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April 30, 2008
Reunited with my bike shoes
It's official--my pes anserine bursa hurts again. I know that osteoarthritis is a risk factor for having pes pain (I guess because you are bearing more load on your joints?) but I am hoping that this is a flare up from something I did, although all I've been doing is biking. In the past, ice and anti-inflamms have helped so I will try that and see where I am next week when I see the doctor and ask him about it.
But I did put my bike shoes on again for the first time in weeks and did not have any problems with my knee when I was clipped in. It is always such a better workout on the trainer so I am glad to be able to do that. I watched the ESPN piece on Alicia and Ryan Shay and enjoyed it, although it was very sad. I thought they did a good job with it, though--I've caught that ESPN show before and liked it. It's great hat someone is telling the world Ryan's story, because as much attention as it got in the running world, non-athletes will be equally touched by it.
I had a busy day today although none of it was spent at the office. First I went to the dentist for a checkup that I knew would result in my having to schedule future appointments. Sure enough, two big cavities. I don't know how I possibly have any more teeth that don't have fillings. But the worst part was the cleaning. I was literally writhing in pain on the chair and practically in tears because I have a gum problem (which needs to be addressed to) that leaves my gums incredibly sensitive. I am cringing just thinking about it. Ugh...it was horrible. After that fun, I went to Georgetown to meet with the faculty members I am working with on this presentation we are doing this weekend. Since we were running out of time, two of us ended up working for about 6 hours straight and just banging everything out. I need to put the finishing touches on it, but we are in pretty good shape.
I dropped the car off at home when we were finally done and then walked down to the gym near our apartment. It seemed really crowded because it is smaller than the one I've been going to near work. It was also uncomfortably hot--the heat might have been on as today was a little chilly--and they ran out of towels. I felt okay on the bike but then I started getting hungry and I didn't have an energy bar so I went through everything else pretty quickly with the goal of getting home to cook dinner!
Posted by becky at 9:07 PM | Comments (0)
April 29, 2008
Day in the life
Is it really only Tuesday? It seems later in the week than that for some reason. I think part of it due to not having had enough sleep the past couple of nights. I am going to try and be good and get into bed earlier so I fall asleep earlier tonight! I definitely had to struggle to get myself out of bed and onto the bike this morning. I finished watching "Sherrybaby"--really liked it--and then watched the most recent episode of "Real World." Definitely a study in contrasts but both were quite entertaining. The inside of my knee (not really where it hurt before the surgery, but not too far) has been kind of aching, although biking didn't bother it. It's hard to tell these days what is sore, what is still recovering, and what is just normal for me. I hope I get some clarity on that soon.
The rest of my day was pretty typical. Work was busy but I got sleepy in the afternoon so I went out to get a cup of coffee. The guy at Starbucks gave me my coffee for free because he had to brew a new pot (the extra wait was about two minutes!)--it was sweet! Today was also Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's, but the line outside was literally around the corner, so I am glad I opted for the coffee since both were free!
I had a big lunch today (it was purchased from Chipotle, I am embarrassed to say) and amazingly I was not hungry the rest of the afternoon and did not even have to eat one of my energy bars at the gym. I probably do need to eat more food at lunchtime, just not from Chipotle! But it did power me through a good gym workout and that was great. Hey, whatever works, right?
Posted by becky at 9:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2008
Another rainy Monday
I wasn't the only one who commented today that last week began on a similarly rainy note. It ended up clearing up tonight with a beautiful pink sky, but the dreariness all day made me sleepy. My time on the bike this morning went pretty quickly because a) I woke up late and b) I started watching a movie--"Sherrybaby", an independent film with Maggie Gyllenhaal from a couple of years ago. It's about a young mother who is released from prison and trying to reconnect with her friends, family, etc. Not exactly an upbeat picture, but quite engrossing. I also tried getting out of the saddle a few times and it felt better than the last time I tried, which is encouraging. Kind of hard to do though without being clipped in--I will try that this week.
I had a bunch of meetings this morning and then spent the rest of the day trying to get a whole lot of emails out. By the end of the day, I couldn't wait to get up from the typing position. It wasn't really raining then and I had a nice walk over to the gym, where I did my usual routine of biking and lifting. Everything was pretty much status quo. When I got back to my locker, I discovered that my phone had died--I think something is wrong with the battery--so Matt and I had a challenging time meeting up. Eventually we figured it all out and unexpectedly ended up grabbing a bite to eat near Matt's office. A more exciting Monday evening than planned but definitely a good one.
Posted by becky at 11:13 PM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2008
Not sure where the day went
I've noticed results for several friends today in races and tris. Congrats to all and I hope I can be out there some day myself! Today I was on the bike again watching some medical dramas ("House" and "ER") along with a little "Real World" to lighten up the mood. My knee felt pretty good and I was able to work moderately hard and soon I think I can try clipping in again.
When I was done on the bike, Matt had just gotten up and we had a couple of hours to read the paper and enjoy a late breakfast before we headed out to do some house-hunting. We met up with our broker and toured around and before we knew it it was 7pm and we were just getting home. Matt had hoped to do a little biking himself and I had played around with the idea of lifting but it just wasn't meant to be today. We had our usual Sunday company (cousins) over for dinner and I just made some fajitas since we were short on time. Now it's time for another week to begin...sometimes the weekend goes way too fast!
