Dark Running

This has been a crummy few days. Was in an accident on Saturday evening and fortunately no one was hurt, but it's put my truck out of commission. I stopped by the repair shop today to retrieve a few things I forgot on Saturday, and I want my truck back. Then there's the whole having to work after the holiday thing, but that's normal, I suppose. A long-time friend was staying with us for a few weeks and left this morning. So after all that I was more than ready for a run today.

This being winter or close to it, by the time I made it home and out the door it was growing dark. Plus the cold has seemingly moved in for the long haul and the temperature was in the low forties. At least it wasn't windy. I ran 5 miles, and after all the holiday feasting and too many sweets I feel like I should run it again. The Knee is still not 100% and we'll see if it bothers me tonight. But at the moment it feels good enough to keep running.

Wind and NewsRadio

The temperature today isn't horrible other than being colder than it's been the past week, but the wind is blowing something fierce. The gusts are close to 50 mph, and running in that isn't my idea of fun. Instead of heading into the KC tundra, I popped a DVD of NewsRadio into the player and spent an hour on the treadmill. I maintained a reasonable pace and ran 5.5 miles. The Knee feels stiff more than anything else, which is weird. My hope is that if I keep babying it and not doing anything crazy that it will improve. Like I said on Thursday, I can't afford to be without some exercise this holiday season.

Another Turkey Trot

This was probably the best weather ever for a Turkey Trot 5k in Kansas City. I'm still in unbelief about how great it was this morning. The sky was perfectly clear and the wind was almost non-existent, although that changed later in the day. The temperature was in the high 40's. I ran wearing long pants and a long-sleeved technical shirt under a cotton T, and I was way overdressed. I could have worn shorts and the long sleeves and been fine. In fact, I might have been okay with a short-sleeved shirt after warming up, but that would have been on the edge. Still, when we stopped for hot drinks for everyone on the way home afterward it was apparent nobody needed to warm up as in years past. We had a fun time in Parkville and Daughter #2 was the family winner. I ran with Daughter #3 and we ran the whole way except for about 30 seconds when she had a side cramp. Other than that we had a good run and did great.

My knee has been hurting again the past few days. Not a good sign. Right now it feels okay, but on Tuesday night I woke up a few times due to the pain and could definitely feel some discomfort when turning over in bed. Not sure what to do about that. Today was an extremely easy day at a 12-minute/mile or so pace, which means I didn't put a lot of stress on it. I don't want to take off any more time, especially around the holidays when it's easy to get out of shape. What am I going to do?

Getting Cold

Here it is, late November, and I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the weather is getting colder. It's just that it's been a mild autumn so far and I'm not ready for the frigid winter to roll in. In a couple of months I'll be wishing for a day as warm as today's temperature in the mid-40's.

The annual Turkey Trot 5k is two days away and I'm looking forward to running with the family. I think they're ready, too, although my youngest probably won't get her wish to beat the older siblings again this year. And I don't think they want her to do so. Nothing like a little friendly sibling competition.

Today's run involved a stocking cap and mittens to repel the cold. I ran 4.5 miles at a good pace again. I even passed a guy on my return north. He had a brace on his left knee and was running slow (obviously, if I passed him) and I almost felt bad. But not quite bad enough to slow down.

The Wind

Actually ran yesterday but forgot to post since I was busy with other things, including a flat tire on the truck. The wind was blowing at 20+ mph all day, but at least it was fairly warm until late afternoon. Strange thing about the wind - it didn't really bug me a whole lot, and I seem to unconsciously put more effort into things like running against the wind or up a hill. So my overall pace was actually the fastest I've had in a while. I ran 5 miles, which is the longest distance I've gone in quite a while. The pace was about 9:24/mile. My knees still feel all right. I still think there's some strengthening that I need to do for them. I guess that continues to be my research project that I forget unless I'm writing on this blog.

