The run-around

I ponied up for an MRI of my dodgy knee and a couple of visits to a high-end sports doctor to get more answers to a question that has bothered me a fair bit over the last few years… will I ever be able to run again?

The answer is yes, but it will be different than before. Tiny little distance… I wouldn’t have even thought of lacing up my shoes for a mile or two. Over time maybe that distance will increase. High cadence… quick steps should reduce joint load. Only flat terrain… hills and especially downhill running is what hurts the most so that’s out for a while. And soft surfaces… less painful. And not very often… need time for the inflammation to calm down. And of course the thing I’ve known all along but resist… do a bunch of boring exercises to strengthen the muscles around the joint.

The good news is that there’s nothing really wrong with my knee. It’s as old as me, and its smooth cartilage has been worn down and has some rough arthritic edges poking through. But otherwise, it still works. Surgery won’t make it any better.

So, I went to the park and jogged a couple laps around the playing field. First time in literally years that I’ve gotten above a walk.

It didn’t hurt!

I’m up to 3k now, aiming for a little more over the next few weeks. I don’t know if I’ll be able to think of myself as “a runner” again, but maybe I can get back to the point of having an enjoyable trot around the neighborhood.