Al Briede 5k, injury scare, and plugging along

With friends at the start (waiting and waiting because I didn't
realize that the 8 am start was for the kid's mile; the 5k wasn't
until 8:30!)

With the Crescent City Classic 10k fast approaching, I knew I had to get a 5k in to see where I was at speed-wise. I registered last minute for a 5k in the park, and it was as terrible as I thought it would be. I usually come back from a long break in the 20:30 - 21:00 range, and I ran 20:31. Almost exactly what I estimated I would run! But oof, it hurt: I am not ready to be racing yet. And worse, my RIGHT foot - not the one that fractured - started a familiar ache. I jogged home after the race (missing out on the generous age group awards of gift cards to A CHILDREN'S SHOE STORE, why would I want that, especially two years in a row!) and took off my shoe. To my dismay, my foot was bruised, just like the other side bruised when it was fractured!

I decided to take time off, and call a doctor (finally), but the earliest appointment I could make was the 27th. And oddly, my foot stopped hurting. I eased back into short, easy jogs, and the bruising vanished and pain went away, although I am constantly worrying about it returning. Now I'm considering canceling my doctor's appointment! That foot never swelled up, which is a telltale fracture sign and one that was very obvious in my other foot, so I don't know what happened, but I don't think it's fractured.

Now, here I am, heading into a 10k next week barely able to even run 6 miles straight, and feeling pretty out of shape. I had two workouts (ha!) for this race, and the 10k is a very hard distance for me anyway, so I expect it will be a really slow day. Anyone else raced out of shape? Or just coming back from injury? I dread it, but it has to be done!