Up But Not Yet Running

I haven't written in my blog for a week because I haven't been running.

After last Tuesday's elliptical machine workout, my left knee started to feel sore. It felt worse later in the day. I rested on Wednesday and then tried unsuccessfully to run on Thursday. I rested for a few more days, tried to run unsuccessfully on Monday and then made another appointment with Dr. Getzin, the sports medicine doctor.

I saw him yesterday and he diagnosed my problem as runner's knee. Evidently my muscles get tired and can't control the movement of the knee cap. Then the knee cap moves around and aggravates the cartilage and then I have pain.

Like plantar fasciitis, runner's knee can also be an overuse injury so this is probably my body's way of telling me that it wasn't quite ready to run 20 miles. But since I had a sharp pain when I tried to run on Thursday but a lesser pain when I tried to run on Monday, Dr. Getzin feels that I am healing pretty well and have a good chance of being able to run the marathon.

This is good because I just found out that I only have 6 1/2 hours to run it. People who are walking and who think it will take them longer than that have to start at 5:30 while everyone else starts at 7:00. Since I estimated it would take me 5 hours to run the race, I was placed in the 7:00 start group and don't have the option to change it now. After 1:30, the roads are opened back up to traffic and a van comes along and picks up stragglers. So if it turns out that I'm not able to run much, I will have to walk the course in 6 1/2 hours. Which I'm not sure I can do. So keep your fingers crossed that my knee pain is all gone by the 22nd.

I'm now to ice my knee as well as my foot and continue to take the anti-inflammatory medication. Keep resting and do cross-training if possible. But since my Fitness Station membership expires today and I have no desire to renew it, I don't think I'm going to be doing much cross-training. I have a knee sleeve that I've been wearing around the house. It feels pretty comfortable. Dr. Getzin thinks it may help my knee cap remember which way to go so it is worth a try.

I'm going to try to run again on Friday and see how it goes. I'm hoping to join everyone for the last group run (8 miles) on Saturday. But if it still hurts a little, I'll just wait and hope it's better for the big day.