Caretaker/Overlook Hotel
So, last night I hit the road again for the first time since my knee thing. Since getting the ok from the orthopedic & the MRI, I have gone strictly treadmill or synthetic track at the local HS. I just couldn't bring myself to run on the road for fear.
Well, I played in a full-court basketball game on Saturday......(one of the things I depressingly wondered if I'd ever be able to do again when my pain was worst).......and did quite well. I was able to run, jump, cut, slide, etc. just as well as I ever have. Sunday I could feel my knee talking back to me for the work I'd given it.....(I had ridden my bike to the track, run a couple miles & ridden back home).....as Saturday was a triathlon of sorts. But I rested it Sunday, rode bike Monday & then headed out the door after a short warmup on the Tmill last night.
I ran the last couple miles of the 6 mile run I'd made that night in October that the "knee incident" happened. I wanted to run back on the ground that conquered me before so I could conquer IT!! It felt very familiar but very weird. I tried not to concentrate on treading too lightly & reminded myself that I ran that same asphalt for YEARS before so "toss the fear or don't do it at all" was my mantra. The miles were done without pain and with even some decent speed.
I will probably still transition slowly....(especially in this cold weather)....by warming up on the Tmill and then heading outside once the joints are lubed. I can't say I don't still hear both my PCP & Orthopedic trying to talk me out of running & talking about my joints as if they're on borrowed time, but I know I feel good now, felt good last night, feel & felt strong & just can't imagine my knees won't carry me a lot longer before I need to stay off the asphalt.
Besides.......I always ever ran on asphalt because it's better than concrete, right?
Randy
Nice to see you back on asphalt.
Damaris
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Yay! Good to see you back out on the roads! I went back TM only, then track, then roads. Luckily I had a vacation in July where concrete was my only option, and once I realized I could do a week of concrete, I wasn't scared of roads any more.
Well this is good news! I thought it was going to be about an epic face plant.
delicate flower
Great news, redrum! I hope your injury woes are behind you.
By the way, the road in that pic looks way too clear. Where the hell is all the snow, ice, and potholes?
<3
Me too!
Glad to hear you're back in action, Randy.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Barking Mad To Run
Welcome back!
I can't say I don't still hear both my PCP & Orthopedic trying to talk me out of running & talking about my joints as if they're on borrowed time.
Yeah, me too, lol. But I'm still out here even after 4 knee surgeries. And hell, I'm 60 years old now anyway..so how much longer do I have left? Not much, probably, so I might as well enjoy the short running time I have remaining in me. You can do this, Randy! Just be smart about it. If you have to do run/walk - which I ended up having to do - then do it. It still gets you out there. Good luck!
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
What exactly is this asphalt you speak of? I have not seen any here in in a month of Sundays!
I'm so HAPPY for you Redrum!
Running is my mental-Ctrl-Alt-Del.
LOL, actually, reading the title back, it does kinda induce thoughts of a tooth-shattering, nose breaking, chin scraping, face-bouncing....errrr......face plant!! (Glad I wasn't reporting one of those)
I do also have the new kicks which I think may have contributed at least *some* to the knee thing. I'm sure I had over 400 miles on each pair of my Peg 29's. Now the Peg 30's feel like I'm back on clouds again & the Wave Riders will certainly be better than 400+ mile old shoes. It's all mental. (Like Rick says.)
Speaking of Rick......Where is he?? (He actually was quite empathetic in replying to my comeback fears in the injury thread)
And, Scotty, I hear you all too clearly. In fact, I just spoke with a friend whose son is a very promising high school basketball player who has an orthopedic 1 block away from mine and his philosophy is 100% the opposite of my ortho's. He wants people to run, jump & strengthen the joints indefinitely vs avoiding it as such & treating knees as limited-mile tires. (My ortho's philosophy)
(shrug)
Here's some quality asphalt for Phil.......
Whoop whoop, WTG!
Me too. Anyway, glad you're back at it!
marathon pr - 3:16
I used to go to an ortho who had that same kind of mentality so I looked for one who runs marathons. Found him. It's a 3 hour drive to see him and I don't care a bit. He gets it when my hamstring hurts like hell and I tell him I'm going to run anyway.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Is that in heaven?