Posted by becky at 9:56 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2008
First quiet Sat. in a while
I am feeling sort of lazy today. I did ride my trainer for 90 minutes this morning (the most I've done recently) but I chose not to do a second workout and I feel kind of guilty. I just didn't feel like going to the gym this afternoon and chose to ice several times instead, do some abs stuff and push-ups, and relax. (I also did a bunch of errands and Matt and I both walked down to Dupont Circle to get our hair cut.) It's been a couple of weeks since we had a quiet Saturday and next weekend we will be going up to Baltimore because I am presenting at a meeting on Sunday morning. Our Sunday afternoons lately are taken up by open houses, which I definitely don't mind but take up a lot of time!
If I had been running today, I would not have been a fan of the weather. It was in the 80s with a "real feel" of 93 at midday when we went to get our hair cut. Yuck. And I know there is so much more of that to come. I think it is supposed to rain tonight though and get a little cooler for the week to come. It is only April.
On the knee front, I'm still having some stiffness/soreness in the back, and it is still tender near the incisions. But as long as I avoid kneeling, I'm okay with the tenderness. I'm hopeful that things will continue to improve and soon I can move on to...the elliptical. Woo-hoo!
Posted by becky at 8:16 PM | Comments (0)
April 25, 2008
Hot knee syndrome
Now that it's warmer out and I am wearing a lot of skirts, I've started to notice that my right (surgery one) knee is much warmer to the touch than my other one. Based on my limited biology/medical knowledge, I'm assuming that is because there is still healing going on there. But I think it also means that I should be icing more. I feel like the time for icing has come and gone now that I'm three weeks out but perhaps not. I guess it can't hurt. So here I sit with my ice bag on my knee and my computer on my knee. An exciting Friday night for certain! (Actually, I am waiting for Matt and then we will go get sushi.)
This morning I was on my trainer again and caught up on "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Office", both from last night. I missed the "Previously, on 'Grey's Anatomy'" and I was kind of lost for a few minutes trying to remember where the story lines left off before the writers' strike. This episode was particularly graphic and I did not enjoy that part, but mostly it was entertaining. "The Office" was great as always. And the biking was good too. I am generally a little stiff when I start out and then things loosen up.
Happy weekend to all and good luck to all you triathletes kicking off your seasons!
Posted by becky at 7:37 PM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2008
Keeping my ahead above water
This week has been really pleasant, weather-wise. I might not think that if I were running outside these mornings, but it is at least nice for walking around before and after work. I opened the window behind me while I was on the bike this morning, though, and there really wasn't much air circulation. I just don't want to turn the air conditioning on yet--because I know it will be on for months and months pretty soon. My knee felt okay on the bike but I still noticed some swelling issues throughout the day. It's not visibly swollen or anything, but it catches sometimes, especially when getting up from sitting down, so I'm hoping that feeling will eventually go away. It has also been sore in the back, and I don't know if that is just my usual behind-the-knee pain or a result of the healing process. Let's hope for the latter.
I wasn't in the mood to do my usual biking/lifting tonight at the gym, so I swam (using the term loosely). First I did some ab stuff and then I went to the pool. I was sharing a very skinny lane and I think that made me extra aware of my stroke which is already inefficient to begin with. I felt very out of sync and just super slow. I want to swim more regularly, but I need to take a couple of lessons. I am thinking of asking for that for my birthday, but we'll see.
Matt is at his second Nationals game of the season tonight--he's always getting offered free tickets. Must be nice! I am taping all of my Thurs. night shows ("Grey's" is back tonight!) so I can entertain myself on the bike. This morning I watched another "House" that involved surgery on a fetus and it kind of freaked me out. But next up was "The Hills"--a good way to make me forget totally about anything remotely sad or serious!
Posted by becky at 9:25 PM | Comments (1)
April 23, 2008
Middle of the week
I am feeling less tired from last weekend's travels as the week goes on and also starting to look forward to this weekend, when I can finally have some time to do my chores that have been neglected. This morning it was back on the trainer for me, and I was able to go a teensy bit harder, but still not clipped in or anything. I reunited with "House" and also got into the new season of "Real World." It has become a beautiful-people-want-to-get-famous show, but it is always entertaining. Good for watching on the bike, anyway. I am feeling a little soreness after being off the bike for a few weeks, but today felt better than yesterday, which I took as a good sign.
Not a whole lot else to report today. It was a beautiful day (in the mid-70s) but I was pretty much chained to my desk and it was Pizza (and salad) Wednesday so I didn't even have to go get lunch (I usually do make an effort to walk somewhere during the day). We were all "forced" to log off at 5:30 tonight because the tech people were making some upgrades to our server. It was off to the gym as usual for me, and I had a decent workout--biking and lifting, mostly, although I did a smidge more core (trying to add something new back in each day) and gingerly attempted some squats (NOT ready yet). In fact, I think I am going to sleep with my ice machine tonight because I overtaxed it a little bit. Hopefully that will calm it down--it isn't really hurting, but it feels slightly swollen.
