Monday, March 24, 2008

Run, Hurt, Rest, Repeat, Redux: the Pop

I ran three miles Saturday. The pain in the right knee returned even with a week layoff. RICE began immediately. Downed two naproxen, applied a gel ice pad, reclined on the couch with the leg propped on a blanket and cracked open Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, a book I have owned for seven years but never got past 100 pages. I read 60 that afternoon finally getting into the rhythm of the bloodshed.

Next day, Easter, I iced in the morning, wrapped my knee before meeting the family for Irish brunch and Bloody Marys and iced again in the afternoon and that night. Felt sluggish after eating about 10 pounds of omelette, bangers and mash, stew, and a little bit of fruit. I decided to do some light core exercise in the evening. After 30 minutes of this and that I stretched like a good boy. While in groin stretch lotus possition I pulled my right knee and shin off the ground toward my chest.

The pop sounded bad. It felt wonderful. I imagine the same sensation from a chiropractic visit though I've never been. Today the knee feels fine. No ill sensation whatsoever. I first felt the pain during a detox run a couple weeks ago and now wonder if my wonky drunkard's balance threw my stride off-kilter and created some sort of knee misalignment. These speculations shall be tested with three miles tonight.

Completeness
When I am injured or otherwise not able to run I get the urge to read about running. Last year, I was looking for Jim Fixx's Complete Book of Running to no avail. In its stead I found my dad's copy of Running and Being by George Sheehan, which I have appropriated as my own and definitely recommend if you consider running to be some variety of religion, Prozac, release, escape or all of the above.

Friday, some friends and I adventured into the Great Ohio Desert in search of roadside attractions, historical markers and flea markets. We stopped at a used bookstore where I uncovered a copy of Fixx's 1977 tome for $5. If my knee pain returns you shall see a review much sooner than later. Hope for later.

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