Nagging Feeling and Niggles

It is about a week from the big race. I am now in my tapering stage of preparing from Ironman Switzerland. It is, mostly, packing right, eating well, sticking to the tapering plan, and recovering well. However, I discovered a serious, nagging pain in my left foot and am taking care of it now. I may have incurred it when I running up the beach, after swimming in the lagoon last Saturday. Or, I could have earned it while doing my fitness testing last Saturday afternoon (with poor technique on the treadmill). Or, I may have injured my foot while riding on the indoor-trainer.

The symptoms are serious: I have mild pain on the top of my foot, and I diagnosed it as strain/sprain of my metatarsals (and associated tendons). I could not put much weight on it yesterday, so abandoned my rainy day short run. I am actively applying RICES to it as a means of reducing my discomfort, and reducing the inflammation and pain. Not really addressing the organic source. This evening's 25 X 100m pull-buoy sets in the public pool was relatively pain-free, but I cannot put too much weight on the foot as it is still sore.

I am left with a few major decisions. Do my main race next weekend, however skip this Sunday’s 21K race. Also, I will have to focus on active recovery like swim and ride (depending on how my foot feels), sports massage, and absolutely no running. Passive recovery would mean eating very well, and resting/sleeping as generously as I can. Moreover, I will have to stay vigilantly positive and optimistic that I have the base fitness and it will sustain me through despite a less than precise tapering stage.

I have prepared too long to toss this A-race away. I will, therefore, deal with it one thing at a time, and one discipline at a time. If I have to walk the marathon, so be it. The Big Picture is to complete my thirteenth Ironman triathlon. Toes crossed.