That Time I Tried To Run Again

Remember how I used to talk all about running? Miles and miles, day after day. Those were the good ol' days.

Since the Sunburst Half marathon, my knee's being being a bitch. We've talked about this. In fact, since the half, I've hardly run. At all. There was the Firecracker 5-Miler on July 4 and... well, that's it. If you're keeping track, that was 20 days ago. Unacceptable.

Ok, that's not entirely true. Last weekend (7/13), I tried to run again. TRIED being the operative word.

I had such high hopes going into the run. I had all these "my-knee-will-be-magically-fixed-and-this-is-going-to-be-amazing" thoughts going into it. I woke up that morning and was legit EXCITED. The sun was shinning, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I was ready. I laced up and was out the door in minutes. With a huge, goofy grin.

Yeah.

That last about 3 minutes.

I told myself I wouldn't look at my Garmin at ALL. I had no pace predictions or expectations. Honest. I didn't really even have distance expectations. Somewhere between 3-6 miles was what I told the Hubs. (Side note: Remember when I used to tell the Hubs somewhere between 10-13 and ended up doing 15?? Those were the days... ooooh, memories...)

Less than a half mile into the run, my knee started to ACHE. Not a mild ache either. A full blown THIS HURTS PLEASE STOP NOW ache. Don't worry-- I didn't listen. ;)

I kinda knew it was going to hurt. I was OK with it hurting a little. It hurt more than a little. And, it hurt the entire rest of the run. And, the rest of the day. It didn't hurt any more than usual the rest of the day, so I suppose that's good news. But, still... it hurt. In a nagging, this-isn't-good kinda way.

I stayed slow and steady. I stopped once to pee and didn't even look to see my pace thus far or distance. I was PROUD of that. I honestly did NOT care how fast or slow I was going. Spoiler: it was far, faaaar from fast. Even with the pain, I was happy to be out there.

 

I finished the run with 5.5 miles in just over an hour. Yeah, remember when that used to take me under 50 minutes? Woah. How times have changed. It's OK. That whole sun-shinning-no-clouds thing kinda back fired and it got HOT out and I knew I needed to go slower. I ALWAYS have slowed down in the heat. Maybe not THIS much, but I'm cool with it. I also walked part of the last half mile because I felt myself getting warmer and warmer and didn't want to over heat.

Honestly, I am 100% OK with the pace. I don't even remotely care. I'm growing a freaking baby inside my belly. However slow I need to go, I'm cool with.

I am not even close to 100% OK with the pain level I felt during the run. I probably should have stopped. Stubborn, Meagan. <Rest assured, it was JUST my knee that hurt... nothing baby related, I promise!!>

So, I haven't run since. Rest, rest, and more rest.

Sadly, I haven't been foam rolling, though. The way I have to foam roll, with my ever-growing belly, just doesn't feel right. My foam rolling days for the next 21 weeks are over.

Luckily my knee HAS started feeling a little better lately. I've noticed less random spurts of pain (even just when sitting... stupid knee). It's feeling less stiff after long stretches of inactivity. It doesn't ache at all anymore from the elliptical. All good signs. 

All good enough signs to make me want to try again. Soon. This weekend soon. So, try again I will. Again, I won't have ANY ideas about pace or distance. I'll walk if needed. And, I'll even REALLY try to stop if it hurts the same that it did last weekend.

Let's hope Knee-Stop-Being-A-Whiny-A-Hole Operation, Round 2 goes better...