Too Late for the Day

Had a couple of errands to run after work today and by the time I arrived home the sun was already down. It was cold and breezy and I decided I didn't feel like running outside. Even though it's early in the season to keep running inside already, I chose to do so. With several episodes of NewsRadio to keep me company I ran 4.5 miles on the treadmill.

I was afraid on Tuesday night that I'd hurt my knee again. I was sitting on the couch with the youngest kid on my lap, and she was quite squirmy. I shifted positions and it was that feeling of something...well, not tearing, but almost like tearing. It hurt really bad in that moment and I thought oh no, here we go again. Yesterday it felt fine, so maybe it was just a momentary pain. Today's run brought no pain, so I'm hopeful that it was just a moment of weirdness and nothing more.

Continuation

What a beautiful day! It would have been a crime to not get outdoors today. Continuing my trend I ran 4 miles. An old friend is in town and he rode along on his bicycle. It was a good day all around. Not much more to say today other than I'm thankful for great days like this.

Progress

More progress today with a 4.5 mile run. It was super windy, but really once I got about a mile into the run it wasn't that big a deal. That first mile was with the kids since they're training for the Turkey Trot. They ran two miles today and should be fine for the race in a couple of weeks. My little one thinks she's going to beat everyone in the family like she did last year. I'm not sure her older siblings will let that happen.

The Wife wanted me to run with the kids yesterday, but I'm staying strict on this "rehab" thing and not doing more than I should. The total mile for the week was 12 miles, up 1.5 miles from last week's total. I think I'm doing it right since I haven't had any knee pain recurrence. Next week will be an overall increase of another 1.5 miles. I keep feeling like I should be running more so I can be in better shape, but I'm holding back. And that's the right thing to do right now.

Mid-Afternoon Run

Four-day weekend! That gave me the opportunity to get out for a run when the day had warmed up and before dusk fell. Even though the temperature was in the upper 40's, it was windy and that chilled things down quite a bit. I wore a stocking cap and knit mittens for the first time this season. I wasn't real thrilled about it, but it beat running on the treadmill again. Plus it was sunny, so how could I resist?

This was a 4-miler, just like last Saturday's, and it went just as well. I still get the feeling that the muscles around my knees aren't as strong as they used to be. I'm not sure why. Once in a while I get the feeling they're a little shaky, usually at the start of the run. I don't know if that's a thing that will be ongoing or if it will go away as my mileage increases. I've been doing my ankle-weight exercises, but maybe I need to make an addition or a change. This might require some research.

Inside

Oh no, it's begun already. The cooler, wetter weather that is. Today was definitely not a day for outside running. In fact, it's been raining since yesterday afternoon, which is fine since rainfall was sorely needed in our area. I don't mind running in the run, as my imaginary readers well know, but today was a day I would have minded. I hit the treadmill instead and ran 3.5 miles. I was accompanied by the first two episodes of NewsRadio on the TV. Hard to believe that show premiered 16 years ago. Less hard to believe is that it's still funny. Not looking forward to a winter of running on the treadmill, but at least I'll get some laughs out of it.

A Modester Increase

Added another half-mile to the previous run to get to 4 miles for today. It was the same increase, but as a percentage I guess you could say it was modester than the previous increase. I was going to run this morning but it was cold, cloudy, and windy. Plus The Wife wanted to run with me and she was...resistant to going in that kind of weather. Our patience paid off and when we headed out at the halftime of the OU-Texas A&M game, it was still windy but the temperature had risen into the 60's and the sun was out. She ran the first three-quarters of a mile with me and then turned around. She's building up her mileage too, although modester than I am.

The Knee still feels better and the slow entry into running again seems to be working. Today I ran more hills than the previous two outings. I will say that it doesn't feel 100% yet, but it's getting closer. Next week I intend to stay with low mileage. This week's total of 10.5 miles might be my lowest weekly mileage in about five years. That's okay, though, as long as The Knee keeps feeling okay.

