Top of Foot Pain...Metatarsalgia

I ran 6 miles yesterday and was relieved that the pain I've been experiencing in my right foot subsided during my run.  Unfortunately the pain returned later in the evening and has decided to stick around today.  It doesn't really seem to be getting better or worse, but a recurring theme to what I've read from barefoot runners is to never try to push through any pain when making the transition from shoes to skin.  From reading other forums and blog posts I think this may be what barefooters call "top foot pain," and what podiatrists call metatarsalgia.  The pain doesn't exactly feel like it originates from the top of my foot, but more in the middle where the bones in my foot connect to my toes.  It looks like the best way to get through metatarsal pain is rest and ice.  Due to this pain I've decided to skip my run tomorrow, and possibly my run this weekend as well.  I feel a bit foolish having tried to rush my own transition to barefoot running after writing so much about taking things slow here.  I'll take some of my advice and take it easy for the next few days and hopefully this will be a minor setback in training, rather than catastrophic disaster with my metatarsal bones.

If anyone else has personal experience with a similar issue, please let me know what you did to get through it and how your recovery went.

Here is a link to a Runner's World article on metatarsalgia.  I don't particularly like that they recommend a corrective shoe for the pain, but there are also some exercises/stretches they recommend and of course ice and anti-inflammatories.


Happy Running!