Forums >General Running>Wah.....wah
I've been going south to the Avenue of the Giants for the last dozen years (first Sunday in May) and ran my first Marathon there in 2008- always great to run through the Redwoods and then get a Raspberry Brown Ale at the Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka. I'm sitting at home this year because a recent MRI revealed significant medial meniscus tears in a knee that has been giving me trouble for years. No more running the knee doc says, not what I wanted to hear. Tough to give it up- have switched to a bit of bike riding, but I miss the running. There is a local 12 K I have been running for 25 years or so later this month- I think I will take a few short training runs and then hobble around the course- too long of a tradition to give up, but it will be my only run of the year. (20 miles a year can't do much damage, right?) Wah, wah.
I was told something similar 20 years ago after meniscectomy and micro-fracture surgery. Think the quote was, cut out impact sports and your knee will last 20 years, 10 at best if you don't...9 years ago began running again, but in the vibram five-fingers. My knees aren't perfect, but did just complete the Boston to Big Sir challenge. Switching to a forefoot strike moved the stress from knees and hips to feet, ankles and calves. Don't assume the Dr is correct. YMMV...
Ray
At a minimum, seems worth getting a second opinion. Maybe find a doc that sees a lot of athletes? I would miss running too. I've gone up to do the Avenue (Full, HM) a couple times, loved it. This year, going south to do Shadow of the Giants 50k near Yosemite in June. There's just something about giant trees...
MTA: Lost my train of thought there. Was going to suggest that trails might be gentler on the knees than roads (Shadow is on trails).
5/11/24 Grizzly Peak Marathon, Berkeley, CA
7/20/24 Tahoe Rim Trail 56 miler, NV
9/21/24 Mountain Lakes 100, OR
You might consider surgery on your torn meniscus. It's fairly easy outpatient surgery. You'd be running again within a month or so.
Sorry to hear that, Chuck. Wah-wah-ing is appropriate for awhile. Hope you can get that problem fixed and healed. Good luck.