I Love Running

After getting clearance last Friday that I could begin running again, I went out immediately after work that day.  I decided on something easy, a loop or two around Sugarhouse Park, which is part of my standard beater run.  You know, your goto route when you're pressed for time-but you've just got to get out-run.  Really I could go the rest of my life without ever running around that park and be perfectly happy.  But last Friday it provided somewhere soft for my tentative stride to get some turnover without any risk.  Halfway around I had a grin from ear to ear and struggled to keep a lid on my slower than usual pace.  By the time the I was ready for my second loop I couldn't help myself any longer and sped up to sub 7 pace.  I was breathing harder than normal but it didn't matter, I felt as though I was flying.  After a few more minutes I began to feel some pain.  Then the smile came back, the pain wasn't in my knee, it was my muscles straining to keep up the pace.  I blocked out the muscular pain and tuned in to my knee for the rest of the loop.  Nothing.

The end of the loop came too soon and even though I wanted to do another I stopped.  Better to be left wanting more than come limping back after aggravating something.  That was when I realized how much I truly love to run.  Here I was on cloud nine after a short 4 mile run on the beater loop.

I remained tentative for the next two days doing some easy runs, took a day off, then met up with Greg for trip around Red Butte and up Van Cott.  Coming off the long descent on Van Cott I felt some pain again.  This time it was my quads taking a beating and it felt great.  In the days following I completed another 3 runs with some vertical.  The knee is still happy and so am I.  Now I just need to work on the fitness part to complete the package.

Knee, Meet Surgeon, Please Get Along Together

It's official, I'm having surgery.  The whole thing started at the end of November and after trying everything but surgery I'm willing to give it a go.  The official diagnosis is Medial Synovial Plica Irritation.  Often times it is referred to as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS or runners knee).  Essentially it is a dull ache that gradually increases in pain until you're forced to stop.  Sometimes it takes days to build up while other times it only takes less than a mile.

An MRI done back in December revealed a possible meniscus tear as well as a large cyst; aka Mr. Irritated Plica.  More often than not rest and an anti-inflammatory regimen will take care of it, but not this time.  In the words of my surgeon "I see about 200 of these a year and I perform surgery on about 5".  Looks like I scored on the wrong side of the odds this time around.

Through the course of this whole thing I've tried complete rest, physical therapy, and both non-steroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (all oral, no shots).  The result is always the same.  I can run, but I'm limited to a paltry 20 to 30 miles per week and there's no way I can do back to back long runs without the pain returning.  I even contemplated an extended time off, like the rest of the year, but I'm told it wouldn't make a difference.  Plus I'm not sure my family could tolerate me for that long, there's no doubt I would go a little crazy.

So next Thursday I go in for a simple scope that will make me good as new.  I know, I know, I'm not naive enough to think that nothing can go wrong or that it won't work, but at this point I'm extremely optimistic and I will do everything in my power to make sure I heal and rehab properly, pinky swear.