Slow Fast Slow


Rain in grey this morning. Steam and dark coffee part ways as they leave the flask. The road is clear, the car steady.
Here I am holding the hot cup, sat up, under the rain that falls like a coverlet. Is there such a thing as a car lie-in? Should have worn pyjamas.

Have I got my suit, my belt, my licence book, my training fee, my foot support, my water bottle? Yes. Will I check again in five minutes? Yes.

In my suit, belt tied, fee paid, book stamped, foot supported, in the hall. Revved! 200 bodies or more in here, all power and no breathable air. Sweat humidity 100%. Legs work. Arms work. Core muscles get tenacious. If the brain works no time to think of it. Put ideas in a thought-locker.

Drink from the sidelined water bottle. In the body's heat it feels cold. To the changing rooms, before sweat cools to fabric glue.

Rain in grey this afternoon. Steam and dark coffee part ways as they leave the flask. The road is busy, stomachs growl at it. A supermarket car park becomes a welcome sight.

Here I slump, hold a hot cup, the window open a slot. I'm on the phone and the rain falls and Mr is fetching sandwiches.

Comments

Suze said…
What sort of foot support? I have a chronic heel injury and am quite curious.
14 October 2013 at 04:50
Lisa Southard said…
Mine is a mid-foot mess! After a few years of trying all sorts I made my own out of some wide elastic. I only need a little compression band but it was ridiculously difficult to find something for feet not for ankles. Elastic sticky bandage is the best I've tried, but expensive (for my budget) for everyday use. What sort of heel injury?
14 October 2013 at 13:21
Suze said…
Summer of 2012, end, I was running and took a very bad step. I felt it but kept running. The next morning I couldn't walk without hobbling. Well, that weekend, I traveled and walked all weekend long with my traveling companions, no doubt exacerbating the injury which took about six months to go. The morning pain (and when I rise after sitting) has come back with a vengeance since the move and my total dropping of hot yoga. I mean to get back to it (yoga) within the week (that is the plan!) In the meantime, I feel sharp pains in my heel randomly and have trouble standing on the foot after sleeping or having been sitting for some time. I've been trying to do flexing motions before standing as that's supposed to help. In hot yoga, though, there is a t-band stretch that worked wonders for the injury back in spring. The move really did a number on my foot, though. It was a physical strain and my heel is in as much pain as it ever was at those times I mention.

Sorry, this got long! (Sorry to be so boring about an ailment!)
15 October 2013 at 17:13
Lisa Southard said…
Sounds like plantar fascilitis:
There's a band of tissue in the foot called the plantar fascia, it runs under the sole and connects the heel bone to the foot bone. It is a foot shock absorber but a fumbled stride can cause it to develop small tears, and if it's damaged it thickens up and stiffens- particularly after a period of inactivity. This is called plantar fascilitis and it hurts! The heel bone can become inflamed too. I'm neither a doctor nor a podiatrist so by all means seek further diagnosis, but meanwhile avoiding long distance walks or long periods of standing, doing regular foot and calf stretches, using an icepack or anti-inflammatory, sticking to supportive cushioning shoes and/or using rigid supports (orthoses) inside shoes or strapping your foot (you can google it, looks a bit complicated to me!) might help. Also a low to middle heel rather than totally flat or sky high is recommended. Yoga would be good. Can take a year for these injuries to cure, sometimes longer (yuck!) but the sooner it is cared for the quicker it should heal.
No apology necessary- in my job I spend a lot of time helping students to deal with injuries and find anatomy fascinating. Also my injury makes me empathetic to these situations! x
15 October 2013 at 23:13
Suze said…
Thank you, Lisa. What you do is inspiring.
17 October 2013 at 05:03
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