2/20/11 - Update

I've been running well this week, but still have had issues with my left knee. One thing I hadn't really considered was the need to use the foam roller on my lower thigh/quad.

I hadn't really gone into too much detail about my knee discomfort, I don't think. I had some swelling that started about 3 weeks before the Houston Marathon. I didn't run the marathon, but that was just the timing as it relates to the marathon. Anyway, there wasn't any pain associated with the swelling...just the discomfort that came from the swelling.

Over the course of the next 3 weeks, the swelling subsided, but it was replaced essentially by a slight, but semi sharp pain on the inside part of my left knee. Not anywhere near the knee-cap. Now, here is what I seemed to notice, however. As I was dealing with the swelling and the knee pain, my left calf was always SUPER tight after a run, so it was obvious I have been really over-working it somehow.

Yesterday (Saturday), I had planned on a 15 mile run, which I was feeling really good about, fitness-wise. Well, along the way of the run, I began to feel the knee bother me...specifically when we hit a place where we were going downhill. My whole gait changed when we did, so I cut it off @ 9miles. I was a little bothered, but mainly frustrated because of the feeling of fitness, but my knee wasn't cooperating. Sean asked me about whether I'd been using my foam roller much, which I hadn't.

So, after the run, I took my leg to the foam roller on my quads and on my calves. I'm not exaggerating when I say that on the left side, on both the calf muscle and the inside of my quad, I was almost in tears. As bad as it was, it made a huge difference today, as I ran about 10 miles and felt little-to-no discomfort in the knee. I really focused on how things felt on my left leg all the way down. It's clear that there is something going on on my left side, but it's going to take some work to figure it out. I'm not saying the foam rolling is a definite cure for what I've been feeling, but it definitely made a difference today. I spent more time on the roller today, so we'll see how it feels in the morning.

The plan for this week is 2-3 times to run in the AM and PM. Not going to hit super high mileage those days, but definitely higher than what I had been hitting, which has been 7-8 miles. I'd like a couple of 10-mile days, and give it another go at 15 miles this weekend.

I should be able to get to more regular posting of runs and workouts, as I prepare for my next race coming up at the end of March. We'll see how it all progresses.