A Modest Increase

After feeling no pain in The Knee since Tuesday's run, I continued the road to recovery with another short run. Today I added a half-mile to the previous outing and went 3.5 miles. The day was cool, breezy, and just asking for me to bundle up. I refused. I wore shorts and a long-sleeve technical tee. I could have reeled off six miles quite easily, I think, but it's more important to come back slowly and do this right.

Another thing - the day started with a blah feeling, which I attributed to all the junk I ate yesterday. The Wife found post-Halloween sale candy and brought home several bags on Tuesday, of which I partook way too much on Wednesday. Today I had healthy food (if you count Fritos as healthy) and just two pieces of dark chocolate. Other than that I've determined it's time to get back to eating better. It may not be so, but I think I can attribute part of my overall laziness and poor running results this year to eating horribly. I didn't have a doughnut every day, but most of the time I ate whatever I wanted. Time to stop, just in time for the holidays.

Feels Like the First Time

It's been 20 days since the last run. Talk about cabin fever. It's been killing me to sit still and not get out for a dash around the neighborhood. Especially with the great weather. At least I've had the distraction of the Cardinals' unexpected track through the playoffs to the World Series championship. Now there's a run! We had a blast watching every game and especially the theater of Game 6 and the final victory in the final game. We're pretty happy around here.

Now that that's all behind us and we took a quick trip to the Omaha Zoo, it's time to try running again. I don't recall a time in the last eight years where I've been off this long against my will. The Knee has been pain-free for several days and I planned on this being the day to test it. I ran a 3-miler and I can tell I've been lazy. I wouldn't normally sweat on a short run like this when it's mild and windy, but sweat I did. I don't think it'll take too long to get back into shape, though. I'm a happy runner again, although as we know the true test will be in how The Knee feels tomorrow. Here's hoping.

Walk It Off

The running has ceased for the moment, but I get cabin fever if I go too long without some sort of exercise. Yesterday and today I went walking with The Wife. The weather has been really nice the past couple of days, and it was nice to get out and enjoy some fresh air. Yesterday we went about 4 miles, and today was probably between 4.5-5.

Yesterday I could tell I was already feeling out of shape even though it hasn't been that long since I ran. When I start over again I'm going to have to take it easy. I want to be ready to run our traditional 5k Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. I think I can make that.

My plan is to continue walking this week and then start running next week. The Knee is feeling a lot better although it's not 100% yet. I haven't felt any aches lately but it still gets that "don't hurt me" feeling when one of the kids jumps on me or I'm doing something outside. I've also been exercising regularly with ankle weights and doing the hip, hamstring, and knee exercises, and I think that's been paying off.

Done

This wasn't the easiest decision, but I'm done. As in dropping out the Memphis Marathon, not as in done forever. The Knee just hasn't improved to the point where I can keep running with the confidence that I can get the mileage I want. And throw in the raw spot on my right foot that is getting close to finally healing up and this past week has been a killer for my plans.

I've probably kept the hope alive longer than I should have, but just like a lot of other runners, I'm stubborn. And dropping out of a race I registered for is not in my DNA. But this is the right decision this time around.

I plan to spend the next week still staying off The Knee as far as running goes, and then running some very short distances to get back in the swing of things. Hopefully this down time will resolve the issue so that I can run a race early next year. More to come on that.

One More Time

Today's run was not as good as I'd hoped it would be. I blistered up my right instep nicely on Saturday and it was still raw yesterday. I was also hoping the knee (or maybe I should start calling it The Knee) would be in top shape. Alas.

I stopped once walking down the street before starting to run and another time about a quarter mile in to take off my right shoe and adjust the insert. This was so that my foot didn't get scraped down to the bone. It helped and even though it's a tiny bit painful after getting home it's bearable. It would have been a lot worse if I hadn't stopped.

The Knee also bugged me. I thought it was doing much better, especially after that deal last Friday where it felt better after a big twinge. It felt irritated when I ran although I hadn't noticed any pain at work during the day. As I was running I was thinking, "One more time." As in if this continues and I have one more outing where it's not feeling right I'm going to pack it in for the season. Which I don't want to do.

