Family Ties Can Be Painful!! ;>

It doesn’t happen often enough but when it does it is always great. I am talking about conversations with my brother. Sure distance is an issue, he is in Singapore and I am in Australia but these days with modern technology and things like Skype and Facebook there really is very little excuse. Don’t get me wrong, Leon and I get along famously but more than anything I am just guilty of getting so busy and getting caught up with all the crazy stuff we do in this fun house that I neglect some of the more important things in life. The things that matter.

In the course of our conversation food was mentioned – we are Asian after all – and then Leon mentioned he had a foot injury… hmmm…. after asking a few questions I mentioned my own pedi woes and thanks to the miracle of the internet Leon was able to google plantar fasciitis while we chatted and lo and behold all the symptoms fit… Given, plantar fasciitis (PF) is a pretty common complaint but what are the chances that we should both start having the same problem around the same time? And now that I am thinking about it, our mother has been suffering for a long time from heel spurs, which is related to the same condition. So maybe there IS family tie there… Who knows? I can’t recall reading anywhere about PF being a genetic condition.

So pain in the foot aside, I am pleased to report that I have started running again. It took me ages to drum up the courage but a few weeks ago I was at a relay marathon cheering on my Keep 0n Tri-ing mates and one of the ladies was struggling. Colleen was to run 5km but had never run that distance before and I could see she was as nervous as anything. As she set off I thought to myself, “She needs some help and support” so I dumped all the gear I was carrying with one of the girls who had already run her leg and raced off after Colleen.

I was very proud of Colleen, she put up with my inane chatter the whole way and she did not stop once. AND I was running again!! My foot was a little sore after but I was running again!! And the next day the offending foot was fine!! Wow!! It was an exciting moment for me. I did not realise how much that little injury had scared me. I was even thinking of my curtailing my budding Triathlon adventure!! How silly of me!!

Since the Western Australian Marathon Club (WAMC) Relay Marathon, the kids and I have run another 5km in the Women’s Classic fun Run and the family are now proud WAMC members!! I have also tried running 5km around Kings Park with the kiddos but sometimes the spirit just loses to the flesh and I chose their weak flesh day!! Oh well, there is the Pancake run coming up and food is always a good incentive to go harder!!

A final note, the Misses M & J have both been complaining about sore feet too… Could it be? At their age? I ran a lot more than they did at the same age… Or are they just imitating mum?