Posted by becky at 9:59 PM | Comments (2)
April 22, 2008
Oh, how I've missed my shows!
I have good news to report today--I got back on the trainer with no ill effects (so far)! I didn't clip in or anything, and I kept it on a low level, but I was glad to be reunited with my bike and (perhaps more importantly) catch up on some shows that have been stored on the DVR for awhile. I just don't have a lot of time in the evenings to watch, so it's great to combine my workout with my watching. I watched "The Office" and "ER" from last Thursday and also a recent episode of "The Hills." Three very different shows but all of them kept me pretty occupied. As for my workout, it was pretty low key, but I felt pretty good.
I was pretty busy at work again so my day went by quickly. I took a little bit of a walk during lunch because it was so nice out--sunny and warm but not too hot yet. It was hard to go back inside. We do have a window in our office (I share with someone) but our backs are to it and we're pretty much typing away all day.
I didn't have the best workout tonight at the gym. I biked really easily and started a new book that is labeled a "beach read" on the cover and it certainly seems that way. It is just an old one that I picked up at the library because I like the author. I was tired when I got off, though, so I sort of rushed through my lifting. Matt and I had planned to go grocery shopping on the way home from work as well, so I was trying to hurry. It all worked out fine and amazingly Whole Foods was uncrowded at that time of night!
Posted by becky at 9:46 PM | Comments (3)
April 21, 2008
Some good things
Today was one of those days when I woke up tired. Traveling, even short distances, always makes me tired. It was also pretty dark out since it was rainy, and that didn't help! I went to the gym to bike slowly and I felt like I could literally have fallen asleep while pedaling. I also did a few minutes on the UBB but I am trying my hardest to phase that out. Biking doesn't hurt, but it doesn't feel 100% normal yet either. At least I have an easier time reading on the bike when I am not working quite as hard.
Matt left with the car earlier than I needed to be at work today, so I took the Metro and got soaked. It wasn't raining that hard, but it was pretty steady, and my umbrella is on the small side. Most of the younger folks at work take the Metro too and we were all complaining about our wet jeans...yuck (but at least we can wear jeans). Aside from that excitement, work was quiet because a lot of people were out at an event. But my email box was buzzing and I was plenty occupied. When I went out to grab a sandwich, it wasn't raining anymore...but it started pouring while I was waiting in line for my order!
I went to the gym after work for some more slow biking (almost done with my book) and lifting. I am slowly starting to add in a few more things that require weight-bearing, like core work and lower-body stuff with the Thera-band. If it hurts, I stop. The most tender spot on my knee is near one of the incisions, the one where I assume they had to do the most "work" because it allows access to the medial portion of the knee. I am getting grossed out just thinking about it. Anyway, I avoid kneeling and anything that might stress it. Progress is progress, right? Here's to hoping for more.
Posted by becky at 9:55 PM | Comments (0)
April 20, 2008
Deena!
What a morning! I am so glad I had the chance to go to Boston this weekend and watch the women's Olympic marathon trials. Matt and I got up, grabbed coffee, and were in place on Memorial Drive to see the field when they crossed the Mass. Ave. bridge for the first time. While I was waiting for the women, I looked around and saw Alicia Shay and Jen Rhines run by (separately); two top runners from the Burnt Hills HS XC team; and several local (Boston area) running studs. And those are only the ones who I noticed. I'm sure I would have seen even more VIPs if I had really looked for them. During one of the later laps, Matt and I were sitting on the curb and I looked up next to me and noticed Ryan Hall standing there! He was subsequently mobbed by fans requesting photos, and I just didn't want to be "one of those people. But it was still cool!
Finally, the women crossed the bridge and came by. Since I am an elite running nerd, I know many of these women by sight, and I also had printed out their bib numbers. However, Magalena Lewy Boulet is someone I didn't know well, and I didn't even recognize her when she first came by about 75 seconds ahead of the "Deena pack." I soon figured it out. I made sure to cheer for the two people who would actually recognize me--D.C.-area runner Lisa Thomas and friend-of-a-friend Paige Miller--and then of course yelled for everyone else I knew by name. I was particularly excited to see Emily LeVan smile at me when I cheered for her because I've been following and supporting her Two Trials effort.
We stayed on the Cambridge side until for (I think) 5 of the 6 laps they did over there. I noticed Kate O'Neill not looking so hot pretty early on and I was sad to hear she had dropped out. It was pretty amazing to see how different the lead runners (and the other runners, too) looked on each lap. And no one was running too much slower than seven-minute pace! There were also people who were clearly having really good days (better than expected by the "pundits"), like Kasie Enman, who looked awesome almost the whole race, Sheri Piers, and Sally Meyerhoff--just a few that I happened to notice. And of course it was amazing to hear the roar of the crowd every time "Joanie" went by. The energy was awesome.
