Three after Eight

A Matter of Time
 
"Two weeks" is what the doctor said, "You could be running two weeks after the procedure" I take Dr. Hunter at his word but a couple of days before I hit the magic mark I dump my Harley on my ankle. Ouch. well, it's just a minor thing, I limp for a week and get over it. the next week was too busy to even try to get in any running so we are out 4 weeks after the procedure - TWO MONTHS since I've ran. I am burning up for a run and a free Saturday could not happen at a better time.

Vacationing in Lovely Nirvana 

The morning of the run I knew it would be a hot day, so I hit interurban at 7:00am. I'm not sure how my knee would react to running, so I plan to run my short run - a 10k. the run starts off easy, I forgot my heart meter strap, but wore the Garmin anyway. I can turn around at the first notion of pain and if it's too bad I can walk back. A mile into the run I am reliving all the pleasure that I had been missing these two months now. In the back of my head the dreaded 4 mile pain is looming large in my mind, but it never starts at mile two, mile three I would start to feel the beginnings of the pain, and I was so focused on it that I think I was imagining it - by 3.25 my imagination was in check, I definately would have felt something, but all I felt was my stupid ankle that hurt a bit but did not worsen as the run progressed. I decided at the 10K turn around point that I would extend the run to my "medium" run of 8 miles since there was no sign of knee pain. At mile 4 I felt nothing but satisfaction that there was no pain. I prayed thanksgiving that God could put such awesome surgeons in my life. I was looking at stretching the run into a 1/2 marathon, but at mile 6 I considered that might be overdoing it, especially since I had only hydrated with two cups of coffee, and the heat of what would be a 90 degree day was starting to climb quickly. Mile 7 convinced me that 13 was too optimistic but that is fine, 8 miles was heaven, I AM BACK! Bliss has been recaptured.

Diversions in Hades
 


Then comes the next morning, on waking I notice that my legs are quite stiff, as I start to get out of bed I set my feet on the floor *ow* I try to raise myself out of bed *#%€£¥* I can't put any weight on the leg - the knee is screaming, and even hopping on the other leg hurts it. Ok, hit the bathroom, go downstairs, get food and down 800mgs of ibuprofen, sit with icepack and watch the morning news. I attempt to get up again and the knee is still screaming, "ok, time for stronger measures" I grab the vicodin and hope for some relief. A little, but more ice is needed. This went on for the rest of the day the next morning I head into work and limp all day, but the limp gets slightly better as the day progresses. More ice in the afternoon, and by the next day the limp is almost gone, I call the doc and he says that 8 miles was a bit much, he doesn't think any more damage is done and rest ice and ibu should help. A scary couple of days but I am still jubilant that running 8 miles was a possibility again. Fast-forward 1 week and I star over, this time with a little more moderation - 3 miles around a track, my pace is decidedly faster than normal, but I'm feeling good, after about 30 minutes I'm done and heading home to ice and ibuprofen. The next day ( today, actually) I'm feeling good, tonight I will go for 5 and see how that works... Wish me luck!

Now Don't Jump the Gun!

OK! Swelling is going down quick! 4 days out of surgery I HAVE A KNEECAP! my limp is almost gone and I'm feeling very spunky. Thursday I may try my elliptical and if all goes well I may run Saturday morning. I will most likely run at a high school track so I can stop if I start to feel pain. This may be a bit quick but I'm feeling EXCELLENT. An icepack on my knee is taking care of residual swelling and tomorrow I won't wear an ACE bandage. I have refrained from taking ibuprofen, but if I could I know the swelling would be gone.

RUNNING! I am SO mentally ready, I think it is setting my mind  on only one goal, if I do 16 laps at the high school track, I will be at four miles. I should start to feel pain if the meniscus isn't the issue. Of course if the meniscus isn't the issue the pain will only be minor.
However if I do regain a slight bit of composure I may opt for a bike ride Friday. That will be much less impactful on my knee.

Healing and Waiting

It's getting better all the time....


Surgery on Friday was great. Annette came and visited me during the preop wait - which was awesome because my surgeon, Dr. Hunter, was running late - sometimes stuff happens, and if he needs to take more time with a procedure ahead of me, I am sure he would do the same for me if needed. Annette showed me pictures of the "Warrior Dash" she participated in, looked like fun, I have a couple of friends that did it, the next one I will be up for.

