Saturday, July 16, 2022

But Can I Run?

This knee injury is so not my fault. 

I blame the tree root that tripped me up a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the pain is getting worse. On Wednesday (see below), my run was rudely interrupted by searing pain in the base of my left knee, right below the knee cap. As the week went on, the pain lessened but any attempt to run (even to cross a street) made my knee angry again.  

On Friday, I saw a PT, who happens to be a friend of mine and she concurred with what Dr. Skiba told me last week. She noted that my kneecap was out of alignment and taped it for me, using McConnell taping. This is a rigid tape as opposed to the stretchier Kinesio tape we runners like to use. I felt immediately better. She also said I could try to run. I'll probably need to keep taping it for a while until the bruise resolves, but she thinks I'll be able to go back to using my Rock Tape.

Friday's run
Weekly Rundown
Sunday: Ice Age Trail run 8.4 miles, waterskiing
Monday: CrossFit, run 1850m
Tuesday: pool running 5k
Wednesday: trail run 4 miles
Thursday: Strength training
Friday: run/walk 5 miles
Saturday: waterskiing

Running

We were up at the lake house on Sunday and I couldn't pass up a run on the trails! I wanted to get in a quick waterski as well before we headed home, so I took my shoes to the Lodi Marsh segment, which is quite close to our lake house. I was worried about the biting flies and I made sure to cover my hair with a buff and a hat. I sprayed myself with my trusty repellant and headed into the woods. It was early, but at the beginning of my run, I encountered a group of trail runners exiting the trail. That was a first! The temperature started to quickly warm up as I made my way towards the marsh and yep, the flies found me. Fortunately, they weren't as bad as the last time I had to deal with them, but they were certainly a nuisance! A few of them bit me through my shirt and I really picked up the pace to try to keep them at bay. I don't think I've ever run this trail so fast. That's not how I like to run trails! Considering that I gained 1200 ft of elevation, this was not an easy run. I was sure tired when I got back to my car. And very, very glad to be done.

All the cool kids are doing 0.5 selfies, lol

Whomp, whomp. I headed to my local preserve on a beautiful sunny Wednesday morning, hoping to run off some really negative energy. For the first 2 miles, I felt really good. The single track that I was on ends on the main trail and there is a steep uphill to run before it reconnects with another single track. I was crushing that uphill, I really was, until I felt a painful tug in my left knee. Oh no. There was an older couple walking down the hill, smiling at me, so I pushed through the pain to get to the top. Then I stopped and ouch! I walked for a bit, but the pain flared back up when I tried to run again. I didn't want to walk back to my car on the main trail, so I ducked back into the woods and did 2 more miles, walking. I'm glad I did. When I got home, I put my leg up on a pillow and iced for a while before heading to work. 

If I had been running, I might not have seen this young buck, showing off his fuzzy new antlers!

After I saw the PT and had my knee taped on Friday, I went to the 2 mile loop around the retention pond near my house. Long-time readers might remember that I've done a lot of running there over the years! It gets pretty crowded in the summer and so I tend to avoid it this time of year. But it was a rainy morning and I guessed that not too many people would be there. I was nervous to test out the knee, so I started out walking. As I walked that first loop, my knee started to loosen up and the residual soreness seemed to be gone. When my watch hit mile 2.5, I decided to go for it, picking up the pace, but starting out slow and cautious. No pain! I took a few brief walk breaks, but at mile 4, I just kept going, without stopping. I had no pain at all! The rain loosened the tape a bit, so when I got home I dried it with a hairdryer and put another anchor piece on it to hold it in place. 

