Since he was a teenager Roger Lambert has enjoyed running.

"I was not good enough for interschool sports I was super slow for that," he said. "But I found it calming to run so I did it a lot."

From the age of 14 Mr. Lambert would compete in races at school and as he got older he ran as a form of recreation and fitness. "I was an average avid runner," he said.

He had done every local race and took part in the May 24 marathon 15 times.

"But 2007 was my last 24th of May race," he said. "Painfully I had to give up running."

The move was emotionally painful for Mr. Lambert because he truly enjoyed the activity.

A longtime soccer player, running also served as good training for playing with the Somerset Trojans and Somerset Eagles.

Mr. Lambert said on average he ran 35 miles a week especially during race season of November to May.

"That was fun running by myself," he said. "I sometimes ran with a group and am still a member of Swan's Running Club, but I loved getting out and running by myself. Setting my own schedule, I was able to do what worked best for me."

Yet although the activity was psychologically good for him Mr. Lambert was forced to abandon running due to the lingering effects of an injury to his right knee after a motorcycle accident.

"Doctors said I would need to have the knee replaced, but I have avoided that," he said.

Having the knee injury however weakened his right leg and he said for the ensuing years he compensated by placing more weight on his left leg.

In fact it was in 1981 two years after the accident that Mr. Lambert ran his first May 24 marathon. "I felt I had recovered enough," he said. So he ran regularly and resumed soccer playing.

Mr. Lambert said people often commented that he was limping.

"But I didn't feel it. I didn't feel it until more than 20 years later when I realised I had plantar fasciitis in my left foot."

In this condition the plantar fascia the connective tissue of the sole of the foot becomes torn or pulled. The pain is felt in the heel and is most painful in the first few steps on waking up.

"In 2004 I started feeling the effects. I would run a half marathon and the next morning I would stand up and instantly feel the weakness in my left ankle.

"I would stand and sort of drop down," he said. "I couldn't bear my weight and would have to walk on the ball of my foot for a bit or get a walking stick to bear the weight."

Although this only happened when he first got out of bed each day. Mr. Lambert said the condition was painful and made him take note that something was wrong in his body.

"I would have this experience for about a week after a race," he said.

Through talking with friends Mr. Lambert said he learned that he had plantar fasciitis.Following their advice he iced his feet after races and said he would also lie on his back and rotate is feet in circles. "This helped a bit, and then I found the foot wheel."The foot wheel is a small rolling device which Mr. Lambert rolls his feet across for a few minutes every day. He was so pleased with the results that he became a local distributor of the device.It works in much the same way as a rolling your foot on a golf ball a practice many people use to alleviate foot pain. Use of the foot wheel together with massage to the affected area, according to Mr. Lambert were key in his being able to enjoy several more years running. Mr. Lambert said he continues to exercise, including swimming year round and massage his feet a few times each week and has been pain free for more than a year.Physiotherapist Shirlene Dill said she also uses the foot wheel for clients with plantar fasciitis to loosen the soles of their feet."It is known as a runner's injury because of the constant pounding the foot gets in running, especially running on hard surfaces like pavements and asphalt," she said.Ms Dill said when she has clients with this injury she treats more than their feet."I would also look at their hip and see what's happening in the spine," she said.