Today was my follow up appointment with a Sports Medicine doctor. When I first saw her, she diagnosed me with a lovely little injury cocktail to deal with--Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome on my left knee, Patellofemoral Syndrome on my right knee, all exacerbated by weak glutes. Treatment? Physical Therapy to strengthen my lazy butt.
I had also whined about being tired all.the.time when training for a marathon. We’re talking unable-to-function-zombie tired. We’re talking too tired to sleep sometimes (I know, shocking).
Amazingly, she didn’t just tell me to suck it up because that’s what marathon training DOES to you. Attentive doctor that she is, she asked me to keep a food diary and get some blood tests to make sure my iron wasn’t too low again (I’ve tried to donate blood twice this year and despite taking iron pills daily, my iron level has actually lowered--go figure!).
So they had an intern draw my blood (um, ouch!) and I showed her my 2-week food diary, which revealed that I need more calcium, more fruits and veggies, and well, more food in general.
So far, my knees haven’t been bothering me that much, but I know that I am reaching that dangerous level in my training where the pain started last time: The 40-mile week threshold. At the peak of my training, I will be running 54 miles in a week, which includes the last in a series of three 20-milers (lovely, thanks for that Hal Higdon).
Another fun little side note: my foot seems to be pregnant.
Turns out it’s actually a ganglian cyst, a little tumor filled with jelly. No one knows why they pop up and they’re not really dangerous. So I plan on ignoring this little guy, let’s name him… Ted, for the time being. As long as Ted remains nothing but a naughty bump, we can co-exist peacefully. But if Ted decides to make his presence known in other ways, he’ll have to be drained. Definitely not by an intern!
Now I remember why we were such good friends in france!! Miss you and hope Ted is doing well :)
ReplyDeleteSo...you don't know me. And I don't know you. I found your blog because you recommended it to someone who is running a half marathon and I thought I would visit. Hope you don't mind :)
ReplyDeleteCan I ask you a question?
I am training for my first marathon right now which is on October 2nd. Last week on my 16 mile run, my knee just started throbbing and aching with pain. I couldn't even finish my fun...I only made it 8 miles. Anyway, from what little I could find out online, it seems like it might be "Runner's Knee". Do you have any experience with that? Do you know what I can do? I gave my knee a break and then tried to run on Tuesday..just a couple days ago and it was fine til I hit 2 miles and then I had to stop. Do you have any suggestions?? How long should I stay off of it? Just keep icing it or do I need something else? I am so nervous that if I take too much time off then I won't be ready for the marathon, but if I start too soon, then I will keep hurting my knee.
Thanks for your time...so fun that you live in San Fran. I am in Mountain View...so not too far away!
Hi Rach,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and leaving a note! I definitely feel your pain (literally!). I think you’re doing the right thing by cutting back on your mileage and icing. If cross-training doesn’t hurt your knee, you might want to try biking, swimming, or using the elliptical just to maintain your fitness until your knee feels better. When you finally go on a run to test it out, try to run on softer surfaces (I try to go down to Chrissy Field, but I’m sure you can find some nice trails in MV). And don’t worry, taking some time off is not a death sentence for your marathon. I had to take two weeks off when training for my first and was able to finish just fine. Which one are you doing by the way?
It’s always a good idea to go see a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist if you can. You may also want to check and be sure that you’re wearing the right kind of running shoe. The wrong shoe can really exacerbate knee issues so if you can go to a specialty running store, they can give you some good advice on the kind of shoe you should be wearing. They can get pricey though, so if you’re a bargain shopper, you can always try to look for that same shoe online. ;)
Sometimes the worst part about an injury is how it affects your confidence as a runner. So try to chase away negative thoughts (easier said than done, I know). Good luck and please let me know how the training/marathon goes!!!