The $30 Solution to My $450 Problem

While I didn't completely ignore the podiatrist's advice from a few weeks ago, I never called to make a follow up appointment during which I was supposed to have molds of my feet made for orthotics -- specifically $450 orthotics.

I'm not in favor of ignoring medical advice in general, but in this case, I've decided to at least try taking things into my own hands before I lay down that kind of cash. With this can-do attitude I headed for my local running store and looked for orthotics that tout arch support as their key attribute. The most expensive ones were Powerstep Pinnacles, coming in at a whopping $29. Even better, these suckers came with a 30 day money back guarantee, for any reason, and had some fancy seal saying they were "podiatrist designed". I was sold!

I'm happy to report an exceedingly high level of satisfaction with these insoles. I took the soles out of my running shoes (who knew those things came right out??) and slipped these ones in. Since then my runs have been relatively pain free.

Typically the first five to ten steps are sheer misery for me, sending pain coursing through my lower legs and feet. During my first (and every subsequent) run, that initial pain had completely disappeared. I still get a bit sore and at the end of long runs and the day after those long runs, but I ice and heat every night and it's mostly under control. The dream of Half-Ironman glory lives on!

Oh, and in case you were worried about my big toe joint as well, it seems to have subsided into a subtle ache at times, pain free at other times. I keep taking my over the counter pills, as prescribed by the girlfriend/medical savant, as they seem to help. Whether it's a placebo affect or actual chemistry I cannot know, and nor do I care, frankly.