After my 100 mile mountain race last fall (The Bear 100) I had quite a bit of outside left knee pain that was very slow in healing (IT Band inflammation). I took it very easy for quite some time and was slowly recovering. Then one day in late January while at the gym I was having some of the old knee pain flare up again so I decided to ride a stationary bike for a bit to get some good cardio work in. I had only been riding for a few minutes when I could tell something was very wrong. I got off the bike and had a horrible pain in the inside of my left knee. This was something completely new. I've never had pain on the inside before and whoever heard of hurting your knee riding a stationary bike? As I look back I am guessing that I had probably already done the injury and for some reason the motion of riding a bike put it over the top and made it manifest itself.
After waiting for 6 weeks to see if it would heal, it became obvious I needed to go see a doctor. Of course you can't get in to see a doctor for 3 weeks. After X-Rays and knee manipulation the doctor determined that I probably had a torn meniscus. Surgery scheduled out another 3+ weeks.
Finally on Wednesday April 24th I went in for arthroscopic knee surgery. It wasn't too bad. I didn't have too much pain after the surgery. I only took prescription pain meds for 24 hours and then Ibuprofen for another 24 hours. After 4 days I was no longer limping and doing stairs just fine. Today, 8 days later, I went in for my surgery follow up.
Recovery time - I am able to walk just fine now with no limp. I can continue to increase my walking as much as pain will allow. In a week or so I can begin to do weights and resistance exercises with very little weight and resistance, increasing as pain allows. In 4 weeks I can begin impact exercises, running very slow and easy to start and increasing as my knee allows
After I'm recovered the doctor said that if I didn't want to have knee replacement surgery down the road I should probably not run a 100 mile race again........what a quack! Seriously though, I will be very careful with my recovery and think long and hard about my future in running Ultra Marathons as I evaluate how my knee is holding up to the activities that I do. The challenge is that I still have 2 remaining "Bucket List" items that involve running ultras. With that being said, if I have to give it up I am at peace with that. The doctor said I can hike to my hearts content and the fact of the matter is that my love for being in the mountains is even greater than my passion for Ultra running.
As of right now I withdrew from the Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50 Miler in March (I did work at an aid station for this run and my company provided lighting to the main tent and aid stations for the 100 mile race). I have also had to withdraw from the Squaw Peak 50 Mile race on June 1st. I will also withdraw from the Speedgoat 50K the end of July. My only hope for running a significant race this year is The Bear 100 in late September. If I can get back to 100% by mid September I will run it. I need to run a qualifying race this year in order to accomplish one of my bucket list items and the Bear 100 is a qualifying race.
In order for me to have any chance of making this happen I have to lose some weight......................... a lot of weight! Last year I weighed exactly 199.6 pounds when I ran the Bear. With me not being able to exercise much over the last several months, and eating everything in sight, I am back up to 220. I believe that I have to be down to a maximum of 180 in order to make my attempt at the Bear this year. I would like to see 170 but I will take it one step at a time and see how it goes. 2 things have to happen in order for me to hit my weight goal. Both of these items have historically been extremely difficult for me to overcome. First, I have to quit eating anything and everything. I love food. I look forward to food, I crave food. I have to get over it! Second, I need to break off my 25+ year love affair .................. with Diet Coke. I have been a hard core Diet Coke drinker for most of my adult life. When I say hard core I mean that it has generally replaced water in my diet. I drink way more than a gallon a day, everyday. I can tell you from experience that no matter how hard you try you cannot drink all of the Diet Coke out there, it just isn't possible. I am not saying that I won't ever have one again. But I am saying that I think I will have to limit it to maybe once or twice a month on a special occasion (Nothing goes with a really good steak like Diet Coke).
I will update my progress, or lack thereof, frequently. This blog will be my space for holding myself accountable for doing what I need to do in order to complete my goals, both short term and long term.
