We’ve had another week of -34 wind, chills, stuck inside, dressed super warm to even think of going outside. And way too long wearing snow boots. I love my walking but my feet don’t love winter boots.

About 10 years ago, I started waking up in the mornings and my heels would hurt like really bad stinging. I never really thought about it too much because it went away as soon I walked around for a little while. Then I was silly enough to run for a bus one day. As I almost reached the bus stop in time I felt a pop and a searing pain in my foot. I slowly limped back to my apartment and called my boss who volunteered to drive me to Pan Am Sports clinic.

There I discovered I had plantar fasciitis and that the fascia that stretches over the heel and up to the balls of my feet had torn severely.

The pains that I had felt every morning as I got out of bed, were the facia slowly tearing a little bit every morning as it would be tightened against my heels, and then, because I had no arch support would be torn every time I stood up. So, each day they would stretch and heal, to only be torn every morning until they stretched again.

So after the cast came off I had to throw out all the 19.95 runners, sandals, and shoes. Plantar fasciitis is generally a result of lots of walking in non-supportive footwear. So the years of walking barefoot or in cheap flat sandals and runners, slowly causes the arch to become weak and the tearing to occur. I only buy athletic shoes with strong arch support now. Although New Balance are my favourites, I have also purchased Merrill’s and Clarkes. Expensive but eliminates the pain.

Almost every mid-February beginning of March, my plantar fasciitis flares up badly. And although I have indoor running shoes that I put on as soon as I get out of bed every morning, I still walk 3-5 km a day. Winter means I have to wear my boots more and more. Especially in the -30 C weather. And they are just not made for weak arches even with support liners.

So here I sit in my living room, rolling my foot onto a bottle of ice to take down some of the swelling. Wishing for some warmer weather and time to get outside and walk all I want without boots.

May I be safe. May I be healthy. May I be happy. May I live with ease.