After resting our injured knee for eight(8!) days, the plan was to test The Knee this morning. In a nice and easy manner. We drove over to the local high school to use the track, figuring the "sponge soft" track surface would be good for the battered knee. Eliminating having to run hills would be a plus, too.
So there we were this morning at 6:15 on the track. Our goal was to do a mile -- half running and half walking. The idea was to walk a lap, run a lap, walk a lap and then run the final lap. We started out on the walk. The knee was a bit tender, but basically OK. When it came time to run the next lap, we hiked up the knee brace and off we went. After about 30 steps, it started to hurt. Not hurt like the shooting pain we felt nine days ago -- but still we were hoping to be pain free.
But as we finished the lap, we noticed something. The pain had not gotten any worse -- in fact it was barely noticeable.
So we decided to run the third lap. Next, we figured we would run the fourth and final lap -- which would give us an even mile. (One quarter walking, three quarters jogging.) As we finished the fourth, we decided to see if we could last two more laps. And on and on we went. We finally stopped after running for 2.5 miles. (We walked a cool down lap -- giving us a total of 1/2 mile walked and 2.5 miles run.)
Are we back to 100 percent? No, not even close. Right now, we are at about 70 percent. But at least we were able to run and not scream out in pain.
The plan is to continue to run on the soft track surface. We will see if the knee can handle running every other day next week. Hopefully, we can gradually increase the distance and the days -- without, of course, overdoing it.
But for now, we will take it. Most definitely.
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