We headed over the bridge and to the finish just before the final Cambridge lap and made it--I was a little worried because I am still kind of slow, but we crammed in behind all the other crazy fans to see Deena coming down the final stretch. I had already seen the online update that she had passed Magda but it was still so exciting! And then the (short) wait for second began and I was surprised to see our early leader holding on for the next spot. I was on pins and needles waiting for third and Matt told me, "It's the blond woman!" and I knew it was Blake and I was happy that she got her redemption from 2004. After that, we started walking back over the bridge to see some of the other runners and get back to our hotel. I was very pumped up and had plenty of energy for my own workout, which I hadn't done yet. Of course it was just biking, but I enjoyed it. My knee didn't hurt while on the bike, but the combination of all the walking and the biking of course caused it to swell a bit, and I didn't have a chance to ice it because we wanted to spend our last couple of hours in Boston in Harvard Square.
The rest of the time we had went quickly and we were soon headed to the airport...where we had to wait for way too long because our flight was delayed due to "weather" in the Baltimore/Washington area. The whole transportation thing took a lot longer than expected and I kind of feel like I need another weekend to recover from this busy weekend. But I had a great time this morning (and seeing my family yesterday too) and I am so glad I got to be there in person watching a sport that I love!
Posted by becky at 5:20 PM | Comments (0)
April 19, 2008
Biking improvement
I waited until the last minute today to blog and I am falling asleep, so this will be quick! I am looking forward to waking up early and going down to watch the Trials--I can't wait. Hopefully it won't be as windy as it was today, and it already felt cooler when we just came back to our hotel a little while ago.
This morning I actually ended up riding the stationary bike for a little more than an hour, and although it felt a little weird at first, I felt pretty good--much more normal than the last time I tried it. I kept it pretty easy and it would have been super boring but I had my book. I wanted to lift but I knew Matt was waiting for me to have a bite to eat and start our day so I called it a day. After all, we are kind of on vacation. A mini-vacation.
It was another really nice day so we sat outside and ate our bagels and then we set off to the Green Line to see friends who live in Newton. (I saw lots of runners carrying their adidas Boston Marathon bags on the way since we picked up the T right near the Expo.) We had a nice afternoon in the 'burbs and then went to my grandparents' tonight for the first Passover seder. My family was up from New York too so it worked out well.
Hopefully I'll have a good report from the Trials tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
April 18, 2008
Wake-up swim
I have been known to do some really early morning workouts before traveling and this was one of those days. It was just harder today because I am still limited in what I can do. I woke up at an ungodly hour, drove to the gym with a pool (at least it was kind of on the way to the airport) and was in the pool a little after 5am. I ended up swimming (pulling with a little test-kicking) for a little under an hour, and it actually went pretty well. I got really tired at the end and my form was awful, but I felt good otherwise and was glad to have gotten it done. I was even early for my flight because for once there wasn't any traffic (of course, I thought to myself, "I could have done a longer swim!")
Matt was already out doing some bid'ness when I got to the hotel, and I had plans to meet Mary but not for a few hours. So I set off on a walk since it was really beautiful out. I walked towards the Marathon finish line--otherwise known as the Newbury/Boylston Street area--and window-shopped and browsed in Niketown. The Expo started today and I saw a lot of people with red Marathon bags. I tried not too feel too bad. I was also on the lookout for elite runners but I know that yesterday was media day and most of them were probably in their hotels staying off their feet!
I ended up walking a lot today--several miles, I think--and my knee let me know that it wasn't happy with me by swelling up. I've been icing it when I can and taking Advil and that does help; it's just frustrating that it is taking longer than I want it to. But other than the knee annoyance I really had a nice day and evening (Matt and I ate at one of our favorite Cambridge restaurants) in Boston!
Posted by becky at 11:08 PM | Comments (0)
April 17, 2008
Short week
In the ideal world, I'd be heading to Boston this weekend not only to watch the Marathon Trials--something that has been on my to-do list since I learned where they'd be--but also to run the "other" marathon on Monday. Alas, I am at least grateful to be mobile enough to be able to walk from the Cambridge side of the course to the Boston side. Passover also begins Saturday night so my family is coming up for the weekend as well to celebrate at my grandparents' as usual. I am looking forward to it and leave early in the morning tomorrow--so early that getting in a workout (with my limitations) is going to be challenging. I'll see what happens. (Matt is already in Boston doing some work-related stuff.)
As for today, I started my day with a lackluster workout at the gym. I actually biked for about 20 minutes, and it was slow, but felt okay. Then I switched to the UBB and I just couldn't get a rhythm going. It was ugly. I tried again this evening at the other gym on the better model and felt tons better (lifting was another story). While I was on the UBB, I saw a couple of teasers for the NBC Nightly News piece about Two Trials and I can't wait to watch it when it is posted online. That is such great publicity for their cause. As a communications person who specializing in non-profit causes, I am very impressed!
Posted by becky at 9:12 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2008
One workout day
I am up past my bedtime because my computer advised me to install a bunch of updates (kind of rare for a Mac) so I listened and it took a lot longer than I expected to finish. Nothing seems all that different so I guess it was mostly a behind-the-scenes improvement. Anyway, I don't have all that much to report today. The swelling was still down in my knee--I am continuing to take Advil and I iced all last night although I really did not get much of a chance to ice during the day today.
