Three Weeks and Still Going

It was yesterday, about an hour or so after my run, I was walking up the stairs and I suddenly realized -- I have sore muscles! Oh, the soreness feels SO good.

I've been running for three weeks now. And though the knee isn't perfect yet, I'm able to run every other day. My last few runs have been 3 miles each, with only minimal stops (I recall stopping twice during each of the last two runs -- the first stop coming around the two mile mark). I expect to be running three miles non-stop by next week. Then I'll go to four days each week. And slowly increase the mileage. Small steps.

This journey back to running is a slow one. I am so out of (running) shape. Which also means my quick breaks to rest my knee are a welcome relief to my running muscles as well. "Patience" I tell myself...

C-Ya

Week 2 and another haiku

morning at the pond
brings unexpected joy -
sunrise lights my path


This is my second week back running. It seems with each run the walking breaks to rest the knee are getting shorter and farther between. I am just so grateful to be able to run again. Twenty nine degrees and snow on the ground? Where are my running shoes?! I'm going out!

And the haiku just keep coming...

C-Ya

haiku time again!

cool morning air
awaits me at fresh pond -
a bird is calling


Ran this morning around Fresh Pond. A lovely run. Of course I'm having to take it really easy as I rebuild my knee. But this morning was about 2 1/2 miles of running (3 including the walking breaks). Yeah, and those walking breaks weren't just for my knees. I am so out of running form.

But it feels so good to get outside and run. My weekly total will only be something like 7 miles. But that's 7 miles more than I was doing a month ago. Or a year ago. Or two years ago.

I cannot wait to get out and run again (on Sunday). Although I feel little tiny tweaks in my knee, in general things are looking very good -- just in time for Winter here in Boston. Hmm...5K in March?

C-Ya

Back on the Road!

Yes, it's true. I am running again. Barely.

After being sidelined for (essentially) two and a half years, I am running again. I know enough to take it very easy and build up very slowly. This will be the challenge for me.

To recap...

After my 2007 Hyannis marathon, and after a month or so of taking it easy, I was starting to increase mileage again when I was sidelined by a tear in the meniscus in my left knee (though it was several months before it reached the point where I could no longer run and needed to seek medical advice). That injury lasted about a year.

Then in the Spring of 2008, as I was starting to run regularly again, I tore the meniscus in my right knee. (Same pain, same symptoms, other knee) I'm guessing that both tears were the result of building my marathon mileage too quickly (I was running marathons at the rate of two per year). The right knee took more like 18 months to reach the point where I could start running again.

And just to add insult to injury, several months ago I gave up my car so now I walk a whole lot more. (I live and work in Cambridge, so it's actually rather easy to get by without a car.) But all the new walking resulted in a wicked case of plantar fasciitis (right foot).

But, I learned how to tape my foot to provide the needed additional support (to alleviate the inflamation in my foot). It really did the trick. I was able to immediately run on it with no pain.

So...now I begin the very slow process of rebuilding my running. [No predictions regarding future racing...yet.]

No, I'm not down about my present condition. I'm just filled with gratitude that I can run at all and am appreciating every mile of every run now. [And I hope to be blogging a bit more here now that I'm running again.]

C-Ya

My Knees Are...

A) Older than the hills

B) Killing me

C) A biomechanical nightmare

D) All of the above

If you chose "D", you would be correct! As if recoverying from torn meniscus in EACH knee was not enough, now my left knee has what appears to be a medial collateral ligament strain, AND, my right knee is exhibiting some symptoms of runner's knee. I ran a total of 5 miles last week and they hurt again.

I have a theory.

I've been working out extensively on an elliptical trainer. I suspect the elliptical motions may have overdeveloped certain muscles and when I began running again, they stressed my knee ligaments in new ways.

I'll be backing off on things for a little while (yet again). Maybe I'll just swim for a little while. Perhaps do some cycling. And then I'll try running again (without the elliptical). Eventually I'll run again.

C-Ya (in a few weeks)

Haiku Time Again!

gray above, gray below

spring rain falls on Fresh Pond

a run unfolds

It's been a long time coming. I can't remember the last time I went out for a run. For the past month or so, it seems, it's been a 1/2 mile at a time on a treadmill, in between elliptical training and stair climbing or rowing. All indoors. In the gym. But today...

I went OUT for a run. It was one mile, then a little walking, then another half mile.

It felt so good to run outside (at Fresh Pond of course). Cool with a few sprinkles. Gray skies above, Fresh Pond itself steel gray. And in between, Spring is just exploding here in Boston. Cherry trees are blossoming. Trees are showing more green. Flowers everywhere.

And I went out for a run.

[Gee, I almost feel blessed.]