CrossFit and Strength

Monday morning was so humid, but the WOD must go on! The strength portion had us doing some work with the slam balls: 12 rotational slam balls, 10 kettlebell around the worlds, and 1 lap of partner lateral shuffles. I didn't have a partner, so SJ filled in and that was kind of fun! She said this wasn't an AMRAP but we had 16 minutes to do as many rounds as possible... anyhoo. The MetCon was an 18 minute AMRAP of 400m runs!, 16 pull-ups (I did banded), and 12 power cleans (55#). I finished 3 rounds, and 4 runs, and was on my 4th set of pull-ups when time was called. Maybe it was the humidity, but I felt kind of sick after that and had to take it easy for the afternoon. Darnit, the cleaning will have to wait...

The 'high pull' portion of the clean

With the development of worsening pain in my knee, I let SJ know that I wouldn't probably be able to do squats or lunges, but that I wanted to come to work out. Ever creative, she had me do 4 sets of 12 reps weighted hip bridges (85#) alternating with overhead carries of kettlebells (20# each) on a PVC pipe. These are very unstable and require a lot of core and glute tightening. After that, I did 3 sets of 8 strict presses (45#) alternating with 3 laps of alligator crawls on slider plates. My knee was not bothered by any of this and I was very happy to get in a good, hard workout!


Off the road...

Zenaida contacted Marcia and me to schedule a lunch date! We met up Wednesday and it was so nice to see both of them. I can't remember the last time I saw Zenaida. Blogger meetups are the best, wouldn't you agree?


We drove up to the lake on Saturday. It was cloudy and cool in the morning, but after lunch, the sun came out and the hubs took me waterskiing. We found a bay that was calm and I had a nice run. There's nothing better than a day on the water!

The car ferry that crosses the Wisconsin River gave Cocoa something to bark at!

How was your week? Have you ever had PFPS or chondromalacia? Any runner meetups lately?

I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown. 





37 comments :

  1. I have not heard of McConnell taping but I am glad that it is working for you. Blogger meetups are really fun. I had a few this weekend as well and looking forward to ours next month. Hope that knee feels better this week

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    1. Even though the PT told me I'd have trouble removing the tape, it came off after I waterskied yesterday. Guess she didn't count on that, lol. I didn't bring it with me to the lake, so we'll see how my run turns out this morning. Maybe duct tape will work? :p

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  2. How fun to have a blogger meet up!!! I recognize those names/ faces 😁 hope you're feeling better soon!

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    1. Thank you! I just got back from a run and the knee held up well.

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  3. Glad the tape is helping! Enjoy your time on the water!

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  4. I runfess when I strained my calf, my Rock tape last several weeks.

    Yes nothing better than being on or near the water. I'm heading out soon.

    Hope your knee improves.....

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  5. I haven't heard of McConelltape either -- glad it's helped you keep running. Definitely fun to meet up with other bloggers!

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    1. It's a PT taping technique using rigid tape. It's not for long term use.

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  6. Oh gosh, I'd be overly cautious with that knee. OUCH. It's great the tape is helping. Blogger meet-ups are awesome; looks like a great time with Marcia and Zenaida!

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    1. I trust the PT and it is feeling better! So I'm pretty sure she knows what she's talking about.

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  7. Yay for strong tape! Can you reapply it yourself?
    How fun to meet up for lunch.
    Love the waterskiing too.
    I hope your knee continues to improve.

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    1. Yes, she had me video her application technique. The tape is off right now and my knee is feeling pretty good.

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  8. Ugh! Well, I will agree that your recent injuries seem to be from fluky accidents. Glad the taping helps- I haven't heard of that type of tape, but I do know the KT is meant to be more for muscle activation rather than support.
    It's funny, i was recently thinking how there's a little cluster of bloggers in your area. That must have been a fun lunch! I'll be in the area later this week but unfortunately won't be doing much of anything other than hanging at my sister's house in Steger. She had a fluky accident of her own and hurt her foot, so we'll be laying low. BUT! I'll be back and I'll plan a longer visit next time so we can get together. I want to run on your trail!

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    1. Enjoy your sister time and yes, let's plan a get together in the future!