I got to the gym on the early side this morning (although not as early as I had hoped) so that I could do a workout on the UBB as well (hard to get into it this morning but less boring than yesterday) as well as little lifting. I was using the lat pulldown bar when one of the trainers came up to me and told me he heard I had recently had surgery. It really freaked me out since I don't talk to anyone there. Apparently the front desk person, who I told about the broken UBB to last week, remembered that I said I could only do things with my upper body and sent this guy over because he does a lot of rehab. I appreciated his pointers but it was kind of strange to just come up to me like that. You just never know.
I spent most of my morning and even part of the early afternoon back at Georgetown working on an upcoming presentation that I am doing with some faculty at a meeting in a few weeks. It was a nice day and I had to do a lot of walking around and my knee seemed to hold up pretty well. I stopped by my old office and said hi to everyone while I was there, and it was nice to hear that I am missed.
Tonight after work Matt and I had an appointment with a real estate agent to talk a bit more about the neighborhoods we are interested in, so I didn't get a chance to get to the gym. Despite that, I am more tired than usual and my eyes are closing in anticipation of my bed.
Posted by becky at 11:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2008
Cautiously optimistic
After starting my regimen of Advil, icing, and wrapping yesterday, I woke up with less swelling in my knee! I'm sure it will fluctuate in the days and weeks ahead, but I was happy to see some improvement. I did try to sleep with the ice on all night and I made it until the early morning hours (I'll try again tonight). In any case, it was still sore and I limped/walked down to the gym to try the now-functioning UBB. It is an earlier version of the bike I use at the Bethesda gym and there are several significant differences. The one that bothered me most is that you can't adjust the seat or "pedal" height and the handles were too close to me and kept hitting me in the elbow or head whenever I took a hand off to change my iPod or get a drink. Not fun. Also, the programs were weird. The manual was too easy but the hill interval one was too hard (at the easiest level) on the highest hills. Aaargh! After an hour, I was glad to get off and do my sit-ups and go home. Unfortunately I think I'll have to use that particular bike a couple more times--maybe I'll get the hang of it next time.
I was pretty good about icing most of the day even though it is really awkward to do at work and with my desk/laptop setup (I try to keep my leg up when I ice). I also kept it wrapped and that gave me a little extra support. I was glad that I was able to take a bit of a walk during lunch to one of my favorite delis without seeming any worse for it after I got back.
After work, I lifted a bit and then I tried swimming (well, pulling)! It had been awhile since I'd been in the pool and this was the first time I'd tried the one in the Bethesda gym--it's small but pretty nice, actually. I had no pain from where the pull buoy was on my leg (I thought I might because it is kind of close to my knee) and I flailed around for about 30 minutes. Promising. As I develop a new workout plan, one that hopefully incorporates running as well as a lot of other activities, I think it would be good to add swimming back in to the mix. But I also think I would benefit from a weekend clinic or a few lessons so that I can work on my technique. It is on my radar and if anyone has any recommendations, please let me know!
Posted by becky at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2008
Still swollen
I tried to sleep with my ice machine last night but it is very restrictive every time I try to move because I am connected to this cooler on the floor. When I started to wake myself up, I disconnected it. It didn't seem too swollen when I woke up and I walked down to the gym for some lifting. When I got there, I was shocked to see that the UBB is now functional again (or, at least, it was lit up like it was. Someone was using it as a coat rack and I had already planned to do that in the afternoon). I mentioned its brokenness on Friday to the staff but I can't believe they actually did something about it! It's nice to be surprised like that sometimes.
I had about an hour to lift before I needed to get back to shower and catch a ride with Matt and I used most of that time. Most everything I am doing is sitting down or when I do stand up, I put my weight on my "good" knee. When I walked back to my apartment, I noticed that my knee was feeling less swollen, which was why I was really surprised to feel my pain level increasing throughout the morning once I got to work. Even through my jeans, I could tell that it was swelling up (above my knee, kind of where the quad comes in) despite having an ice pack on there almost all morning. I intensified the icing and it didn't seem to be getting any better, so I called one of the nurses in my knee doc's practice, who said that it was normal to fluctuate in swelling for 6-8 weeks (!) after surgery and that it was probably due to just my increased amount of walking around (and other activities). She advised me also to start taking anti-inflammatories and I started that right away.
I'm sure I should have gone home and put my leg up after work (I know, I know) but I hadn't gotten in my aerobic workout of the day and I took out my frustrations on the UBB. I did another hill course and was quite pleased at how sweaty I was afterwards. I tried to keep my leg pretty still, because I sort of have a habit of putting my whole body into it and that may be putting extra stress on my knee. I think I will try swimming in a couple of days.
That's about it for me, time to go clean up from dinner!
Posted by becky at 9:57 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2008
Doing what I can
I was not super-motivated to get in the car this morning and drive 25 minutes up to the Bethesda gym, but I knew it was the only place that I'd be guaranteed to have a decent workout. I made good time getting there and actually had a better (UBB) workout than the past couple of times. I think doing a hill program helped (the steeper hills are KILLER on the muscles in your upper back that you don't ever use) and also the fact that I could pretty much read the closed-captioning on the TV on the wall (the news was on). I managed to stay on there for 75 minutes or so, and then I did a very little bit of abs and lifting. My knee was actually a bit more swollen when I woke up today, which I'm sure is just because of doing a lot of walking yesterday, but I was a bit surprised because I iced for several hours last night. In any case, I knew we'd be heading out in the afternoon so I wanted to get back from the gym to be able to get in some icing time.
