Update - Seeing Sports Physician for heels problem

I have partially recovered from flu - in fact I am vastly improved. I did a quite a few runs, one 5km race where I did a slow 21:45...

I did 22 minutes 5km in training 2 weeks later when I was feeling MUCH better, and did it quite easily. So I am certainly on the mend.

However, my heels problem that has plagued me for at least 18 months has come back. I am very poor at personal risk assessment I have realised. I tend to gauge things on a day to day, moment by moment basis. Thus what would seem bleeding obvious to someone else - like the long term issues with my heels, and the profound effect it has had on my running - tended to be overlooked by me. I am an eternal optimist.

I was confronted by this fact just the other day - the day the Melbourne Marathon results came out. Second year in a row where I had entered the race but pulled out due to injury one year and illness this year. It occurred to me that I was actually planning to do exactly the same thing I did last year - wait and see if heels hold up to increased work load.

So I thought I have had enough of this, I want to seek medical help and get it sorted once and for all. My aims are simple:

- Get to the stage where sustained, week in week out mileage of 60-70 kms can be done


The reality is that I have never achieved this basic requirement, and according to many experts, to be able to run _good_ marathon races and finish ultra's like the Comrades event in South Africa, I need to be able to hold together with mileage beyond 60km.

So I have seen a Dr. I now have Nitro-dur patches, 1/4 on one patch on one heel each night, alternating. They cause slight headache in morning so far. And I am getting an MRI done this afternoon to see exactly what is going on in detail. Oncewe know for sure what i going on the final plan on treatment can be formed. It could be one of the following in decending order of seriousness:

- Haglunds syndrome - Abnormality causing tendon inflamation. Needs surgery to fix. This one seems unlikely
- Achilles Heel Insertional Tendinosis. This seems most likely based on where the pain originates - Shockwave therapy, and long term strengthening and reintro of running over a LONG period
- Heel bursrtis, cortesone injections, and gradual reintro to running

It could also be a combo of bursitis and Tendinosis.

Anyway, worst case, 6 months, next best 2 -3 months , and best case 1-2 months.

At least I have some hope now :)