All going to plan and I now have what the physiotherapist called "a perfect vastus medialis"!! She also had me using balancing equipment in the gym & I was pretty good at it too!  A fairly hard session though, but nothing I couldn't manage!


I followed up with about 30 minutes in the pool by myself.  The session was:

5 minutes warm-up
6 x 2:30 Hard
30 second recoveries
5 minutes cool-down.

The water temperature was so high that, by the time I'd finished, my face was as red as a lobster! 


By some strange means, everyone in the Physiotherapy department has learned that I still can run a marathon at 81!   One of the young male physiotherapists was in the pool with a couple of patients and asked if he could tell everyone my age and what I do!  Of course, I said 'Yes'!  When I told him I power walked 10km yesterday - just 10 days after surgery - he put his head under water!!  So, as well as a good workout, I also had a good laugh!

Hit the Road

10km!  In 1 hour 45 minutes!

I set out from home again for a long, brisk walk!  To Mary Street > Bong Bong Road > Old South Road > Diamond Fields Road and back .


MHR 81%

A good pool workout today!  The session was:

5 min warm-up
2 sets of 5x1:30 hard (30 sec recovery)
2 min easy btw sets
5 min cool-down.

It was a good feeling to work hard at something for a change!  I used the lovely pool and facilities at a retirement village, Henley Brae, just a few minutes drive from home and had the pool all to myself for the entire session.  I'll do a different session each time as often as I can until I get the OK to run again.

MHR 102 (65%) 

A Long Walk.

Today I did my first long walk starting from home and huffed and puffed my way up a 2km hill on Old South Road!  Actually it was all much easier than I was expecting and no trouble at all with my knee;  it did well and I was very pleased with it!

7km in 80 minutes...slow,  I know, but it was hilly!
AHR  92 (58%);  MHR 125 (79%)

Into the Water....

Started today.....in the pool at Bowral Private Hospital.  First, I saw a physiotherapist for about 30 minutes and  have new knee strengthening exercises to do as well as deep water running.   To help with motivation while I can't run, on show in the bedroom I've brand new (Newton) trainers that I'm itching to try out on the road!

I'm on my way back!

Walking..

I went for my first short walk today taking the dogs to Renwick School and walking around the grounds...about 20 minutes.  They hadn't been out since my arthroscopy on Tuesday and they really enjoyed the chance to run again; same for me soon I hope!  I was able to drive the car to the school and did that and the walk without any pain whatsoever in my right knee. First time in months!  Wonderful thing this arthroscopic surgery!

Feels Like a Miracle!

It's over!  Arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday morning  for a large complex tear medial meniscus, Grade 3. Yesterday following the surgery my knee was quire painful, but today and after sleeping for nearly all of 48 hours since, I have no pain at all!

Apparently, once a meniscus cartilage has been torn it will not heal unless it is a very small tear, blood supply being low in this area.  In my case, it being a large complex tear, rather than trying to repair it, the torn pieces were removed from the knee.

I have several quad strengthening exercises to do...20x10 each day as well as the stationary bike.  I'm bandaged from upper thigh to near the ankle so not able to do much until this is all removed in 5 days; then I can drive and walk about more comfortably.  Recovery time is 6 to 12 weeks, but I hope it won't take that long.  I'll need more patience than I'm known for for it to heal successfully!

Very happy with the results so far and the thought of running again!

Tomorrow...

I met with the orthopaedic surgeon this afternoon and tomorrow, yes tomorrow,  he'll do arthroscopic surgery on my right knee. The plus side of being in a health fund!

My guess was right about the MRI report in that he thinks the pain is from the meniscus tear...at least he's hoping that's the cause!  I am so lucky to be getting it done tomorrow and not having to wait weeks or perhaps months..  At 11:00a.m I have to front up!

More news to come after that.....  All good, I hope, but I have to expect that there will be no running for some time yet. A come-back in 2011 would be nice.  I hope there's some motivation left by then....it's very low at the moment.. It's been so long I think I could very easily hang up the trainers for good!

Thanks to all for 'being here' for me right now.  I can do with a friend.....or two, or three!

