Should I take time off of my training for an injury?

I had to just take a week off of running because of a foot issue near my ankle.  I have no idea what was wrong other than there was a small bump on the top of my foot near my ankle on my Extensor Digitorum.  It appears to be Extensor tendonitis (1), which is typically caused by having your shoe laces too tight or calf tightness.  This causes a pressure point which is very painful when anything touches the bump.  

So here is the miracle… I actually took time off of running.  I ended up taking a week off of running, although I did jump on my bike and did a Body Pump class for some cross training.  There is a point where you just need to listen to your body.  There are cramping, aches, and pains that are normal with running. There are also pains that should not be ignored and could lead to much more significant injuries.  Pain in the hips and knees are very important to look at honestly.  You can’t let your pride or ego enter into the equation.  It might just be a running form issue or it could be something more significant.  If you are not sure, see your doctor!

 

After taking a week off, I headed to the local track for my interval session.  I was actually a little faster than before my week off and felt great.  The pain was completely gone.  I have 3.5 weeks until my first half marathon of the season and I feel that by listening to my body, I will still be on track to break another PR.  Bring it on!

(1) http://www.foot-pain-explored.com/extensor-tendonitis.html