Starting Over from the Bottom

Today I planned to take my left knee on a test drive... I haven't noticed as much tenderness or soreness lately. I haven't run on it in almost 2 weeks and that was only a 3 miler. Since then I have vowed to do no running until I can do it almost pain-free or until I've seen a doctor. So this past week I rode my trainer for 55 minutes Tues night, 1 hour Thursday night and 1 hour and 10 minutes on Saturday.

I am expecting around a 1/2 mile for the pain to set in and intensify around 1.5 so bad that I will be back in the same boat. So, at lunch I slide into my short sleeve tech shirt and went out for a leisurely jog in 62 degrees. Goal? 3 miles. No pace, no nothing. Just trying to see how much progress I've made with no weight bearing activites for 2 weeks. Just an experiment. There is something serene about a run where there are no expectations, no set pace you feel compelled to hit, and no certain distance you are locked into because "the plan says so."

Mile 0.5 - feeling good. Hmmm.... COOL! Mile 1.0 - nothing. No pain. Still doing well except for this gosh-awful side stitch that is in my extreme lower abdomen on my right side. Talk about a CRAMP! Ouch. Usually I push right through anyting like this and heck -- it's been forever since I've gotten one. What is wrong? Am I already totally out of shape so bad I'm starting over and my body is freaking? Have I forgotten how to breathe? My legs felt heavy, I didn't have any sort of rhythym in my stride or my breathing. I think the 2 week break made my body forget how to run!!! I couldn't take the pain anymore. I walked 50 yards pressing it as hard as I could until it went away. Mile 1.5..... a slight twinge of pain in the knee. Hmmm... Ok, so if I have to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 I would say my pain level was only 1.5!!! I can tolerate that. However, I do not want to push it. Still sticking to 3 miles. It took me 27:23 for the measley 3 mile run. That's ok though! I am back in my running shoes. I may have forgotten how to run or how to breathe, but I can start over can't I? I've done this before -- just not on week 10 of a marathon training plan! :-/

A couple of verses in a Cher song "Starting Over"

Starting over again
From the second time around
Coming back to win
Starting over again
Take the first step
And let it begin
Starting over, starting over

Take another look inside
Where you always have a fight
Never dream of giving up, never
No looking back