Hurt

Again, I was hoping to have a movie review for today, but a big long nap kind of put a big stop to a big long movie.  The nap was needed more. 

As marathon training continues, I went back to it today. I skipped Tuesday's group due to Covid.  .....and my knee. 

I am finding it's not training season without an injury. Almost exactly a year ago it was my other knee (and hip) and last October it was tendinitis This time, it's the left knee. 

Behind the knees was bothering me before my 11 mile run last weekend. By Monday it just intensified. By Wednesday, I was seeing my orthopod. 

Somewhere between Saturday and Tuesday (when I called for an appointment) the pain had morphed from back to side / front.  ....and then back to the back again. As I am big into self-diagnosis (every doctor hates me for that), I had no idea what was going on. 

As it turns out, more than one thing. 

I'll start with the front, which I did guess (probably) correctly. It's a bursa issue brought on by my super-tight hamstrings. I literally LOL'd at my doc as he examined me and told me to relax the leg. I said, if I could relax those hamstrings ever, I wouldn't be here. He chuckled himself at that, as did the resident who was observing. 

That is what the brace is for. Should it not help, in three weeks I'll be getting a cortisone injection. Truth be told - I kind of love those. The one on my right knee is still holding up 11 months later. 

The behind the knee pain is just insult to injury:  Arthritis. 

Fucking 60 years old. 

Bad enough to be old, let alone feel it. I already have been making old-man noises when I do certain things, I certainly don't need to add to those, yet I am.

I should Gooooooogle it. I completely blanked on asking the doc if there was anything I could do about the arthritic pain. 

That said, doc said I could run in my brace - and I have, but with mixed results. Oddly, it doesn't feel that bad when I run. I feel the brace digging in certain places more than I feel the original pain(s).  And ick - it gets sweat covered. 

Yesterday, I rejoined the training group. I was supposed to run 10, but I knew I wouldn't. Or shouldn't. Couldn't is another issue. I probably could have. 

Temps were low - 14°F, with the wind - but roads and trails were dry. I went 7 miles, and I equaled my 10k race time. So I felt pretty good about that actually.  Almost a mile longer than 6.2 , on big-ass hills with a knee brace and still had a decent time. 

Between the doc visit and yesterday, I also did a 3 mile and 4 mile day with no negative consequences. I'm not stupid (up for debate, actually), as I don't want a worse injury. Still, the Cleveland Marathon is less than three months away and I don't want to get behind in training. 

I'm also hoping this last weekend was the last frigid run of the season.  .....but it's Cleveland, so who knows. I honestly don't mind running in the cold. My lungs are not fans of it, or my hands. The rest of me is fine with it all. 

That said, one more injury and I suspect I'll be on the mailing list for this faux magazine 

It made me laugh. 

Oh - this is my 7,000th post !!!!!!!!!

Song by: Johnny Cash