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  9. Chondromalacia was part of what led to my knee surgery. It didn't resolve through PT but the surgery kept it mostly at bay until a fall and then running. Luckily it's more responsive to PT now but is no surprise the one where the ITB flares. I need to remember to tape it more often.
    Glad you otherwise had a good week and yes ab solutely on meetups. Glad they're getting more normal again. And yay fuzzy antlers. I saw so many deer last weekend.

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  10. So sorry about the knee - glad you could get good advice and treatment for it and hope it continues to ease. Lovely meetup - hooray! A bad couple of weeks weather-wise here, in the mid 80s early last week and I had a horsefly bite on my ankle, got runs in Thurs early and Sat reasonably early running to parkrun then the last mile of the way back in the heat, it's mid 80s today and has been all day and it was enough to walk to our friends' allotment, and tomorrow and Tuesday we have high 90s forecast and we need to concentrate on just existing.

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    1. I heard that you are getting a ridiculous heat wave! i know you don't have AC there--stay cool!

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  11. I've never heard of McConnell taping but I'm glad it's providing some relief. It made me smile to see the photo of you, Marcia and Zenaida come up in my social feed. Blogger meet ups are the best and I'm long overdue for one - might be time to start planning another big meet up in Chicago ;)

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  12. Hey look at you all, wearing real clothes! :) Looks like a fun meet up and you all look great! I have to agree with the cool kids comment. My daughter insisted we take soooo many selfies and pictures in .5. We all look like we have super long limbs in some of them, or big foreheads (which my daughter thinks is especially hilarious). Good times!
    Sorry your knee is being so wonky. I can see how the taping would help. I hope it gets you through this, fast!

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    1. The .5 selfies have been fun to play with! i love the ridiculously long limbs, lol

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  13. Blogger meetups are great! Let me know if you're in London :) I love that Cocoa didn't trust the ferry!

    Glad the taping is helping the knee!

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    1. She's hilarious--when we're boating she barks at the strangest things!

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  14. Haha, love that 0.5 selfie! I've been trying them out, too. They're quite hilarious, especially for group selfies.

    Every time I read about your biting flies on your trails I get panicky... I couldn't deal with it. I think I'd be running through the forest screaming at the top of my voice.
    Well done for being so badass and getting that run done, Wendy!!

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    1. I have to admit to a little panic when the flies start buzzing me--after that first attack a few years ago, I'm pretty sure I have PTSD. My spray seems to help keep them off me, though. Grateful for that!

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  15. I'm glad the new tape is working for you. Anything to continue to be able to run, right?

    LOL on the cool kids doing the .5 selfies. I just started doing that a couple of months ago. With my phone, though, I have to turn it facing away and not in selfie mode. Since I can't see what I'm taking a picture of, sometimes I capture what I want and sometimes I don't. ;-)

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    1. That's what I had to do as well. I had multiple fails! You can see my hand in this one, which is kind of funny too. Oh the ways we amuse ourselves...

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  16. Ugh. I'm so sorry about your knee. That's absolutely not your fault. And those are the worst kind of injuries. Fingers crossed that you heal up soon. I had a fabulous week. We were out of town in NC, just hanging out and exploring. I miss the mountains already.

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  17. Bummer about the knee :( I know how annoying knee pain can be, especially when it goes away and them comes back with a vengeance. I'm glad that the new tape is heling.

    So cool that you were able to meet up with Zenaida and Marcia for lunch. I miss all of you!

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    1. Miss you too! I keep hoping we can plan a blogger meet up for everyone one of these days, but Covid just keeps crashing the party.

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  18. The Weekend Went Very Well And Its Good To Be Us - That Coco Photo Takes The Cake

    Sending Positive Vibes
    Cheers

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  19. Sorry to hear about the injury. If it's misaligned seeing a chiropracter might be a good idea. Taping it isn't going to move it back to alignment, I don't think. Taping provides support though. I would think resting it would be a good idea instead of trying to run again right away. Take care.
    Sandy's Space

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