We spent several hours this afternoon going to open houses and it was probably a little more walking than I should have done. I also went grocery shopping and to the library after that...and now I am sitting with my ice on and leg up again, when of course I'd rather be doing a second workout. But I'm aware that the swelling is a warning sign and I am just trying to nip that in the bud, so I will sit here like a lump until it's time to cook dinner.
In case you missed it, Frank Litsky wrote a nice feature article on Joan Benoit Samuelson today in the Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/sports/othersports/13benoit.html?ref=sports. And good job to Ryan Hall at London today!
Posted by becky at 6:11 PM | Comments (2)
April 12, 2008
Lots of time on my feet
I think I spent too much time walking around today and now my knee has swelled a bit. I plan to be icing it most of tonight to make up for all that mistreatment! But I had a pretty good day so I think it was worth it.
In the morning, I went up to my gym in Bethesda because I knew that they had a working UBB and I didn't want to take any chances. Plus, I have a locker there so I could easily shower. I subjected myself to about an hour of torture and it was soooo boring. I got my heart rate up some, but it was brutal. There was a TV in my line of vision, but it was pretty far away and it was just playing videos. I did see the new Madonna/Justin Timberlake video and I think she is too old to be jumping around half-naked. After I got off the bike, I made sure I could lift my arms and then I did some weights. I hate how I can't do my full abs/core routine, but I don't want to do anything that puts all my weight on my knee yet. (I forgot to ask my doctor about swimming, which I might try soon--but I want to make sure the stitches are all healed up.)
When I got home from the gym (finally), I intended to ice for a bit but we ended up heading down to Georgetown to meet Matt's boss and his daughter for a bite and a property scout-out. Right from there, I went to meet a friend to do some shopping up in Friendship Heights. Neither one of us found anything we really liked, but we had fun catching up. I hope my knee didn't mind too much!
Posted by becky at 7:03 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2008
Not the greatest of days
Since the arm biking and light lifting seemed to go okay yesterday, I decided to walk down to the gym near me this morning and do a repeat performance. However, when I got to the corner of the gym where they keep the UBB and tried to start a "program," I discovered it would not turn on. I asked one of the trainers and he thought it was the outlet but it wasn't. So, being me, I just put on my headphones and cranked away for about 30 minutes even though I couldn't change the level or anything. It was, to say the least, not very stimulating and I did not work up a sweat like yesterday. At least I know that the gym near work has a good machine, but it will be inconvenient for the weekends. After the "biking," I did all of the lifting I could do without stressing my knee.
Even though I had an earlyish appointment to see the doctor this morning, he was already running an hour behind when I got there. I should have known and called to check. At least my iPhone was working, since it usually doesn't in there. He and the resident finally came in and took my stitches out. I also mentioned that my (other) calf has been sore and although I'm pretty sure it's from walking funny, I was worried about a blood clot. He said it was probably nothing to worry about, but wrote me an order for an ultrasound to rule it out. (Two hours of waiting in Radiology later, it was ruled out, but I was worried the whole time and it wasn't too pleasant.)
Anyway, we did talk about my knee. I saw disgusting before and after pictures of my ripped up cartilage (Grade 2 damage, I think he said), which he is sure is just from overuse and not a trauma (my fall last year). Awesome. He showed me how they "stabilized" the area where there was the most damage, but let me tell you, you never want to see a photo of a part of your knee with what looks like a bald spot. I'm still reeling. So while there's no way to predict the future, it does make sense that previous wear will lead to more wear. However, it's not clear that running will make it worse...but either way, there's no way to get it back.
I did express my desire to have running in my life, not necessarily run the way I used to--high mileage, little rest, etc.--and I'm fairly okay with not being competitive/racing. And he said that I will definitely feel better this summer and be able to run, but I need to think about the long term because I may start to damage my tibia (I don't understand this part, and I'm not ready to). In his view, one of my best long term options is cartilage implantation (an autologous transplant). Major caveat: my doctor is a rep for Carticel, the only cartilage implantation technology available. It is a major surgery with an arduous recovery that includes several MONTHS on crutches and 6-9 months before a return to running. He has a runner he is working with who he said "is doing great" and started running after 4 months. Considering I could barely last a week without working out and I had trouble mentally preparing for a twenty-minute surgical procedure, I don't think I'm as "ideal" a candidate as he thinks I am. In any case, I don't need to decide now but he said that I will only be eligible for the procedure while I still have usable cartilage.
After laying all that on me, he did say that I might feel okay running for a few years and assume all is fine and then I will be done in 5 years. There's just no way to tell. But as for short-term prognosis, he expects me to be able to try running in about 4 weeks. (I see him again on May 9 so probably right around there.) I asked if I could bike now and he said to give it a few more days to a week because I still have swelling. He said I'm not going to do damage to what he did but trying to progress too fast will just set me back because it will swell. I think I will be able to tell when I am ready to bike and I will just have to bear a few more days of lifting and UBB-ing, as unappealing as it sounds right now. Once I have biked for a week with no ill effects I can progress to the elliptical and so on.
