not in my plans

It is a beautiful Saturday morning here in the Northwest.  We actually might get into the mid 70's today.  For those of you that don't live here, it has been a cool, rainy spring.  Unfortunately, for me, I don't get to go out and do the activities I enjoy the most.  I get to sit around with an aircast walking boot on my left leg/foot.  I went to my podiatrist on Thursday.  I was going in to this appointment very frustrated.  It had been three weeks since I had seen him, and during that time I had decreased my running by quite a bit at maybe only 5 miles/week-tops.  My foot pain was not any better, I would say it was worse, because it was hurting even with the lower mileage.  This pain was the point specific pain on the bottom of my heel.  It just hurts at random times.  But, can get to the "hot poker being stabbed in my heel" type of pain. I do not have the "get out of bed morning hobble" any more. The day before this appointment, I got out on a bike-and it felt great to get my heart rate up again. I found an alternative-or so I thought.
At my appointment, he looked at my foot on ultrasound again.  He saw a disruption in the cortex lining of the fascia around my heel, with surrounding fluid.  He said it could be the start of an avulsion fracture-where the tendon is trying to pull some of the bone.  Surgery is not an option.  One, because it scares the crap out of me. Secondly, I have a type of knee joint that doing a tendon release operation won't help.  (hard to describe in text) So, he says it is time to immobilize my foot.  That means the walking boot, for a minimum of 4 weeks.  I ask what my alternatives are for fitness.  For right now-nothing.  No biking, walking, or even swimming.  (I am allowed to do my normal walking, like at work)
As a runner, this has been my fear.  I didn't want to stop running, because starting was so hard.  Here I am facing that fear.  And the timing just sucks! I was going to go to the high school cross country camp, for a day or two, with my friend, Dory.  We were going to do some awesome trail runs.  It is also my favorite time of year to run-I get to join the high school girls on their summer runs.
So, that is my story this week.  I have a recheck in two weeks.  And two weeks after that (4 weeks in the boot) is one day before I leave for Mexico with Kelsey.  I don't think a boot in 90+ temps and humidity, sand, etc., sounds like any fun.  Please be better by then!