Damn Knee

Sunday nights are my least favorite time of the week. Starting about 4 pm, I switch into hypermom mode in order to get all the final weekend chores done, cook dinner, get kids clean, get kids ready for a week of school and activities, pick up the house, finish laundry and try to catch up on Lounge stuff. ugh. Makes me tired just thinking about it.

Sunday night, after my 100th trip up the stairs with laundry and other crap, my right knee was screaming at me. It is always noisy and generally complains, but screaming doesn't even do it justice. It was bellowing, howling, wailing - all of those descriptions - so much so, I finally gave it and plopped down and iced it for 20 minutes.

Next day it was a bit better but still bothering me. I had hoped to walk that night - but no luck. It was close to 10 pm before I even sat down for the day to think. And Tuesday - had early am therapy - which was ok so no walking and then an evening of activities again.

The best part of therapy was the stim and ice at the end. Lordy be that was wonderful.

My at home therapy is now the side leg lifts, small knee bends, bridge (ackt!) and ball balances. Still under 10 minutes - so can do. Do need to pick up leg weights (ick). But I feel the progress. I just wish my knee would feel better. It hurts all the time under the knee cap and really hates hills and stairs.

I still plan to try to squeeze in 11 miles on Friday afternoon. Wonder where all the extra time will come from? I need to find time just to stare at the calendar and try to figure out where running can go.

On my run today...

About a mile into my run today, a young boy..maybe about 12..merged onto my trail and headed out for his run. He was running a pace like he was running on the playground and all I could think of was, 'wow to run that effortlessly' and 'i bet his knees don't hurt or make noise so much he has to turn up his ipod.'

But after a 1/4 mile, I then started to think like a mom and coach. I could see him slowing down but trying to keep going. About 1/2 mile into the run, he stopped and turned around and started heading back towards me. I wondered if he was pleased or disappointed in the distance. I wondered what his goal was for the day. I wanted to stop and give him some advice that if he would slow his pace and change his form just a bit he would be able to go so much farther.

But as I drew closer and looked over to him, what I saw was the biggest smile I have ever seen on a 12 year old boy. He was grinning ear to ear and still running along at his happy, speedy pace. I could tell he was feeling that floating, happy feeling so I simply smiled back in my biggest, happiest, I-know-exactly-what-you-are-feeling-right-now smile.

Could there be anything more invigorating than seeing the joy on another runners' face?

Just four weeks to go!

I am just a month away from Drake Relays Half Marathon. Did my 11 miler last week with no incidents. It was slow, but I got it done. The treat of the run was the chance to run from Indianola to Carlisle - one of my all time favorite runs. Not sure why point to point runs are so much more satisfying - but definitely are.

I was supposed to do 11 miles on Friday but the events of the week kept me from doing it. I finally got in 6 to do. Sure, I could have found time to do all 11, but mentally and physically I just wasn't up to it.

I think Jim's accident on Monday finally caught up with me. I am dead tired and my brain feels like mush. The lure of a mindless use of 2 hours just wasn't enough so I did 6 instead. It was ok. I took my time and tried to relax and just shake off the events of the week. It worked. By the end of the year, I felt lighter in my head. A bit of weight of my shoulders. I think I covered it in about 12 minute miles.

Now I need to redo my running schedule for the next month and see what I need to do and when in order to feel more prepared for my arch nemisis, the Drake Half Marathon.

Knee stayed in place. A bit of pain in the top of shin under the knee.

Did my PT exercises today. Stronger on left side. Right side still miserably week.

And now....this blog

When Tom and I started the blog, Runners' Lounge, it was as a way to talk about our running, what we had learned, what we struggled with and most of all to connect with runners. I love running but love runners even more. Every runner inspires me.

And then the blog grew and so did our love and passion around connecting runners. So we built the Runners' Lounge community site with even more capabilities to connect runners to other runners and running information. And that site has grown and continues to grow. And over the last 18 months, we have found a slow transformation of the original blog from something that shared more of a personal connection of Tom and I with runners to a blog that shares what is going on in the running community.

And there is so much to share! Each week when Tom and I sit down and talk about what is going on in the Lounge there is usually more than we can pack into a week. And so week after week and new feature and new feature, I found that the personal posts about me, my running, my family, my running struggles, my running accomplishments, etc, etc did have a place in the Runners' Lounge blog and more than that - there were so many other great stories or information about other runners that I really wanted to share.

But now as I continue to struggle with my running, I am beginning to find that I miss the "journaling" aspect that comes with a running blog. A chance to think about my running, write it down, reflect on it and then look back later.

So, it seems like a natural progression that I would start a blog for me, Amy, the runner. A home for my running thoughts and stories and learnings and failures. A place to get a 1:1 or more personal connection to runners as well as help my running.

This blog is an unplugged version. No formatting, no editing, no prettying up. Just me and my running thoughts.

And as change and transition is an important part of continuing to live and learn, I am excited to start something new. So, without further ado.....now......here I go with this blog.