So what did I learn today? I'm not sure, but I've been feeling really down all day. I am going to do some beautification now (nails, etc.) because I think I deserve it, although it is in the 80s and we all know what I'd rather be doing. One day at a time...I just gotta keep remembering that.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 5:02 PM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2008
A bit of progress
Well, despite Matt and I waking up early (actually not a problem for me since it is not that early when you don't have to factor in a workout) and rushing to make it to my 8am doctor's appointment...I didn't get to see the doctor. I think we had a miscommunication--he called on Monday to schedule me but probably either forgot to put me in the book or I forgot to confirm. All in all, it wasn't a big deal because I can go in tomorrow morning. But I was bummed because I wanted to get the stitches out and talk about next steps.
My knee felt pretty good all day and I decided to go to the gym after work to do upper body stuff because I just couldn't take it anymore! It was also very nice out and I saw so many runners on my walk to the gym. I tried out the Upper Body Bike (I've seen it capitalized but I don't know why it would be) and I have to say that it might be more boring than swimming, but at least you can listen to music. It definitely got me sweating, which is what I needed. However, I was too sore after that to do much lifting! It was nice to be back in the gym and hopefully by starting slowly and adding things back I can stay healthy. I'll ask more questions when I see the doctor tomorrow (I hope it works out this time!)
Posted by becky at 9:52 PM | Comments (0)
April 9, 2008
R&R: Day 5
More of the same for me today, although with more walking around (to and from the parking lot near Matt's office). I am still trying to ice and keep it elevated as much as I can while lamenting that I am not able to join the throngs of runners who came out to experience the first spring-like temps in a few days when the sun finally came out this afternoon. I am hoping for a good report when I see the doctor tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 10:19 PM | Comments (0)
April 8, 2008
R&R: Day 4
My sedentary life continues. (Although I will say that I've been able to do my sit-ups; I haven't missed a day of those.) Matt had to be at work early and he was my ride, so I was there early too. I can limp around pretty well now, especially once I get into a rhythm. The hardest part is getting up from sitting down--it's still hard to bend my leg. I got a few stares walking from where Matt dropped me off to my building (it wasn't a long walk) and a woman in the bathroom asked me, "What happened?" It's kind of funny how people think it is okay to talk to a stranger if that person is limping and wearing a bandage. Luckily I don't mind and I'm pretty friendly.
I found myself thinking about not being able to exercise today at work, but just being there passed the time. I also walked (slowly) from my office to the hardware store near Matt's office (probably 1/4 mile or a little more) after work, which was a big deal for me! I'm forcing myself to spend a couple of hours icing now though, to further bring down the swelling. I'm trying to be good!
Posted by becky at 9:09 PM | Comments (1)
April 7, 2008
R&R: Day 3
I was very productive today. I woke up right around the time Matt woke up, even though I was working from home today, and didn't even fall asleep once during the day. Although I'm still limping around, there's no need for crutches anymore and I even ventured out around the corner twice--once for a sandwich and once to pick up something at the little grocery store (I got so bored that I even baked. I think it's time to go back to work...if not yet working out.)
I made an appointment to see my knee doctor on Friday this morning, but then he called later in the morning and said I could come in at 8am on Thursday. Hey, I'm not going to be working out, so why not? It will be quicker anyway because I'll be one of his first appointments. He did talk to me a little bit about the surgery, reiterating that there was a lot of "wear and tear" on the cartilage and that while this will probably help me in the short term, we need to talk about longer-term solutions.
Like I have been the past couple of days, I'm somewhat amazed that the day went by pretty normally without my workout security blanket(s). If I continue to "be good," though, there's a chance I can bike on the weekend! A girl's gotta dream.
Posted by becky at 9:22 PM | Comments (1)
April 6, 2008
R&R: Day 2
I had heard somewhere along the line that the second day post-knee surgery hurts more than the first. And it was definitely true in my case. I slept on and off, icing all the while, and read for an hour or so in the morning to try to ward off my feelings of frustration that I couldn't work out. (I was warding off my pain with Tylenol at the same time.) I was keenly aware that the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler was happening just a few blocks away outside, although I could hear the rain coming down pretty steadily.
I spent the rest of the day sitting around, icing, reading, doing some work, and napping while Matt rode the trainer right in front of me. I am planning to work from home tomorrow just to give myself one extra day to recover and keep my leg up (although I'll have to figure out how to do that on Tuesday at the office too). I've heard it is supposed to be very warm this week, which will undoubtedly bring the fair-weather runners out of the woodwork! On the other hand, though, it will be much easier for me to wear skirts this week with my bandage. See, I'm really trying to look on the bright side!
Posted by becky at 10:19 PM | Comments (0)
April 5, 2008
Rest and recovery: Day 1
Well, I survived. The worst part of everything last night was waiting around to even get taken down to a bed (1.5 hours) and then trying to relax enough for my blood pressure to go down before they took me in. Matt was there with me the whole time and helped calm me down (or tried at least) and my friend from Georgetown also came up and sat with us while we waited for a little while. I spoke to my doctor briefly about a half hour before the surgery and he assured me that this was all very routine, which was somewhat helpful. The orthopedic resident also came in and poked and prodded my knee to find out where it hurt the most, which was comforting because I clearly wanted them to focus there!
