What I've Been Up to ... Runningwise

Well it's been almost 4 months since I've run more than a few minutes at a stretch.   Lots of biking, my first spin classes, walking on treadmills on healthy inclines etc.  But so I don't bury the lead, I have been cleared to resume a 7 week walk/run program as long as I remain pain free.

To recap, I have very little cartilage remaining on the inside of my left knee.  Plus more or less I have doing everything wrong form and stride wise for the last forever putting too much weight and uneven pressure on that side of the joint causing the problem.  And gee, I thought I was having a tracking problem!

I have been in a clunky knee brace since mid-winter when I am awake and not exercising so relieve the left knee from bearing weight.  And I have been working with an exercise physiologist on redoing everything about my walking and running gait as well as a series of funky exercise to strengthen and equalize various muscle groups.  Not exactly sure how this differs from PT but includes lots of micro muscle adjustments.

My new stride is more upright more glute and quad driven and hopefully more efficient and less pounding.  Aiming for mid foot strike, shorter stride, more straight so knees, hips, core better aligned.  Fairly similar to chi running from what I can tell but a little less tilted forward. There are about 7 different things I have to keep track with I can handle but having difficulty do everything and breathing normally. 

Aiming to get back up to regular 3-5 mile runs 3-4 times a week by the end of August and shoot for a 10K in the late fall.  After that who knows but hoping everything holds in the meantime.

So to celebrate I went me the Saucony Zealot ISO which is the true heir to the Kinvara, with the company having crapped up the Kinvara 6.  Light, flexible, and cushy.  Can't wait to starting breaking it in tomorrow for a couple of minutes every mile I'm out there.