Of course, I say that now. But in the back of my mind I'm thinking I should really start the run/walk method and see if that helps. I'm definitely considering it for this Saturday's run. If I make it there.

Still Going

Sometimes I stay up too late the night before a long run. This was one of those times. I was up late watching the Cardinals beat the Phillies and kept telling myself "it's 'only' 8 miles." Considering that my running has just started up again after the time off for my knee, I'd say 8 miles was not a trivial distance. And it wasn't it.

The weather was warmer than I expected - not hot, but certainly not autumnal. The knee felt decent and after I did some more exaggerated motions about 3-4 miles into it it seemed to loosen up. Right now, four hours and an OU beatdown of Texas later, it still feels okay.

The latest issue of Runner's World had a page about exercises to strengthen your hips. If the hips are stronger then that helps with knee issues. Yesterday I was doing my dumbbell exercises and thought, okay, one of the items they suggested was lunges. So I did a forward lunge between sets, and then tried a reverse lunge. At that point something twinged in my left knee and I thought about falling into the fetal position. It was one of those blinding flashes of pain. When I stood up, though, it actually felt better. I put it through the full range of motions and all of a sudden everything was fine. There was still a slight dull ache in one area that's obviously been over-irritated, but it hadn't felt that good in a couple of months.

I don't know what happened, but I wish it had happened sooner. Although I don't recommend it as a means of treatment, something popped back into place. I don't know that I'll keep doing lunges, but that one lunge unintentionally did the trick.

Holding Up

Today was the third run this week, and so far the knee is still holding up. I'm relieved. It actually hasn't felt this good in a long time. Even a couple of days ago I felt like I was one little tweak away from making it worse, but today it felt stronger than it has in ages. Each day seems like another test passed. When I can walk around at work and not notice any pain, well...that's progress.

This was another step in the road to recovery and toward Memphis. I ran 6 miles and felt pretty good. The knee was still somewhat achy during the run, but not as bad as Tuesday. I think the exercising, especially for my hips, and the shoe inserts have made a difference. I can now plan on going a little longer on Saturday and continuing the increase every weekend for the next six or seven weeks.

And also, I'm loving this 80-degree weather in October. Rock on.

The Ballad of the Left Knee

Surprisingly, the knee felt great today. Three miles yesterday wasn't a killer, as I suspected it might be. Which leads us to today...

This being early October, I was a bit surprised at the temperature in the mid-80's. But I'll definitely take it. It sure beats the freezing cold, and that feeling shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

The knee actually felt worse while I was running, kind of the opposite from the way it's been in the past. I ran 4 miles on my route to building up to an 8-miler on the weekend, but I definitely felt a soreness in the knee. I tried to concentrate somewhat on my stride, but it just feels like something's out of kilter. Like there's an imbalance somewhere contributing to the problem.

The last mile I exaggerated my stride and kicked up my heels more than usual. I don't know if that was the right thing to do but it did feel like a better alignment at times in my forward motion. I probably looked like a complete idiot, but then that's normal when I run.

As always, the true outcome of the run won't be felt until tomorrow. In the meantime, I suppose I could write a song about my knee. A power ballad? That seems appropriate.

Trial Run

It's been over ten full days since I last ran. The knee is almost pain-free for the first time in weeks. And the race is drawing ever closer. Today was the day for a run to see if there's still hope for December.

Ten days off definitely makes a difference. I can only imagine how tough it would have been if I hadn't been walking a little. I ran only 3 miles today since I didn't want to push the limit too much.

The jury is out until tomorrow. If I'm judging by the run alone, I'm not too hopeful. I felt the ache a little while running but there were no sharp pains or anything that made me think I should stop. My pessimism comes from that dull ache that never really went away. Maybe I'm overreacting. I sure hope so.

If it feels okay tomorrow I'll go for a slightly longer run, maybe 4-5 miles so I can build up to an 8-mile run on Saturday. If it doesn't feel okay, well...it's going to be a long winter.