Ok, so she's actually a physician's assistant. Good enough.
I went to the doctor this morning because I've developed some annoying rash. Well, it's moved beyond annoying. It's itchy.
And so I've scratched until it's spread over much of my arms and legs.
She actually gave me some Zyrtec, which is helping a LOT.
She thinks it might be a non-textbook case of Pityriasis Rosea. Don't quote me on this. It's hard to remember big, fancy medical jargon.She's wasn't exactly sure, so she had them swab my throat (to rule out strep) and draw blood (to check white blood cells).
In the meantime, it's Zyrtec and Benadryl.
Hydrocortizone, if needed.
While I was there, I decided I should talk to her about the pain I've been experiencing in my right knee.
Her first question? How are your running shoes?
My answer? Pretty bad.
I know all you runners out there are going to cringe when I say I've been running in the same shoes since July 2010. That's a long time for running shoes!!
She couldn't stress enough the importance of getting a good pair of running shoes.
So, I guess I *need* to go shopping. Ugh. I don't mind shopping - except when I don't have any money.
This also likely means no haircut for me. Running shoes (especially with my upcoming marathon training) are WAY more important, right?
She also suggested really focusing on strengthening my core.
So, I'll be taking a week or so off from running to focus on my core, do some cross training, and BUY NEW SHOES!
After how many miles do you generally replace your shoes? What have you had to sacrifice to be able to afford new shoes? How bad does something usually have to get before you go visit a doctor (or physician's assistant)?
I can usually only get about 300 miles on a pair before my shins start screaming at me...and I'm terrible about going to the doctor. I hope your rash goes away quick - that sounds uncomfortable...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more about the core - but even more important is the hip abductors and glutes!! I treat lots of runners and that is a primary weakness. Sorry to get so technical :)
ReplyDeleteI am guilty on the shoes. Mine were from June 2010 and I just bought new ones last week. They are so expensive! But yes, worth it.
I'm a shoe junkie, so I tend to replace mine fairly quickly. Also, I can never bring myself to part with a lot of money for them (a lot would be anything over about $50.) So, I buy on sale and generally more than one pair when I find a really good deal.
ReplyDeleteI'm horrible about going to the doctor, so I wait and wait and wait before going. I usually either need to be dragging a limb or bleeding profusely before I manage to make it to a doctor.
Good shoes are key. I often like to buy last year's model which were good enough last year but cost less than this year's model. Also, since you use Daily Mile you can easily keep track of your shoe mileage. Core is also key (maybe even more so than shoes). Pretty much any runner who ends up needing physical therapy usually hears the same thing - weak core, need to strengthen it.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the week off will help. You might want to also check out Coach Jay Johnson who works for Nike and has some great pre and post run routines for runners.
Good luck!
Thanks, Mark! I've since bought some new shoes. I haven't run in them yet, but great idea to track the mileage in DM. I'm hoping to get in a run this evening. We'll see.
DeleteI'll check out Coach Jay Johnson, too.
Have you ever tried barefoot running shoes and then rotating them out periodically with standard running shoes? Whenever my knees have started to ache from running, I switch out to barefoot running shoes and the pain goes away.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to get a comment on an older post. :) Sometimes re-reading old posts is quite fun! I have not tried barefoot/minimalist running shoes, though I have been curious about them. I'll have to do a little more research. Thanks!
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