I had my second follow up appointment for my knee this last week and my doctor informed me that by mid March I would be ready to resume all normal activity with no pain. He smiled widely, thinking this was great news for me, but boy was he in for it.
Me: Sooooo… I am supposed to start training for a half marathon the last week in February. What can I REALLY start doing?
Doctor: Well, how many miles do you plan to log a week?
Me: Depends – I usually work into the high 20s at the height of the training.
Doctor: Well, how would you feel if your longest run was only about eight miles?
Me: I am old, I don’t care if I walk half of it, I just would like to start doing something.
Doctor: Okay, good, I was worried you were wanting to shave times off your miles and that sort of thing. How about you run a quarter mile three times a week this week, then up it to a half mile three times a week next week, then three quarters of a mile? As long as you slow into it and build up you should be fine.
Me: That’s fantastic! Thanks! Sooooooo, I play soccer…
Doctor: Well, you really shouldn’t be sprinting until mid-March.
Me: Remember, I am old. I play in an old people’s league. I can easily not sprint, in fact, I am not much of a sprinter even healthy. Remember I am old?
And the conversation went on from there where I asked him if I would damage anything by overdoing it and found out that the only issue will be pain and swelling, but I can’t damage what he repaired. So basically I would be back to my normal life pre-surgery if I overdid it.
So since I backed the doctor into a corner with letting me resume some normal activity, I went out a bought a new pair of running shoes (I threw away my other pair after running the half on the east coast in the fall).
Took these babies out for my first quarter mile run today – knee felt AWESOME. My lungs, not so great. My muscles in my legs, not so good. How can you be in such great shape and then lose it so quickly?? Life is not fair in that regard. But I am running … and will give soccer a go this next week!
“Me: Remember, I am old. I play in an old people’s league. I can easily not sprint, in fact, I am not much of a sprinter even healthy. Remember I am old?”
Liar
Awesome news!! I like your new kicks – and you don’t have to worry about keeping them white. ;)
Oh my gosh – the colors of shoes out there right now are obnoxious! Thankfully the most comfortable pair was the least offensive!! (I seriously tried on a neon pink pair and all I could do was hear Denise mocking me)
YAYAYAYAY!!!