Training Log: 5 mile run – my knee buckled and I am not a happy camper
Posted on October 26th, 2009 in Run Log, Workout Log | 3 Comments »
I took a recovery week from running and also cancelled my long run in hopes of healing my left knee. So today I decided to start running again. I was apprehensive because my knee did not feel like it got any better. However, I wanted test it out. Why you ask? Well, those of you who follow my blog already know, but for those who are new to Project Exercise… I am not wired like others. I am just driven to the point of failure. I want to know that I have given it all. Ok, maybe it is not the smart approach, but that how I do things. As they say… "it is what it is.
So anyway, instead of running the treadmill to get out of the heat, I decided to run outside because I hate the "dreadmill". It was hot though. When I started running at 10 am it was already 87 degrees and humid. Not good, but it was nice to watch scenery go by. As I began to run, my left knee was screaming. The pain was bad. Well, I have this 2 mile rule… if it still hurts after two miles I'll stop (yeah, right). A lot of time, things loosen up and stabilize after 2 miles. When I hit the two mile mark, my knee was still hurting, but you know, its like the pain just becomes part of the run… almost acceptable, so I decide to forge on. Hey, I already said I am not wired right!
On my inbound leg, while running through Ala Moana Beach Park, I feel a sharp pain and my knee buckles. I actually do down. It happened so fast that I couldn't catch myself… I just go down. Luckily, I land partly on smooth cement and partly on the grass. I get up to see if I can walk. I am able to walk so I walk for about about a quarter mile. I start running again and in about a half mile, it happens again. I feel myself getting really angry because I have put a lot of effort to train for the marathon and I don't want to throw it all away. I walk for the next mile. I start running again and I am able to make it the rest of the way to the gym to shower up. Can you imagine if I fell on the treadmill at the gym?!?!
When I get back to the office, my boss, who really is a nice guy, starts asking me how the running is going and how my knee is holding up. I snapped at him and told him I didn't want to talk about it. You know, he didn't deserve that so later in the day I told him what happened this morning.
I have a doctor's appt scheduled for November 6th, but I think I need to see a sports medicine doctor or an orthopedic specialist. I am coming to the realization that I need to have my knee examined. I am really tempted to run on it again. The marathon is about 6 weeks out. I would like to think that I can do some training and at least run/walk the distance. I don't know… I don't like to think I got beat. The reality is, however, that my knee hurts like hell. It hurts right now as I type this post. I am icing. I bought a knee brace this evening and it helps while I walk. Since my run this morning, I have a noticeable limp (I hate being gimpy). Lateral and twisting movements are excrutiating. I commute on a motorcyle everyday and it hurts to mount and dismount the bike because I have to put my left foot down and swing my right leg over the seat to get on and off. The twisting motion on my knee kills me.
Ok, enough of that. Its like I'm whining now. HTFU (as a Christain, I don't really want to translate that for you – triathletes know what that means).
3 Responses
No translation necessary.
Wow Boomer, sorry to read about that. Your knee buckling is a sign that all’s not well, but your doctors appointment is the right thing to do. Who knows, perhaps a shot of cortizone is all you’ll need to get through your marathon training. But like you said previously, compensating for a hurt knee (by limping) is only making the problem worse…and maybe causing a new problem that’s yet to surface.
One thing is for sure, you KNOW you can do the training. Your knee isn’t cooperating, but you KNOW if it was…if it wasn’t hurting…you’d be right there where you need to be. It’s not an "age thing," its a training thing. Lots of guys younger than you have the same injuries doing a lot less training than you.
Boomer – I feel for you brother!
I honestly am at a loss for words right now. Been staring at this blank box for like 5 minutes. You have trained so hard and I have nothing but admiraton for what you have accomplished and feel terrible for you right now.
What Steve said above is spot on! You know you can do it and you aren’t shutting it down because it is too hard or you are too sore. You are injured, plain and simple. We laughed about this the other day on my blog but this has no longer become a "pain" and you are doing the right thing by going to see your doctor. The knee is effecting not just your training but everything you do. I know how you think (b/c I think the same way) and I know you are going to beat yourself up over this and start to think about ways that you can tune out the knee and continue running — DON’T DO IT! See the Doc, get an MRI, and heal up. Hopefully it is an inflammation issue and a shot of cortisone will be the silver bullet! Just stay off that sucker until the Doc appt and keep us posted on how you are doing!
Jeff & Steve… I can’t tell you how much your words of encouragement and understanding mean to me. You two make me realize that sometimes there are things that I don’t have total control over and it wasn’t my drive that was the problem. You know I didn’t even consider that until I read you comments. I just saw a big old goose egg!
Again, thank you!