Fat and flabby January

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Another half decade, another podiatrist.

I don't know why it is, but podiatry brings out the punster in me...

Q: What's the worst thing about seeing a podiatrist?
A: Footing the bill.

Sorry. That was corny, I know. Sorry, so doubly sorry... I shouldn't crack jokes about my podiatrist as he really nailed my problem. Soooooorrry.

OK I've run out of podiatry puns now.

The long and the short of today's visit to the foot doctor is simple: new and slightly different orthotics, new and rather different shoes and (of course) an entirely new stretching regime.

What has happened in recent months is that because of the arthritic pain in my toes, I have reverted to a heel-strike running style, which has actually only aggravated the problem and created a whole raft of other issues as well. So essentially, it's back to basics and start again. He's switching me from Brooks back to Asics shoes, building fabulous new carbon fibre insoles for them and threatening to charge me double if I don't do the prescribed calf and hamstring stretches twice a day for the next two weeks.

It's a little scary (especially his bill), but damned if it isn't exciting as well. Suddenly I feel a little better for not being able to find my running mojo in recent times - I actually have something of a legitimate excuse for once. Now I get to begin again with fancy new artificial soles to my feet and the promise of joyous, pain-free running well into my latter years. Well, that's the general principle, anyhow.

So, drained of bank balance, but filled with motivation, I head out into the wild blue yonder once again. Well, actually, just out the door and around the block a few times. Followed, of course, by some serious stretching. 

Got to love it!

Stay tuned, MLCMM watchers. There are more races in the old boy yet.