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Chronic plantar fasciitis can quietly strip away your confidence, your identity as a runner, and eventually your belief that running is even possible again.
In todayโs episode, Jon shares his seven-year battle with stubborn plantar fasciitisโand how he went from barely being able to walk in the morning to completing trail marathons at age 59.
This is not a story about a magic treatment or a quick fix. Itโs about patience, progressive strength, smarter recovery, and changing the way you think about pain. If youโve tried everything and feel like youโre running out of options, this conversation will resonate deeply.
What We Cover in This Episode
Jonโs long road with plantar fasciitis
- How his symptoms started, disappeared, then returned worse than ever
- Why years of rest, stretching, and passive treatments didnโt solve the problem
- What โfirst-step painโ taught him about whether he was improving or regressing
Why many plantar fasciitis treatments fail
- Over-stretching and aggressive rehab that actually delayed healing
- Why ticking โstrength trainingโ off the list too early is a common mistake
- The difference between doing exercises and loading tissue correctly
The turning point
- The mindset shift that stopped the injury from controlling his life
- How slow, progressive calf strengthening rebuilt tissue capacity
- Why learning not to catastrophize flare-ups changed everything
Strength training that actually worked
- The calf exercises that gave the biggest return on investment
- How he progressed from double-leg to single-leg loading safely
- Rep ranges, frequency, and why patience mattered more than intensity
Recovery beyond rehab
- How improving sleep quality accelerated his progress
- Nutrition changes that supported training and recovery
- Why recovery became non-negotiable as he got older
Where Jon is now
- Running pain-free most days after years of struggle
- Completing half marathons, mountain runs, and a self-supported trail marathon
- How heโs approaching goals differently to stay healthy long-term