Distance this week: 10.9km
Number of runs this week: 2
Distance to goal: 1949.2km
I started this week with a dogged determination that I would run and get rid of the knee injury. I was sure it was just an injury and maybe running it off was the way to beat it. So, with my knew brace on I set out to run.
Well on Monday I managed to abate the pain from the knee brace nipping and pinching my skin by putting an elasticated support bandage underneath. I didn’t really feel too much discomfort in my knee during the run but it was aching later on in the evening. I really should have iced it – but I didn’t. By the following morning the knee felt OK, not pain free or ache free but OK.
By Tuesday night I was back out with the knee brace on again. This time I did experience some discomfort in the knee whilst running so I cut it shorter than I had planned. I always do this if I feel pain as I made a promise to my rheumatoid arthritis nurse that I would. Stopping, especially for mild pain, is so frustrating for me but I have to consider my long term health.
My knee really started to hurt after this run and I took the decision there and to to stop running for a few weeks to allow it time to heal properly. Anyone who knows me will appreciate just how much I love running and just how much it will hurt me to not be out there. It’s even worse when my friends are out running and posting photos and videos; especially from the Bolton Abbey race this weekend which looked awesome.
The issue in the knee seems to stem from the tendons at the back of the joint. I’m pretty confident that it is an injury rather than the arthritis but but just in case I have booked myself an appointment with my GP for next week. He’s a great doctor, a runner himself he gets it and he was also the man who spotted all the early signs of RA in me so I have a great deal of trust in him. I actually need to speak to him about being around for the 10k in May that I direct as he usually volunteers to be on stand-by.
Anyway, a week of rest for me. I took the dogs out this morning and a tennis ball so on a quiet lane I was able to give Duke some good running whilst not bothering my knee too much.
I’m thinking positive thoughts, but at the same time contemplating the impossible – that I might have to give up running!
Thanks for reading.