So, the training is going well. The miles are ramping up, slowly but steadily. Still with plenty of strength work, stretching and some speed sessions. I'm doing something everyday. The knee is holding up (although there's an annoying ache which seems to come and go unexpectedly, and not related to what the session before had in stock). I've got some new friends to help guide me though: I look a right muppet carrying these poles around but they're light, sturdy and help take the load from my knees on hills and provide some forwards propulsion on the flat. When running 1030 miles I've got to be efficient with the load on my legs by spreading the forces around the rest of my body as much as I can. The clip is for some gloves to hook into, by the way. I can't decide if they remind me of Beaker or a rooster? . See if you can spot the odd one out from the selfies below. One's taken on an early run on Christmas Day, before the t...
And, with a squelch, we're off (again)! Back on a (cough) slightly delayed and amended plan.
The knee has been set free. The troublesome flap of torn meniscus has been successfully nibbled off. If only I'd had a crystal ball at the start... Three months standard conservative treatment (which turned into four) of allowing the tear to sort itself out didn't work. This conservative approach for tears like mine often results in what they call auto-amputation, meaning no need for surgery and all the complications that surgery can bring both in the short and long term. However, surgery has now worked. So far.
Yay 😊.
I walked out of the hospital following arthroscopy and partial meniscectomy that morning without needing to use the crutches they gave me, and managed a gentle half loop parkrun walk four days later, and a low resistence flat 40 minute cycle ride a further three days after that. Regular knee exercises pre- and post-surgery have helped.
So, with just over 10 months to go, it's rehab, building back base fitness, and increasing distance up to christmas, followed by event specific prep through to the end of May with plenty of back to back runs and some multi-day adventures. All with a heavy dose of patience and TOFU PASTA (see my last post). Hopefully the cycling and strength work I've been managing to do over the summer will hold me in good stead. I've been talking to various people in the know. We think it's still possible to make the start line for a succesful LEJOG during June 2025. It'll be tight but I'm going to give it a damn good go. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and all that.
My promise: No more mention of knees. And plenty of mention of progress and milestones reached.
Oh, and the 'squelch'? No one told me that for two days after the surgery, every time I flexed my knee, it would squelch like one of those squidgy tomato sauce bottles.
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