My Guess...

......the trouble with my right knee!

In today's mail I received a copy of the MRI results.  Now, I realize the two pages of  technical and medical terms will take more than my brain to decipher but, from what I understand, I have an oblique undersurface tear, posterior horn medial meniscus.  If that is the case, it's exactly what I thought after spending hours on the net over the past 8 weeks  - that long - looking for an answer!

What the two page report really means, and what needs to be done about it, I'll hear from the orthopaedic surgeon on Monday afternoon.  All up though, I think the news is good!

Happy days might be here again!!  I know I'm dead sick of these days!

Change is as Good as.....

Since scenery is the only thing I can change right now,  I thought I'd go for a new look on my blog.  At least I've been occupied for a couple of hours getting to understand a few of the newer blog templates and gadgets, thus taking my mind off my miserable right knee.

I never knew there were so many things one could do to a blog, but not being too tech minded, I've stuck to a couple of basics and will explore others in my spare time ......of which I have plenty!

I looked at all the gadgets and now I want to put up a sliding picture show but I can't get the Slideshow gadget thing to work!  I've tried numerous ways suggested on Blogger Help but no success so far.  Any help would be appreciated!  In the meantime I'll keep trying......if at first you don't succeed etc.  etc..

While I was waiting for sleep last night I mentally started making a list of all the things I can't do now while my knee is so painful; it's an exercise in self-pity, I know, but here it is:

Things that matter but which I'm unable to do:

I can't run
I can't jog
I can't walk
I can't drive the car
I can't do the gardening
I can't sleep well
I can't lie on my side
I can't go up steps
I can't go down steps
I can't sit down...I crash!
I can't get up after sitting...I lead with my head!

While I'm awake now it's only fair, I suppose, to list the things I can still do!  But.....


I can think of very few!  This is real bad news, but here it is:


I can use a walking stick
I can read
I can watch television
I can think....even if it's only about the things on the ever- expanding list of the things I can't do!

MRI

On Friday I took the next step in finding out what is wrong with my  right knee.  I had an MRI of the knee and a right hip x-ray; the latter just for ruling out anything in that area.  I'll have the results of these on Tuesday, Nov. 8.  Unhappily, my knee seems to be getting more painful by the day and I'm hobbling - even more unhappily - around the house with a cane.  Never thought I'd see the day!  I can't imagine what's wrong to be in such constant pain.

Patience!  Did I see someone write recently in their blog about having patience?  I'm beginning to think that this here & now might be where my running ends....and with such promise for at least another year or two!!  Oh well, some other life!  If nothing else...I've had a "good run"  for  many years & I guess everyone has to stop sometime.  I am really most miserble about it all though!

What is Wrong?

....and here we go! 

Today I saw an orthopaedic surgeon.  He needs for me to have an MRI.  He's pretty well ruled out arthritis because there's only the slightest sign of it and, looking at the x-ray, the level & consistency of pain that I have is way too high for it to be arthritis.  "There's something more going on there," he said.  Hence an MRI to find the correct diagnosis.  All sounds good so far, but trying to get an MRI in  the near future (i.e. in my lifetime!) is quite another thing!  So, here's the string of appointments:

First available appointment six weeks away and appointments for an MRI are only after hours at night!  That's with Medicare cover; if I pay for the MRI, I can get in sooner and within normal hours. Needless to say, I'm going for the 'out of pocket' version.  Time is of the essence here!  MRI on 29th October.


Next.....try getting back in to see the Orthopaedic guy for the results:  "Sorry, nothing available till end of November!"  This, after being told by his receptionist that I would be given an appointment within a couple of days after the MRI in order to learn the results of the damned thing!


"Wait a minute," says I!  "You told me...blah, blah, etc, etc."


"No," replies the receptionist in her unlovely patronizing voice, "you seem confused; we said if we can."


Me (getting hoity):  "No, you didn't!  You said 1 or 2 days after the MRI."


"Well, let me see," says the now confused receptionist, " we will fit you in on November 8th."   Why didn't she do that in the first place?

