An Achilles Situation - Again

After putting in such a good performance at the St Neots half on 16th Nov getting a PB, ive been suffering for it ever since.

My achilles has been playing up a bit lately and both calves were very tight after St Neots. So I took the sensible decision of taking the week off running and then i ran the LB XC on Sunday as things were feeling ok.

I have woke up this morning with a tender achilles and have made an appoitmet to see Keith (physio). I thought my days of seeing the physio were over, hence why i spent £350 on orthotics!

Well, i think the orthotics could be part of the problem (well, lack of them).

When i first had them, i noticed that the left one was very uncomfortable - it pushed into the tendon across the bottom of my foot (plantar fascia i think). Graham (letchwth Podiatry) told me this is quite common for the initial stages of "breaking in" orthotics and to just go with for now. If it didnt improve in 2 weeks, to call him back. So, i stuck with it. I was only able to wear them in my shoes for 3 days in a row at a time as it became too painful. So, after 2 weeks of wearing them then not, i called him and said there was no improvement.

I then had to take the left orthotic back and it was sent away to be re shaped. So all in all, ive been without my orthotics for nearly 3 weeks. And its the last 3 weeks ive begun to notice my achilles again.

So, the only thing i can put it down to is that.

I did run hard at St Neots (without orthotics at that point still as they were still beig altered) so, i guess that has contributed. I do now have them back, but have not run in them yet, as im not running. I was hoping to get back into this week, but i will see what Keith says and take it from there.

I think i know what he'll say...........

I really dont want to go through all my marathon training again with this problem - exactly what i had to do last year.