Lotte - have to say that sounds awfully similar to how mine started. I did a 16m run no problem then the next day was in agony on a 2m recovery run. Mine was more middle of the ball of the foot, then took a while to decide to settle in the 4th toe, which is where it has been ever since. Felt perfectly fine sitting, etc, but on weight bearing, impact and particularly flexing the toes as you describe, it was there instantly.
The good news is that from what I've read it is almost unheard of to get Morton's neuroma on the 1st or 5th joint. I could cope with discomfort in mine after initial rest but it would hurt more between runs. Then it went all screwy and extremely bad - which is when I had the extra 5 weeks off and just biked.
Since returning to it, I can feel it all the time, but it is getting less and less and doesn't affect my running. Probably just 1 or 2 out of 10 now, compared to 10 in the first couple of weeks where I could barely walk and was limping around.
Which leads me to... what is next? I have no idea until the I see the consultant again on the 28th. First steps are usually things like checking your shoes, especially that they are wide enough in the toe area, not wearing heels, blah, blah. I live in trainers so I don't think that was a factor.
What they will probably recommend is a steroid injection. I am really unsure about it as whilst I would love for it to disappear completely and finally feel normal again, I suspect that given another few weeks it might be almost there anyway. If it continues to improves, I'll likely just see what they have to say, but continue on.
For you, it could just be some inflammation of a nerve or tendon or something, although I would be quite unhappy that it felt the same after 2 weeks. Was that your first run since the marathon that you mentioned? I do hope it disappears as quickly as it appeared. I totally understand nothing is the same as running.
CC2 - good luck in your races.
I did my MP session on Saturday and it went quite well. Warm up to parkrun, first 3m during (I was very well behaved at not going faster, even when one of my rivals went past!), briefest of pauses to scan my barcode (thankfully barely a queue at that pace), then off again. The second 3 were harder but that's because it started to hailstone, it was already freezing and the wind had picked up. I headed off one way and then realised I'd have a headwind the whole way back and was already getting lashed in the face, so went a different way, but I survived
Sunday was just over 15m. I'm really concentrating on slowing down my easy stuff, so it felt nice and comfortable at around 8.56. Lovely to finish feeling like you barely got started.
I almost blew off yesterday. My routine suffers greatly when the kids are home. I feel guilty for running - and desparately needed a lie in after months of early weekends due to parkrun / LSR combo - so put it off all day. Was finally resolving to ditch it and then thought I'd kill two birds with one stone just before bedtime. Katie has very recently learned to ride two wheels, so I let her come out for the first mile, which was nice and relaxing at 9.25, then took her back home and did my other 5. Was very happy that I did it once I had finished. I always try to remember that it is very rare that I regret going for a run, but almost always regret not doing so.
Today was another MP session. He's putting me through my paces now that I have a diagnosis - it isn't something I can further damage. 3m easy to steady / 7m MP / cd.
Bloody windy as it always is and wasn't quite sure I'd make it. Possibly some residual fatigue off the weekend, but after a quick stop at a busy road, I felt better. Got to 6m ok, which is the furthest I've done so fa