I only want the results asap; maybe she thought I wanted surgery as well!

BIG DEAL, I thought!  I could be dead by the time I get to find out what's even wrong with my stupid knee, let alone do whatever has then to be done.  Easy to see I'm a first timer with specialist surgeon, x-ray and MRI scenario!

That's where I'm at for now anyhow. All future running plans cancelled until I get results.. In the meantime, I sit around doing quad strengthening exercises, unable to walk or run.  Next update, if I'm still here,  will be after the results are read out on November 8!


Oh, what a feeling!














 

After Blackmores Marathon

Well.... my recovery after Blackmores Sydney Marathon hasn't been going well at all!

For some months before the marathon I had a painful right knee which became just about unbearably painful during the run and since then, even more so.  No let up at all. Even walking around the house is painful.

Now, I thought arthritis was only for old people!  To my dismay however, an x-ray showed a slight version of it in my right knee but, if this pain is the result of slight arthritis, I'd hate to be a victim of the serious stuff!  The result is that I haven't had what could be called a decent run over the last four weeks.  I've tried a very easy jog three times and fast walking once but could go no further than 5km each time before I've had to quit.

Having  tried physiotherapy (R.I.C.E.) with no improvement, the next stop from my GP, is to see an orthopaedic doc who might be able to shed more light on what, if anything, is happening.  That's on Monday and will report here with the results.

This is more than just a damned nuisance.......it's soul destroying!  The likelihood of training for anything in the months ahead will depend on whether something can be done to relieve the pain in my knee.

So, there it is; very disappointing because I'd hoped to do some serious training in preparation for a couple of exciting races later this year and also in the first half of 2011.

I believe there's no cure for arthritis.....ah, woe is me.....for now!

SPRING.....In Our Backyard!

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11th Marathon...

Australian Record W80

..........well, that's #11 done and I'll be able to claim an Australian Record for W80 Marathon with a time faster than that of my Marathon W75 Australian Record!  Official time 5:26:24 net.  Other than my 2nd marathon in 2001, this was the only other time I've run under 5.5 hours, so getting older isn't necessarily a negative thing!  I was totally shocked and thrilled to have gone under 5.5 hours this time round!  That's a Boston qualifier I think!

My plan was to keep as near as possible to 7:27m/k and never to slow down further than 7:42m/k even though 7:49m/k would still meet the 5:30 cut-off.

Garmin time was 5:25:49 and distance 42.69km!

I think everyone should, just once, run at the back of the pack in a marathon!  It is so inevitably 'alone' on those long stretches of road with no one in sight in front and rear for quite some time.  It makes for a much different race than with lots of other runners around for company and motivation.  Alone at the back, there's only one's self to do it all;  things like trying to keep someone in sight;   fearing having taken a wrong turn, on the right course? Seeing barriers being dismantled; aid stations being cleared, and for this marathon especially, having to constantly think about strictly enforced cut-off points along the course...am I going to make each one?  Worry, hurry! Just being alone for most of these things and at the same time think about how to race: form, pace, hydration, self-talk, etc.etc.!  So many things bring on extra stress at the rear end that I don't think front and middle pack runners have to worry about.  Anyhow, they're just my thoughts and how I am affected as a slow runner during a marathon.

Apart from all that or perhaps because of all that, I had a great run; not an easy one....after all, it was a marathon!  There were stages where I thought the whole thing would never end; way up ahead at times I could see 'little dots' (runners!) and thought: God Almighty, do I really have to run that far still?  However, with a lot of self-talk and relaxing all parts of the body, I managed not to slow down too much except on the long inclines and finally made a very strong rush for the finish line without 'hitting the wall' at all!  I walked through all drink stations but that was the only walking I did; quite unlike other marathons where I've been forced to walk and drag myself to the finish.  I actually raced around the Circular Quay area to the applause/amusement of people eating at the outdoor cafes and to hear my name AND AGE called out by the commentator as I crossed the finish mat was the final flourish!

I am very happy about how I ran my 11th Marathon!  I followed a marathon training program of only 3 days running each week from the book "Runner's World, Run Less Run Faster" ....and they were right...I did run faster!

