Struggling

I think I'm going to give in and call a doctor about my feet.  Part of me thinks it's kind of good news that they both hurt so much; I've always heard that if one of the two hurts, it's an injury, if they both hurt, you're just sore.  But maybe they're both injured.  I've been wondering what would happen if I took a week off.  The problem is I don't want to miss the long run this wknd (16, that I may make into 18), and then next week's workouts are tough -- first day of speed (15k pace, not for long), and long (first day of 8).  And then the following wknd is the 15k race, where I'm hoping pretty desperately for a PR. 

This year has been really sad in terms of running.  In the spring, I had several speed PRs, at 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m.  That's a bit misleading though b/c I could have walked or crawled the 100 and gotten a PR since I'd never done a coach-timed 100.  But in terms of races, the only PR I've had was in a 10k, and even that I missed my goal by about 15 seconds.  And I have done NINE races this year.  The stories:  first 15k was just a struggle to get back after several weeks off from a sprained ankle a few days after Xmas.  Second race was a half and I wasn't racing -- ran several easy miles with a friend, then several at her marathon pace, then I had a major negative split and ran great the second half of the race on my own.  Third was a 5k, first mile at goal pace, then a big crash and burn.  Fourth was a 10k that sucked, largely on gravel and worst of all, completely without mile markers.  I missed a PR by about 1 minute, which is a bummer b/c I basically gave up and walked at one point, not knowing where I was.  Fifth was another 5k and another good first mile followed by a slow crash.  Still faster than the Feb. 5k, but more than a minute off a PR.  The sixth race was another 10k and my one and only PR, but it was also kind of a disaster b/c I struggled so much and missed my goal (which should have been easy) by 15 seconds.  Then there was a 5 mile race where the uphill mile was 30 seconds off my next slowest mile.  That meant a full minute's difference in the pace btw miles 1 and 4.  Ugh.  Missed a PR by a little less than 40 seconds.  Then of course was my major 5k undertaking.  The time when I was really going for it.  But I was recovering from being sick and was still coughing.  My coach was pacing me and heard me hacking up a lung before we started and he was appalled to realized I was (or had been, as I insisted) sick.  Again, about 1 mile on pace, then crashing and burning.  But this race ended with vomit at the end, which is always a bonus.  I looked greenish coming across the finish line, kept it together for about 3 minutes, then started getting sick.  So bad.  The last race was about a month ago, 4 miles.  Missed a PR by just under 20 seconds and it included one dreadful mile that was slow.  Miles 1, 2 and 4 were all less than 7 seconds apart, but mile 3 was more than 40 seconds slower than my next slowest mile.  I don't know what's wrong with me this year.  Just can't seem to find my groove.  When I think about racing in a week and a half, I can't fathom a PR.  I had my 15k PR at this race last year and it was awesome.  I ran with a great friend for a very steady 10k, then let it fly for the last 5k, making the final 5k about a minute faster than either of the first 2.  I have a friend who wants to run it with me this year, and I'd like that, but I just can't imagine it going well for me.  We'll see I guess.  Maybe the week after the 15k would be a good week to rest.  I'd miss out on the first day of hill repeats, but that wouldn't bother me too much. 

On a non-running topic, I have a new snack of choice.  I think I'm eating way too much, but when I make this as a snack and bring it to work, it's like I can hear it calling me from the fridge.  And then it's all gone well before 10:30.  I've been eating a whole wheat pita filled with red onion and hearts of romaine and/or spinach, and with a cannellini bean-garlic spread.  So good.  Not exactly bad for me, not the same as eating chips or something, but still not necessary.  I just feel like if I made 5 pitas worth, I could scarf them all up right now, and they're really stuffed with greens, so it's a lot of food.  I feel like I'm constantly hungry, but I think it's mostly just boredom or procrastination.