At the beginning of 2024, my training for the Tokyo Marathon was interrupted by a sharp pain in my heel. An initial x-ray didn't show any bone damage, but I was given a walking boot and crutches as a precautionary measure. An MRI was scheduled for the following week. Until then, I was advised to rest. However, as you'll soon find out, I wasn't the most obedient patient. Had my case been a stress fracture, I could have risked exacerbating my injury and been forced to stop running for months. I must emphasize not to take my lead. Always follow your doctor's orders and consider rest as a part of your training plan.
January 5
Dear Walking Boot,
I need to apologize for our first meeting. I know the look on my face showed, er, disgust. Truth is, I've never been with a walking boot, so I didn't know what to expect. Usually, I engage in all kinds of activities when I start a relationship. With you, hiking, dancing, and running are clearly off the table.
But...I'm keeping an open mind. At least you're on my left foot, not interfering with my driving. And I should be able to run again in no time, right? Like, in a week or two, so I can resume training for Tokyo? I'm sorry if that's a little pushy.
January 7
Dear Walking Boot,
This story is from the Summer 2024 edition of Runner's World US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Summer 2024 edition of Runner's World US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TO RUN 26.2 IS TO FEEL ALIVE
THE SUN IS rising from the east, and the waves of the Pacific crash below to the west.
LEAVE IT UP TO A PIECE OF PAPER TO TEACH YOU TO RUN EASY
BEFORE I FELL for running, I thought the hardest thing about the sport was the fast stuff: the speedwork, the sprints, and the intervals.
WHY-AND HOW-YOU SHOULD RUN DOUBLES
Those are just a few of the titles entered into my training log for the second run of a day.
FIND YOUR RUNNING COMMUNITY, ONLINE OR IN PERSON
I SIGNED UP for my first marathon while sobbing in the back of a rideshare, on my way to the airport to fly to my uncle's funeral.
FUEL WITH WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT
AS AN ULTRARUNNER, I'm all too familiar with the saying that long-distance running is an \"eating contest with a running component.\"
AT THE FERTILITY CLINIC, MY PAST CAUGHT UP WITH ME
I SAT IN the fertility doctor's office white walls, bare wooden desk, opaque window-alone.
THIS IS NOT AN ESCAPE STORY
AT 15, DARLENE STUBBS WALKED AWAY FROM A POLYGAMOUS CULT-THEN DISCOVERED A NEW LIFE AND COMMUNITY THROUGH RUNNING.
RUNNING WITH HANK
How my daughter's rambunctious mutt saved my sanity while she was lost to the darkness.
WHEN I FOUND OUT I HAD MS.I THOUGHT I'D NEVER RUN AGAIN.
I checked the pins on my bib, shimmied my spandex shorts into place, and teed up the stopwatch on my wrist.
A RUNNER'S GUIDE to sleep
Nike rocked the running world in 2018 when it released the Vaporfly 4%, claiming that the shoe could boost a runner's efficiency by that amount.