5km splits/Avg pace:  35:32/7:06;  37:22/7:28;  37:38/7:31;  37:25/7:29;  37:40/7:32;  39:43/7:56;  39:09/7:49;   41:10/8:14;  (20:06/7:27)

Forgot to bring HR monitor.  I have a quite painful right knee today and have had  it x-rayed just to make sure nothing sinister is going on in there!  I am far too young to retire from my athletic career!!

The Last Sprint to the Finish!

Feeling a Little Aprehensive!

"The sun will come up tomorrow", ........... and I'll run what will very likely be my last marathon!  Look on the bright side of my life!

Returning home Monday night so the report will not be till Tuesday......at the earliest!

On Sunday, 22nd August, at the ACTVAC Annual Half Marathon, I managed to take 13 seconds off the time for my Australian Record, W80 Half Marathon set on May 2nd of this year!  That's all it was......13 seconds !  I suppose that makes it a new Australian  record!

I'd entered for this event a few weeks prior but left it till Saturday afternoon to decide booking Saturday night accommodation rather than driving down so early on Sunday morning as intended.  I managed to secure a very nice room at Olims Hotel, not more than five minutes from the start/finish at Stage 88, Commonwealth Park.

I had a cracker of a run!  Felt great the entire distance, even those three monster hills couldn't slow me down;  I just ploughed onwards and upwards, never stopping!  And as for passing other runners.....well, what can I say!  Scenery beautiful, off road and a glorious morning for running : no wind, no rain, just sunshine all the way.  Catching up with Strewth, CJ, Peter and some other ACT friends was the icing on the cake and many of these also received medals for age category wins.  Smiles all round!

As well as setting a Record W80 Half Marathon time for the ACTVAC, I was positively astounded to be called out to receive and to hold for one year,  the lovely trophy awarded for "Performance Records (Age%) - Women, with a score of 79.7%.   It will be engraved and returned in time for next year's event.

Time = 2:17:12
5km Splits: 33:19, 32:13; 32:34; 32:40; (6:19).  Avg. Pace = 6:31 min/km

No wonder than, having run my heart out and received the awards that I was so exhausted I had to break the drive home by stopping at three different rest areas and wander around for a few minutes in a daze!

With only 4 weeks to Blackmores Marathon now,  that's the end of the fun and games for the next few weeks! 

...........the storm came through on Macquarie Pass and Range Road during yesterday's long run.

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For about ten minutes an icy wind and rain stormed its way through the Macquarie Pass and Range Road; the coldest and fiercest I've ever been out in and the temperature plummeted at least ten degrees!  Then, much to my relief and in fear for my life, the sun came out again!  18km out + 18km return = 36km!

I had an on-air chat with the guys from "Triple M" radio station today about the article and photo in the Telegraph yesterday and the marathon in September.  Surprise!  Surprise!

I ran the entire 14km yesterday without stopping!  I was determined to finish further away from that 100 minute Green Group cut-off time than the last time I ran this run in 2008....missing last year because of a heavy cold.  Finishing time 2008 was too dangerously close at 98 minutes!  I carried a small 6oz bottle of sports drink and drank from that immediately after each drink station.  Great not to have had to fight my way through the crowds and I didn't need anything more than that.

According to official results :   94:03 yesterday.  I think the Garmin  had some trouble with the tunnel but seems to have corrected itself on exit;  clever little thing!!

I loved the run and didn't feel I was struggling - as I usually do  - on those hills.  Has to be something to do with my present training program which I feel is making me just that little bit stronger and, dare I say it....faster!

We left Mittagong by coach at 5:30a.m. and so quick was the trip, I stood from 7:oo in the freezing cold until the start at 8:30am.  I've never felt the cold like this before; another fellow traveller shared her thick jacket with me by each sharing an armhole!

Lunch provided at the Charing Cross Hotel : I had a big bowl of fettucine with Neapolitana Sauce.   Back home - tired - at 5:00pm.... but a great day!  I really love this run!

2nd place in 70 to 99 age category (125 runners).  YIPPEE!