but it felt like I got a good workout. I also ended up walking longer than planned.

I am still pretty big (~340 lbs) to be running so I don't want to endanger any joints or what not by pushing myself too hard. But I did work up a good sweat and felt like I was pushing myself. That is the first time I've tried to run in at least 3 years, and the last time I tried I ended up getting a *bad* sprained ankle. So I was trying to be very cautious.

Even if I end up spending several weeks on the "week 1" workout I think this will help me move more than I have been and add variety to my workouts.