Learning to Walk!

The fascinating thing about physical therapy is that you realize how terribly most people move their way through the world. Think about it. Before my injury I considered myself a healthy, active, even athletic individual. Now I understand that I couldn’t even walk right.
After this week’s PT I’ve been given the instructions basically to do some situps and to walk like Pygmalion everywhere I go. My hips are so rotated the wrong way I’m afraid no one will say I have a nice butt when I get it where it’s supposed to be. Seriously, my hips were rotated forward about 10 degrees. What does this all mean?
1) The right knee no longer hurts. Everything is grand. I haven’t had any pain in quite some time. I continue to ice it as I think I am now addicted.
2) The left knee hurts, but is getting better. Did you know rotating a hip that is out of alignment could alleviate knee pain? Julie Andrews and I would make a great pair walking through campus. I almost feel as if I should put books on my head.
3) I’m still taking Aleve, just in case. You never know. If I spend a week without pain I’ll stop the Aleve, but in the meantime I’m not taking a major dose so I’m not concerned.
4) Running is becoming fun again. And on to the stories of the runs.

In week one of Marathon training there was a lot going on. The schedule called for 4 miles on Tuesday, One hour on Thursday, 4 miles on Saturday and 6 miles on Sunday. As my PT instructed me to build up miles slowly, I decided to cancel the 6 miles on Sunday, since I would be the wedding of a chef and a national wine rep. on Saturday night. In retrospect it was a very good idea. I think Dayton didn’t get his beer on Sunday because I had drunk them all at the bar before the reception. Oh wait, there were drinks with the groom before the wedding, too. Which reminds me! Never go to a catholic wedding with even the slightest buzz. No one needs you giggling in the back pew when the priest mentions “Lamb of God” for the 40th time.
Oh, the runs. TUESDAY: 4 miles. On the treadmill, RSF, no big deal. Enjoyable, although I’m starting to think Treadmills aren’t so good for you. I have more knee problems on one than off. THURSDAY: One hour. Started on the treadmill, again more leg and knee pain. After 20 minutes I packed it in and was headed to the shower. I couldn’t take the defeat yet again. Then, as I threw my sweat towel in the bin and headed toward the shower, something snapped. I just said to myself, using my inside voice, “Fuck You, Jason Whitt! You’re not going to beat me! I’m running hills.” So I did. I threw the towel in the bin and headed out the front door of the RSF, turned the stopwatch back on and headed up hill. When I reached the halfway point, somewhere up behind one of the dorms and near a parking lot for the Livermore Lab, I turned around and enjoyed a run back down the hill past the stadium, past the I-house, and right on back to the RSF. It was AWESOME! It felt so good to just be able to do it. When I got home my knee hurt, but no more than it had hurt during the months of running the Hayes St. Haters were doing. It was the level of pain I once considered normal. A level that I’m now hoping to eliminate completely. We’ll see!
SATURDAY’s run was not all that spectacular. Up over Twin Peaks, with a couple laps thrown in. It’s a nice 4-mile run with beautiful views, little traffic and lots of hills to create a challenge. My pace was just off 10 minutes, which didn’t make me too happy, but I’m trying to remember that I have some fitness to regain.
I’ve run again this week already. 4 miles on Tuesday again. Same comments about Treadmills apply. Really, I need to get some routes mapped through Berkeley for those days when I’m here for runs. My run was at least on the Treadmill that faces the Squash court. That gave me something to watch.
So before I sign off, just one more HUGE CONGRATULATIONS for Dayton finishing his first Marathon. And a challenge to both Julie and Dayton that the Boston Marathon is coming up in just 18 months!!! We’ve got 16 months in which to qualify!!

Running Summary:

Total Miles: 14
Total Time: 2:13:42
Overall Impression: We’re Back On Track, Folks! Drunk Runners Can’t Be Stopped! (WBONTF!DRCBS!)