Adding a new feature

As I've mentioned, I'm definitely lacking in motivation to post since I can't really run. So I've decided to add to URB in a tangential, albeit previously planned way: links to other non-running blogs. Take a look off to the right side of the page, and check out the "Titled Non-Running Blogs of Interest."

As the name clearly states, these are blogs about topics other than running that I find interesting for one reason or another, and it's possible you may as well. I originally conceived this as a "Random Blog of the Day" feature, which I may eventually adopt or incorporate here. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Glass half-empty or half-full?

Today was the day I've been waiting for. Or at least one of the days I've been waiting for. I went running again. It wasn't the I-kicked-ass-on-my-run-today day, but the other one.

Anyway, my uncharged Garmin didn't even survive the 5-minute drive to my starting point, so there would be no tracking this run. The best I could do is start the stopwatch on my cellphone, which I was leaving in the car. (I like to run as unencumbered as possible.) Having no clock ended up freeing me to run slow, which probably was good for my knee.

How slow did I run? Over 10:00/mile, for sure. Slow enough that I breathed through my nose for the majority of the time.

But what of my knee? And how many paragraphs will I start with questions? Unfortunately, my knee did start to get sore. The good news is this didn't really happen until about 2 miles in -- better than my last few attempts. On the other hand, I was running slowly.

So what did I do? (You knew there would be another question!) I stopped running when the soreness was somewhere between "ever so slight" and "yeah, it's there." On my other recent runs, I kept going another notch or two, until "unmistakable" or "it's gonna get worse if you keep running."

If I want to be optimistic, I can tell myself my knee is getting better. If I don't, my longer distance before the pain was only because I ran so much slower. Hmm. Optimistic, it is.

So now what? I guess I'll hold off on the running another week or two and continue to catch up on TV (but I'm running out of Hell's Kitchen episodes) and see my doctor again. Maybe he can refer me to an orthopedist (heck, I'd settle for an orthopaedist!) or at least give me a cortisone shot.

I'm not a doctor, and I don't even play one on TV, but I've self-diagnosed myself (all by myself, btw) with runner's knee, based on the location of the pain and the fact that I'm more likely to notice it going down stairs. What I don't like is how vague runner's knee is and how it could be any number of things causing it. Oh, and I don't like the fact that I can't freakin' run. How about that?

Gotta get back out there

I haven't run in two weeks. Wow. It's been nice in a way, and I've gotten some other things done that I needed to, but it also sucks. It feels like all my fall goals are just going away. This week was originally my plan for Whitney. I learned that the Philadelphia marathon, which I had been favoring, is sold out. And I've completely lost all motivation to post here. You're welcome.

The knee seems fine, but it also seemed fine before my last few runs. I've been icing it occasionally (not sure why, it feels OK) and stretching occasionally. Now and then, I feel a very slight soreness, but it could be my imagination. I'm definitely hyperfocusing on it, sometimes asking myself with each step if I felt something abnormal. Oh well.

The time for me to go running again is drawing nigh. That's right, nigh. Could be as soon as tomorrow. Or maybe Thursday.

Stay tuned.

Rx for running

So Monday I went for a run. I figured nine days off would put me in a good spot. Nope.

I headed out on the same flat course I did the time before, but at almost exactly 1 mile, I started to feel it in my knee. I went another half-mile just to confirm that I didn't simply need to loosen up. Then I walked back, dejected, kicking a tin can. And maybe a kitten or two. (No, not really.)

I went to the doctor Wednesday for an unrelated (and, for the record, non-infectious) matter and mentioned my knee. I was advised to rest it, ice it, stretch it and yada-yada it. Not exactly what I was hoping to hear, but realistically what I expected. We'll have to see about that. I can't exactly train and rest at the same time, right?

Then again, resting does further my not-so-parallel goal of being lazy. Like I said, we'll have to see about that.

Unrelated laziness update: A while ago, I promised posts about my training for San Francisco and an acutal race report. Yes, I know it's been over a month since the race. Let's just say I've been putting extra effort into this, all because the eagle eye of history is watching. At least, let's say it if you're willing to believe it. Either way, expect to see at least a few coherent sentences on those topics soon enough.