Again!?!

At some point, I would really like to stop having injuries to write about.   Honestly, as much fun as being hopped on pain meds is, I really would just like to be the kind of person who scoffs at the notion of being injured.  Instead, I seem to get the frequent opportunity to share with my readers the many and varied ways my body attempts to derail my efforts to improve myself.  So, without further ado...the latest.

Today I went to see the doctor after I started having excruciating pain in my right knee.   Now, I've had knee pain before, but this was something else.  I would be walking normally and then BAM! it would feel like someone had stuck a knife through my knee...and then left it there.    I would then spend the next few minutes walking stiff legged until I was able to convince my mind that bending my knee wouldn't hurt like that again.   Rinse, repeat.   The whole situation would have been comical, if not for the sinking feeling that I finally managed to do something Really Bad to myself.  

So, after consulting with Nana, I made an appointment at the clinic.  After waiting an interminable amount of time in the exam room, the doctor came in and did his evaluation.   After bending and twisting and prodding, he pronounced that I had not, in fact, torn anything, but my MCL was pretty upset with me.   In his opinion, this probably resulted from a combination of the following facts:  1) I increased my running miles too fast 2) I walked too much on my shiny new heel lift last Sunday and 3) my ankle is probably still messing with my gait a bit.    Yes, I am dumb, I know.

So, now I get to take it easy for 7-10 days (which I have interpreted as 3-5 days).   In theory this should involve not biking, but the doc told me if it didn't hurt I could do it and I'm taking him at his word.  So, biking is on, but other ambulatory exertions are pretty much out.   I am simultaneously relieved and frustrated.   Thank goodness it's not something more serious (probably...), but I was finally starting to make some real improvements in my running and it is very disheartening to once again have to stop and heal.  

I think I am going to write up a running plan for when I get back into it, just so that I don't overdo it again.   It's going to look pathetic (run a mile!  woo!), but I need to find some way to get better without getting broken at the same time.