About a year ago, after moving back home, I decided to sign up with the website myfavoriterun.com and started logging my run times. The first time I ran I completed about a 20 min. run with an 11:04 minute average. Throughout the past year I've never maintained a consistent running schedule but have used it for stress release and exercise, probably running once every 10 days - 2 weeks on average. I usually run about 2.5 or 3 miles and have cut my pace down to about a 10 minute average, so for 25 or 30 minutes.
A few weeks ago I was running and around the last mile I noticed my right knee started to bother me. I didn't think too much of it, but finished my run in more or less average speed and distance. The next time I ran I did not notice my knee bothering me at all. Two Sundays ago I went orienteering with my family and didn't even think about my knee hurting me again, since I basically had diagnosed it as an isolated incident. Well that was unfortunately not the case. Normally the orienteering routes I do take about 1-1.5 hours to complete and average about 4-8 km in distance. This particular route was an exception though and was more difficult than the routes I normally complete. Coupled by the fact that I got off my map and lost for about 20 minutes did not help anything. My total time logged in at about 2.5 hours. Not a big deal, really, except for the fact that about halfway through my knee started bothering me again. Orienteering is also hardly ever run on flat elevation, so I was running (well jogging) up and down often steep elevation changes while my knee was painfully worsening. By the time the last 45 minutes rolled around I was walking and using an impromptu hiking stick as a crutch. needless to say, I spent the rest of that day RICEing it (Resting, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). Gradually over the past 2 weeks I have been feeling it get better.
Today I decided it was healed enough to have another go. I got about 10 minutes into my run and my knee was hurting me again so much I had to stop. I was surprised when I found myself crying at the frustration and anger I felt that my body wasn't up to a simple 30 minute jog. Part of the reason I know that I hurt my knee in the first place was the fact that the shoes I was wearing were completely worn out and were in fact missing part of the rubber heel because it had worn down and eventually fallen out. The last few times I ran it had been like this. Not good. Today I finally purchased new shoes and was hoping that would solve the problem.
I think I was too optimistic. The new shoes were definitely important for better foot care, but I guess my knee is telling me that it is still too soon. I also signed up to run the turkey trot about 2 days before I went orienteering and seriously hurt it, so now I may not even be able to "trot" the turkey trot, but will be forced to walk. I feel lame and pathetic, but I also try to remember to be thankful I can even walk.
These are my new kicks:
I need to be careful to take care of my body and appreciate the fact that my body is actually working properly and telling me to take it easy because I was not doing something right. In the meantime I think I need to take up cycling.