Boston Marathon 2009

So, once again I find myself on the sidelines watching the Boston Marathon. But this year, there is a difference. The knees are healing. I am beginning to re-introduce running into my workouts. I've got a long way to go, but things are looking good. I'm looking forward to posting the account of my "return to running"!

Sunday, April 19th

Had lunch with Elizabeth and two of her friends from Cleveland, Amie and Barb. It was a nice lunch at Bertucci's (especially nice for the extraordinarily short 5-minute wait) in Harvard Square. Nice to talk running for a change. I'm really missing it and am more motivated than ever to get the strength back in my knees and hit the roads and trails again.

After lunch I drove them over to Marathon Sports -- Amie was in need of a few more energy gels, and then dropped them off at Copley near their hotel -- after wishing them a good run for the marathon.

Monday, April 20th - 113th running of the Boston Marathon

Anita and I found a nice spot just before the beginning of Heartbreak Hill, right around mile 20. Seemed to be almost perfect running conditions early in the race. I'm guessing mid to high 40's with just a light breeze. As the day wore on, however, the temperature seemed to drop and the wind picked up (headwind for the runners).

The first of the wheelchair athletes had already passed when we got there, but soon after the elite women came by. At that point in the race Kara Goucher was right in the front of the lead pack. Kara finished third, only 9 seconds behind the winner, Salina Kosgei. Second place Dire Tune was only 1 second behind Salina.

The elite men came quite soon after. Ryan Hall was already in third place, though still within sight of the two leaders. He would finish third, 58 seconds behind Deriba Merga. Ryan finished 8 seconds behind the second place finisher, Daniel Rono.

Now came the most difficult task of all...

Spotting Elizabeth! ('cause she's so fast, right?)

Twice over the last three years I've looked for her without success. This year was going to be different. She gave me her predicted pace. I calculated when she would pass mile 20. And then I almost missed her. Almost...



So there she is, running in top form, looking great at 20 miles! [Yeah, crappy video from my cell phone.]

Unfortunately, I missed Barb and Amie (though I'll have to check my cell phone videos against their times -- maybe they're in one of them). [You'll just have to come back and do Boston again! If I'm on the sidelines, I'll find you next time.]

So now...

Congratulations Elizabeth (3:16:30) -- great run! Think you were close to your goal, right? [I see a sub-3 in your future.]

Great run, Amie (4:11:09) -- pretty damn good for your third marathon!

And Barbara (3:28:25) -- WOW! You won your division at Boston! That was well ahead of your prediction.

And congratulations to all the other runners who made it through the 113th running here in Boston.

So that's all for now.

Runner's Blessing

For all you runners, this is for you. My new song, "Runner's Blessing".

Copyright 2009, Winikka Music (BMI)

A high quality digital download is available at my website, kurt.winikka.com.

Run in harmony!

It's April Already

And still no regular running.

Sigh.

Apparently, two miles in one week was just a bit too much for my right knee. So here I am a couple weeks later getting ready to test it again. Persistent, aren't I?

I think I need to change the name of my blog to "(Running seems to be receding) fast and far".

So -- on another note...

I wrote a song about running. I was taking a song-writing class from Bob Franke and I was having problems coming up with my songwriting assignment. He asked about hobbies. I mentioned running. "Write a song about the meaning of running!"

Thanks a lot, Bob.

At that point, I think that was the last thing I wanted to do. Running means so much to me, and not running has been really pretty depressing. It's something that has been at the core of me for quite some time. I mean, I know a lot of these running blogs are all about trying to find the meaning in our running, but to try and explain it in a song just didn't seem right. Can art explain music? Can music explain art? Aren't they all about trying to understand the human condition? Finding truth and beauty in the world and our lives? How can a song explain the meaning of running?

Not to mention that I CAN'T RUN RIGHT NOW! So why don't I just give myself a paper cut and drip lemon juice over it?

I was wrong.

Maybe a song about running can say something about life itself.

I'm actually quite happy with how the song came out. Kind of inspired, actually. I'm looking forward to putting it out there for the running community. I've got a basic demo recorded and I'm just putting the final touches on that mix. [It's not a full blown arrangement or anything -- just guitar and voice -- but I think it's worth putting out there.]

I'll put a link up this weekend.

March Update

Yeah, things are still coming along slowly. I've been taking glucosamine for my knees, and it really seems to help. I've been very slowly building things back up. And...

I have gotten up to one mile -- PAIN FREE! (on an incline on a treadmill)

And then the next day the knee was a little stiff. But not too bad. This next week I'll do my 1 mile run a couple times (in addition to all the stair climbing, elliptical and rowing time).

It was like 60 degrees in Boston today and I want to be out running so badly. And I can feel that the knees are improving. But I know that I really need to take my time.

Patience.

Oh, and look for a new running-related song on this blog pretty soon.

C-Ya