I remember being in the operating room and being told to take deep breaths, and then (as everyone says) I was waking up and it was over. Dr. K. spoke to me briefly but I was pretty out of it--I do know that he said he took a sample of my cartilage because I might be a good candidate for a transplant sometime in the future. I expect I'll talk to him about that more when I see him to get my stitches out next week. He did tell Matt that nothing was torn, which is good in a way but also not so good because there wasn't as much to repair.
I spent another half-hour or so in the second recovery room, learning to use my crutches and all that, then we were on our way. They sent us home with a cool ice contraption--a cooler that you fill with water and ice and plug in to the wall. It attaches to a bandage that wraps around my knee and the cold water circulates through the bandage. I've basically been sitting on a chair in our living room ever since with my leg up (last night and today). The pain isn't too bad; it's more like an ache especially on the inside, where it hurt most before. They did give me a Vicodin prescription but I did not fill it and have been doing fine with Tylenol.
It was weird to wake up and not have a workout planned. I felt very decadent, and I'm sure that will morph into feelings of guilt as the week goes on. I did do my situps as best as I could and we'll see how things go. This is probably the first weekend I hadn't worked out since...1996 or something. I'm sure I'll survive. Here is a photo of my ice-bandage contraption (thankfully I got a pedicure last week):
Posted by becky at 8:01 PM | Comments (1)
April 4, 2008
This better work
It will be awhile before I am able to work out again, so I'll take a minute to report that I did a very easy spin this morning before eating for the last time. I think it was good for me to start the day in a normal routine. Right now I'm quite hungry and just looking forward to the surgery being done so that I can work hard on getting back to running! Hopefully I will be able to post a full report tomorrow.
Happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 1:41 PM | Comments (0)
April 3, 2008
'Bout that time
Considering I haven't ever had an extended break from working out--I can no longer say that about running, but working out--I am quite apprehensive about tomorrow's surgery. I'm most nervous in the short term about the procedure itself since all things medical kind of freak me out, but once that is over I will be dealing with trying to concentrate on healing myself without feeling guilty that I'm not able to carry on with my usual routine. If all goes well, this will be "just a blip on the radar" as a good friend reminded me recently, but it's hard to see the big picture just yet. Still, I feel that I owe it to myself and to my love of running to take this next step in caring for my knee and I am going to try and stay positive.
Aside from worrying about tomorrow today, I got in my last long trainer ride for...however long it may be. I watched two "House" episodes and then flipped between the morning shows. I had hoped to get in one last lift but my office had a bowling outing tonight and being new, I decided it would be a good idea to show my face there. And my co-workers really are a fun group of people, so I ended up having a great time and staying even longer than I intended. It definitely took my mind off my worries and then when I got home, I had several messages, texts, and emails wishing me luck tomorrow. I am grateful for the support I have and look forward to reporting more running news in my blog...eventually.
I will probably provide a quick update tomorrow of my very last (quick) biking workout before heading off to a work meeting and the hospital but just in case...wish me luck!
Posted by becky at 10:11 PM | Comments (1)
April 2, 2008
Pressing on
It was another busy day that started on the bike. My legs weren't as heavy as they were yesterday so I was able do do more hills. I watched an episode of "House" and then the rest of "The Hills" from yesterday. "The Hills" is such a guilty pleasure for me. Nothing really happens, but I enjoy it because it is so far from my life!
I spent the morning at Georgetown because I had a doctor's appointment in the morning and a meeting there at noon. I brought my laptop and worked while I was waiting so it was fine. The meeting was longer than I anticipated, though, and I didn't get back to my office until after 2 and I was tired by then from all the back and forth. But the rest of the day was so short that it went very quickly!
Also as usual, I went to the gym after work. This may be my last time there until I can get back to a routine post-surgery because I have a work event tomorrow night and I'm not sure I can do both. (I miss being able to go to the gym at lunch!) I was getting nostalgic but my body is probably looking forward to the break...or at least that's what I have to keep telling myself!
Posted by becky at 10:13 PM | Comments (1)
April 1, 2008
Another quick day
Today was another day that went by quickly, mostly because of how busy I was at work. I was on the bike in the morning as usual, watching "House" and a new episode of "The Hills" that I think aired last night. My legs felt very heavy and tired this morning, although I'm not sure why. I do squats now and then when my knee isn't too bad (that motion doesn't bother the inside) and I guess I was sore from those. I just wasn't feeling the hill climbs this morning so I only got out of the saddle when my butt warranted a break. It was a warm day today even in the morning and I could feel the muggy air from the open window. I still would have rather been running in it, but I probably would have had a complaint or two!
Fast-forward to the gym tonight, where I rode the stationary bike a bit and lifted. There were a lot more women in the free weights area tonight--this I was glad to see! Everything went fine although I continue to be apprehensive about the surgery recovery time when I am really going to have to be careful. T-minus three days (I'm definitely keeping track).
Posted by becky at 10:29 PM | Comments (0)