Fall is the busiest stretch of the year for runners in West Essex. The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon is set for Sunday, November 1, 2026, according to its FindTheRun race listing, and the 26.2-mile course draws long training runs from runners across North Jersey in the weeks before the start. Close behind it comes turkey trot season: Endurance Grid lists 55 turkey trots in New Jersey, most of them in November, with races in nearby towns such as South Orange and Chatham.
For Essex Union Podiatry, which sees patients at 376 Bloomfield Ave in the center of the Borough of Caldwell, the added miles tend to show up first in the heel. The practice's plantar fasciitis page describes the hallmark of the condition as pain with the first steps of the day, and it names runners among the athletes who face elevated plantar fasciitis risk.
The practice also notes that heel pain is not always plantar fasciitis. Its evaluation checks for stress fractures, nerve entrapment and other conditions that mimic heel pain before a plan is set. Most patients respond to a combination of stretching protocols, custom orthotics and targeted therapies within six to twelve weeks, according to the practice, with advanced options when conservative care plateaus.
That timeline matters in the fall. A runner who notices morning heel pain in mid-October has only a few weeks before a November race, and a turkey trot on Thanksgiving morning often follows a season that started in summer. The Caldwell location serves runners and families from West Caldwell, North Caldwell and Roseland, who reach it within about 10 minutes via Bloomfield Avenue, as well as Fairfield, Essex Fells and Verona.
"Most of the heel pain we see in runners at this time of year builds slowly, and people tend to train through it until a race is a few weeks away. If the first steps out of bed hurt, or the pain comes back at the same point on every run, that is the time to have it looked at. In many cases the fix is a change in stretching, footwear or orthotics, not a missed race," said a spokesperson for Essex Union Podiatry.
Podiatrist Checklist
- Pay attention to heel pain with the first steps of the morning; it is the classic sign of plantar fasciitis.
- Add mileage gradually in the last weeks before a race rather than making up missed runs in one week.
- Check the wear on running shoes before race day and replace a pair that has lost its support.
- Stretch the calves and the bottom of the foot after runs, not only before them.
- Have pain that sharpens at one spot on the bone checked, since a stress fracture can mimic heel pain.
Schedule an Appointment
Runners in Caldwell and the surrounding West Essex towns can learn more about seeing a podiatrist at Essex Union Podiatry, 376 Bloomfield Ave, open Monday, Wednesday and Friday with evening hours, or call (862) 640-1917.
About Essex Union Podiatry
Essex Union Podiatry is a podiatry practice founded in 1995 with a single location in Rahway, New Jersey. It now treats patients at four New Jersey locations in Rahway, Caldwell, Springfield and Jersey City, including 376 Bloomfield Ave in the center of the Borough of Caldwell. Its podiatrists treat heel pain and plantar fasciitis, sports injuries, bunions, ingrown toenails and conditions that call for foot and ankle surgery, and the team includes double board-certified foot and ankle surgeons. More information is available at essexunionpodiatry.com.