I am now (according to Dr. Hunter's estimate) 12 days away from running. I NEED TO RUN, I cannot state it more clearly, my mind is frazzled and nothing would help it more than miles and miles and miles (and miles and miles)

A Slide =(
Oy, I should have known, my discipline has been nil. I've eaten and gained - fully dressed i'm tipping the scales at 236 and I am sure that even with my celphone, my clothing does not weigh 16 pounds. Running will not address this, it's all discipline and self control. Running may make it easier to get rid of, but I need to get my mind right  food /= comfort. Only being right with yourself brings comfort, and sometimes to get there you need to be uncomfortable - so be it. I'm not ready for any type of relationship but no one want a fat pig for a boyfriend.

Waiting for the Knife

Meniscus tear *or* Clean up on aisle KNEE

So I have arraigned for surgery - it happens Friday, an arthroscopic procedure to trim away the torn meniscus and get me back in the run again.  So far biking hasn't aggravated it at all, and walking is no issue - even Dance Central on my 360 is fine, it's just running : /

I have been able to keep some exercise going, but I want, no I NEED to run and the prognosis is that two weeks after the surgery I will.

Running Through the Pain

My Knee is Bringing Me to My Knees!

For the psat couple of months I have developed a pain in my knee that debilitates after a certain distance - I ran through the pain today and completed my first 10k in a couple of months, but I need to get something done about it. Biking is fun and all, but I live to run.

Although I busted my lower femur in tae kwon do, I have had no issues with it and that is not where the pain resides. Looking at the diagram above the pain is coming from the left side top of the tibia or the miniscus The pain does not start immediately, it happens slowly after about 4 miles I become aware of it, then at five miles it is a constant thrum at mile six I am wanting to stop. once I stop and walk the pain is gone, but it returns quickly if I begin to run again. I made it the whole 10K and thats what I was praying for, now it's time to go to the doctor and get something done about it

UPDATE: the doctor recommended an MRI which revealed a torn meniscus, and the orthopedic surgeon said it's a simple procedure - I should be running again in two weeks after the procedure... I CAN"T WAIT!!!

It's been a while...

Changes are not always good, but how you deal with them can be.

April 2nd my wife passed away from cancer - specifically Glioblastoma Multiform. This was a race we could not win. This was a race that we needed all our strength to finish. Cancer is evil, but it taught me what love means, what family means, and what is important in life. I am blessed to have faith - this gift is more powerful than most people can imagine and has saved me from despair.

During this time, my ability to fit running into my life has been somewhat constrained. Running has been a large part of my life for the last year or so. It is my tool for dealing with stress. During the final phase of my wife's cancer, I was blessed with inner strength, I was not able to run much at all, that's OK, I was there for my wife as I should be and looking back, in that time I found the truest love of all, I found it in caring for someone I love - caring beyond my own ability and growing in love that is beyond any I have felt before. I thank the Lord for my 26 years with Evi and know that now she stands before God and is singing with the saints.

Running into the new year

Start it off right.

My return to sanity began on Christmas Eve with a much needed half marathon, no real worry about speed, just time to run and run and run.


NOTE: this was two runs - a 5 mile run earlier in the week, and my Half-M on Christmas Eve - I forgot to reset the Garmin between runs (doh!)

It was slow, cathartic, exultant, and so needed! You can't replace the feeling that endorphins bring at the end of a frazzling week!
My employer provides for a block of time off between Christmas and New Years Day, I used this time to great effect. After that run I had a few days of being busy, but I tried to use the morning times to recharge my base. , I've been very busy at work and home life presents lots of challenges, so it was nice to be able to string together a few 10Km runs. I ended up doing a little over 31 miles in total, which was very theraputic. Although maintaining an aerobic heart rate was not in the cards. for the majority of them, I was in close proximity for a few.

http://runkeeper.com/user/samstratton/activity/21628350
http://runkeeper.com/user/samstratton/activity/21670320
http://runkeeper.com/user/samstratton/activity/21702642
http://runkeeper.com/user/samstratton/activity/21743901

I took new years eve off to rest up for a group run that never materialized on new years day, so I went and dropped another 10K into the books

http://runkeeper.com/user/samstratton/activity/21935716

No need for a resolution about running, it's like saying "I resolve to breathe this year." Runnning is more therapy than fitness now. The rates for this therapist is quite reasonable.