The No-Running Diet

Diet is a four letter word. But today I’m not talking food diet, I’m talking exercise diet.

So I run. Not everyday, but consistently. In the spring when I was training for a half-marathon, I was running four days a week. After the half I didn’t feel like running all that much, so I was run free for a good three weeks. Then during the summer I was motivated by a running partner to get out at least twice a  week.

This fall I started to feel good about running again. I was starting to get into the rhythm and enjoy a good run outside, even out in the snow. My mileage was staying between 6 and 10 km, but it felt good.

Then a couple of weeks ago I start to feel a pain in my heel. A pain that would hit at the beginning of runs. Or after my run, or after other activities when I was just sitting.

Shit, I thought. Shit. I had an inkling about what this was. But I put off going to the doctors, because I’m lazy.

But yesterday I got the confirmation I’d been dreading.

Dx: planter fasciitis

Tx: take a break from running.

at least three to four weeks. Wow. Well. I was expecting orthotics, but you know, instead I’m on a running diet. 

At least I really enjoy doing other activities….right? But the thing is, for the past year or so, my exercise schedule has been done around running. As in I plan my other exercise as cross training to running. But now that’s not my focus, or it can’t be. In fact the doctor kept muttering about how “tight” I am and said that I should work on my flexibility, hip and core strength since those were rather lacking apparently.

So here’s my question blog world, what other exercises do you do besides running? And how do you plan gym workouts and that sort of thing?