Hot cha cha

Boy, it's been hot.

So the update on the hip/knee pain.... I went to the doctor on Monday, who referred me to the physical therapist.

Went biking Monday (11 miles), Tuesday (12 miles), and Wednesday (23 miles), and had no knee pain.

Saw the physical therapist on Friday. Still not really sure what it is - she does not think it's an IT band problem, since that type of problem is more prevalent in bicyclists than in runners. But the hip is definately stiff and less flexible than the other side. And since the knee pain is only showing itself during weight-bearing exercises, plus the weird "click" in my knee when it gets rotated, she suspects it is partly a cartilidge problem. Lovely.

Um, why exactly did I decide I wanted to run a marathon?

Anyway, she suggested that I contunue on the same type of program for the next couple of weeks... she even said that if the knee pain was showing up at the 6-8 mile mark, that I could do training runs for a while at that distance... then realized I said that it was noticable at the 3-mile mark. But... and this is my trying to push it... I might try and throw in a couple of shorter runs this week to see what happens, because I feel the knee, but it's not unbearable until after 8 miles or so.

Only 8 miles.

Would you listen to me? Sheesh.

So I decided with 15 miles on my schedule for Saturday, I would try running the three lakes (Harriet, Calhoun, Lake of the Isles) which is 11 miles, and see how I was feeling to decide if I was going to do another lap around Harriet. And it was HOT. Lordy lordy lordy. Anyway, I got about 9.5 miles in, before I had to walk. Shooting pain in my knee. Stretch, stretch. Sit down on the grass and rest for 5 minutes. And the whole thing just wiped me out. Seriously. I went home, and about fell asleep in the bathtub. So I got out and ate a bit of something, then laid down and took a two-hour nap. After waking up, I was still not well, having a rather low blood sugar moment. A handful of Golden Grahms, and some real Kool-Aid, and I was feeling a bit more human.

Sunday, I took the day off, and the good news is that it does not hurt to walk.

And traveling this week, I got on the bike at the hotel tonight after I checked in. I also have my bike in the back of my truck, but I am thinking about running tomorrow morning on the treadmill, to see how it goes. A glutton for punishment? Perhaps.

Wish me luck.
~a