*kicks Purdey in the nuts, then slaps him and calls him offensive names* Actually, it's not going too bad...yet. A week ago my problem knee--which had been behaving for the better part of a month--became a problem, again. I'd think it all in my head, but I can hear the clicking/snapping/popping, not just feel it and the dull pain. I'm thinking prescription orthotics will be in my future. I almost think my right foot is pigeon-toeing in a bit, which is causing the knee issues. Hopefully this week of piddly mileage goes a long way towards resting things. I'd like to be able to get most of the way through the race before any issues kick-in.

Nah, I've had phantom pains (got them before my first 25k). This is the real deal...it's pain AND noise...my kneecap is popping around, out of track. Same crap I've been dealing with since 2 weeks before I started training. I have a feeling that I will eventually find myself in prescription orthotics, since I have yet to find a single shoe that works for me. More stable shoes help my knees, but are stiffer and give me peroneal tendonitis issues. More flexible shoes (like my NB 902s) don't make my arches angry, but they don't seem to give me enough stability. The 902s + Superfeet insoles aren't a bad combo, but still not enough rearfoot control.

Yep...I am trying to get my knee to behave for at least 20 miles with the promise of ample beer (it is Milwaukee, after all) at the finish. Good luck on your own race! You'll probably be finishing about the same time that I am crawling out of bed.

Bwahahahaha...ha! Sicko.

I was pumped during the several weeks that my knee was behaving. I really thought I'd be able to get through most of the race without any issues--I mean, it really didn't bother me at all during my second 20 miler, so I thought it was behind me. Now I'm just pissed and freaked-out. I'm contemplating hours of being in pain beyond "normal" marathon pain and potentially doing serious, lasting damage. Inside my head is not a happy place right now.

Pain by itself wouldn't freak me out...I've had "phantom pains." It's the audible noises and popping sensation that go with the pain that tell me it's not psychosomatic. It's the exact thing that plagued me for the first 12 weeks of training. I'm just hoping this super easy week allows the muscles enough recovery to help keep the kneecap tracking a little closer to the way it should.

I saw the PA at my doc's office a while back. He thought it was some sort of bursitis (which honestly makes no sense to me and I think he was just tossing out the first thing that came to his head). The only thing that helped was putting Superfeet insoles into my shoes. They made a drastic difference immediately. And for the better part of a month it seemed like the problem was behind me. Then blam, a week ago it came back. It's still not as bad as it had been at its worst...but I also didn't try to run 26.2 miles on it. He did say that if I wanted to he'd send me for PT. I think after the race I will take him up on it and see what a PT doc says. I'm guessing they would refer me to an ortho.