The left knee

[ktsok]

Hello gang! It’s been a while... strange times for us all. I hope everyone is OK. I didn’t run through lockdown due to breathing difficulties following suspected C19, then, feeling better, played ‘it’ with my son and felt my left knee clunk. Honestly, I feel like I need to warm up before getting out of bed to go to the loo these days.

Accessing scans and physio is a trickier and lengthier business than it used to be. A friend doctor and a friend physio thought it might be a meniscus tear but there is no way of being sure. It was radiating heat for weeks and I was struggling to put weight on it. Stairs were a sideways crablike marathon. Weeks, a couple of months, of rest and ice and elevation and very gentle one-legged climbing improved matters to the point where I spent last week in North Devon and Dorset marching along coastal paths with a backpack and knee brace, abseiling and scrambling down sea cliffs and climbing back up again.

Today I laced up the running shoes and managed a shuffling 310m. Hey ho. It is a long way from the 10k I was getting close to, but it’s a lot further than 0m. I think I’m going to have to stick to walking and cycling and climbing for a while longer - there is no spring in my left step, as summer draws to a close. Hopefully time will do it’s thing and I’ll be back posting triumphant 5k’s with the rest of you soon.

Happy running, peeps.

[Womangolfer Graduate10]

So sorry to hear about your injury. It sounds horrific. Glad you are a bit more mobile now. I think no running for a bit sounds sensible if frustrating. Keep recovering and I look forward to seeing your post saying you have been out for a run again in due course.

[ktsok in reply to Womangolfer]

Fingers crossed! Maybe I shall dust off the golf clubs... 🤔

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Gosh, what a nasty injury - these things can happen so easily sometimes, it's scary. Glad you are healing, amazed that you are climbing 💪! and good luck with your continued recovery. You will be back out there pounding away the miles in time, I am sure.🙂

[ktsok in reply to Sandraj39]

Padding rather than pounding the pavements will do! Thank you 🙏

[Jell6 Graduate10]

ktsok ! So glad to see you back here, but sorry about your injury.

I have developed a pragmatic approach to life during lockdown and beyond...

I know how determined you are and feel certain you will regain your running form soon. 🤗😘💐

[ktsok in reply to Jell6]

GaJelle! Pragmatism, stoicism, can be useful allies along the way. They are sort of ‘needs must’ friends though! I shall take a look through your posts and catch up - are you well? 😘

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to ktsok]

I'm OK thanks, busy at work as you can imagine. My most recent post is probably worth a minute 🐂🐂🤣

[ktsok in reply to Jell6]

Oh Jell, how frightening! We have had cows here and there have been a couple of tree climbing escapes and one trampling - thankfully, no more than bruises. Those creatures are huge! Well done, sounds like you handed yourself admirably all things considered.

Ps. You weren’t wearing red were you?

😘

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to ktsok]

I have reached the "laugh about it" stage 🤣, I was wearing a shocking pink flipbelt, amongst many other colours.

I think you would have made climbing the gate look easy!

[ktsok in reply to Jell6]

Not with my knee!

[Hidden]

So glad to read this. You're doing all you can with what you have. Step by step will see you get ever closer. Those 310m will turn out to be incredibly important 🥇

[ktsok in reply to Hidden]

Cheers GTC. I read about your fainting fit. No one mentioned smelling salts along with the calf sleeves and latest Garmin device! Bless you, I’m glad a friendly stranger was about and you are ok. We were climbing in this heat and it really was mad dogs and Englishmen stuff. X

[Granspeed Graduate10]

Well, I felt vertiginous just looking at the picture. Then I chuckled out loud about warming up to get out of bed. 😄 My position exactly there! So a great post for your fly-by comeback.

I was grounded by foot pain in March, then by health crisis for OH in April (not COVID). And one thing after another has lain in the path of running. Know how you feel, if from a different perspective. These times are sent to try us.... 🤣

Grand that there is so much else you can do. 👏🏼enjoy it all and one day we’ll be back on the run.... 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️

[ktsok in reply to Granspeed]

Thanks Grans. Sorry to hear of your troubles, what worrying times for you. I hope your OH is past the crisis?

Nothing quite like dangling off a cliff edge to put things into perspective. The couple of metres above and in front of you become the only concerns in life. Quite refreshing! X

[Granspeed Graduate10 in reply to ktsok]

Well I’m so glad the vertigo works for you! I get the concentration bit totally, but frozen immobility would rather defeat the activity for me. 🤣😱 All 3 grandkids are into it, though, so clearly it’s not hereditary. 😊 Life is much better now, thanks, but a lasting effect is OH can’t be left for more than short periods. We still get out together and have fun, but no running off for me. Have just ordered a rowing machine, so maybe I can retain some fitness. Happy climbing! 👍🎉

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

Sorry youve been injured ktsok and hope you have a speedy recovery.

But just look at your photo , thats an amazing capture and one we don't see every day.

Take care 🤗🤗

[ktsok in reply to Buddy34]

Thanks Buddy. Climbing is my first love, so long as I can do that, then the recovery to running doesn’t feel so long.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Ooh climbing, haven't done that for a few years. Sorry to hear all your trouble, it does sound like your knee is getting stronger though. Maybe back to short runs soon. Take care 🤗

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

It’s good to read that you’re able to do the other things right now, healing is happening... hopefully not too long before you’re back running again.

[ktsok in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks UNM x

[Katnap Graduate10]

Wow! What an ordeal! I have heard some horror stories of the recovery time some C19 sufferers have been enduring.

You can always re-do the C25K programme. I did Week 1 3x over before proceeding with the remainder of the programme.

Take care!

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[ktsok in reply to Katnap]

Thanks Katnap. It’s the knee preventing play at the moment, rather than fitness. I can’t run far enough to get out of breath yet! 😂

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

So sorry to hear this ktsok. Maybe start c25k again when you are ready. You’ll find it easier 2nd time round.

[PaulS83]

Sorry to hear about the knee. I know what you mean by a clunk, and it makes me wince just thinking about it.

Very interested to learn about gentle, one-legged climbing though!

Great photo and glad you're mending up. Although, this was written 2 months ago, so hope it's staying mending up!