If you have extreme pain and tightness in your legs and bottoms of your feet when you get up in the morning or at night it may be Achilles tendonitis or Plantar Fasciitis. The first is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon that connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. The second is the tendons, which run along the bottom of your feet. In a long distance race it may feel like there some rods or something in bottom your foot or like your toes are on fire.

These are both brought on by over use. It may a sudden increase in mileage or gain in weight. Plantar Fasciitis is sometimes called a bone spur because it feels like there is a rock in your heel. In fact there can be additional deposits of calcium, which is very painful. If the problem is corrected, this deposit can be reabsorbed by your body.

First off get new shoes. You should probably get them every six months or so certainly at least once a year. Wall leans and stretching will also help. However be careful not to overstretch sore tendons. Often times the thing, which would prevent a condition, cannot be done after the condition occurs. These problems are caused by lack of support. Your arch needs support and heel needs to be round. Both of these need to keep from being flattened out when your foot hits the ground. Inexpensive shoe inserts will do the job. Support not cushioning is what is needed. Make your sure heel is rounded and your arch is raised.

I had these both together and the shoe inserts cured it more that anything else. I get a new shoe inserts every time I get new shoes.