My Knee Hurts

Well, crap. You know how people tell you, “running ruins your knees,” and you scoff at them and tell them to shut the eff up (in your head of course)? I have a personal story for you. It is short and not very sweet.

At the end of the 5K Color Me Rad run on Saturday I felt pain in the front of my left knee. I ignored it because runners know that pains come and go all of the time and unless it recurs, it usually just disappears, kind of like socks in the dryer or stomach pain after a good fart. (One note about the color run no one tells you. You will be blowing black/brown snot out of your nose afterwards).

How is Emma as tall as me?

Fast forward to Sunday morning. Ken and I went out for a 13 mile run. No sooner had I let him know that this was going to be an incredible 43 mile week of running for me when…piercing pain in my knee. Same spot as Saturday.

Me: Ouch. My knee hurts.

Him: Oh, that happens to me sometimes. I just run through it and it goes away. It feels like someone is poking a needle into your knee and twisting it.
Me: Okay, let’s keep running (because running through pain is an excellent idea)
Me (half mile later): Shit. It really hurts. I need to walk. GASP!
Him: You’re a pussy (no, he didn’t say that. I don’t think he even though it).
Me (half mile later because I am stubborn): I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I need to cut the run short.

You KNOW it is bad if I am cutting a workout short. Hell froze over while pigs flew and monkeys came out of my butt.

I am proud of myself for knowing when to say when. Ken went frolicking ahead. I walked and tried to run and it would hurt and I’d walk again. For the record, walking is so boring and now I know why I never just “take walks” (well, I do with Heidi because she makes it more fun. Plus, I love picking up poop).

Ken got the car and picked me up. I did not freak out. I did not cry and punch him in the  crotch. I did not perseverate on this injury, although I DID come home and Google it because that is what any self respecting runner would do.

This condition (I WILL NOT say “injury”) has a very unique name: Runner’s Knee. It is probably the most common running injury.

Through all of my gymnastics days, marathon training, Ironman training, etc I have had pains in every part of my body (yes, from my toes to my ass to my right nipple), but my knees have never hurt before. I knew “Runners’ Knee” existed, but I didn’t care about it that much…until it happened to ME. Now I am an expert.

Here is what I think might have contributed to the problem:

Speed work and running in different shoes.

Today was a rest day. Tomorrow I will replace intervals with an easy run (in different shoes) to see how I feel. If I don’t feel better I will…I’m not sure what I’ll do. 

Please tell me you had knee problems that got better overnight.

SUAR