FasterSkier

Tag: Knee

  • Knee / Training Update

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    It’s been a while since I have taken the helm and posted an update.  Truth is, between work and the fact that I can train again, I’m whooped at the end of the day and hold the couch to the floor for an hour or so before heading off to bed.

    The middle of August I was given the o.k. to start running, just a little bit at a time, i.e. 20 min.  As I was building my running back up, I started to Mtn. Bike again for the first time since 2003.  Mtn. Biking had been one of the extra curricular activities that went to the wayside as my running started to progress to the next level.

    First climb of the day.

    After a few weeks, I was running a little longer and riding a lot more. On the 12th of September, I had my longest day in the saddle EVER.  The day consisted of 9.5 hours on the Mtn. Bike hitting pretty much every high point in the Keweenaw. The totals for the day included about 80 miles of trail and a cumulative elevation gain of right around 20k feet.  The long day on the bike just confirmed what I was starting to feel. My knee is back to strength and ready for pretty much anything I was willing to throw at it.

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    Fast forward to today.

    Today, Lindsey and I set out for my first over distance run on my newly repaired meniscus.  I started the day with a couple of known bailout points that I could use if things didn’t feel right. I didn’t need them. Everything held together, didn’t even think about it.  Today was my longest run in 4 months and after 3 hours of climbing and descending single track I’m finally confident that everything is where it needs to be and I can now look at things as actual training versus rehab.

    There really is a huge difference between training and rehab, both mentally and physically.  The biggest being the ability to just let it rip, no limits, all out, with out fear that your going to set yourself back and have to work even harder to get back to where you started.  It’s so much more fun to train, and while rehab is extremely important, wow, does it ever suck.

    While I am feeling really good and running well, I have decided to bag the rest of the year for running races and make sure that I’m super fit / strong come Spring 2010.  In the meantime, that doesn’t mean being a slacker.  As a classic overachiever, I have thrown my hat in the ring for the Iceman Cometh Mtn Bike race in November, I’m riding hard, recovering smart and getting faster and stronger on the bike everyday.

    I’ll have more updates on the process and Iceman over the next few weeks.  Thanks for stopping by RedGroupRacing.com

  • Knee Update 8/20

    Well, running this spring couldn’t have been much better. I trained smart, I was feeling fast and had a handful of satisfying results. Then, as most of you already know, I tore up my knee, with the help of my loving mutt, Montana.  It has been a really long road back, mentally and physically,  even though 10 weeks off of running doesn’t sound that long.

    Yesterday was my first day back running. Dr. Pearson gave me the o.k. to head out for a 20 minute run. Lindsey came with and helped me focus on something other than thinking about what every heel strike felt like on my knee.  I found myself looking for pain that never came. Prior to surgery, every time I hit the 15 minute mark I would get overwhelming pain, even in the pool.  I knew that I was in a better position when I can run in the pool (intervals, sprints, distance) for as long as I want.

    So, I’m back to training. Which is a huge relief.  I have been classic rollerskiing 5 days a week, running in the pool, riding both road and mountain bike and NOW RUNNING.

    Over the next couple of weeks I will begin to increase the length of my runs.  I’m hoping to be at an hour by the end of next week and start to increase the intensity the following week.

    I’ll keep you updated. The road back should get a lot more fun from here on out.

    Dan

  • At work in the pool.

    I haven’t written an update in a little bit but here we go again. The name of the game is still rehab and will be for a while.  While the first weeks of rehab have been pretty slow, things are starting to come together and I am feeling pretty good about what lies ahead.

    Last Thursday I was able to toss the crutches aside, a week later than I would have liked but out of my hands none the less.  While the first few steps were a little shaky, I think maybe more from the fear of the unknown, I am moving really well now. Actually I am probably walking the same way I do after an ultra, maybe even better.

    After finishing up work in Madison, WI, I headed up to Copper Harbor, MI to watch Lindsey race at the Keweenaw Trail Running Festival.  Last year I won the overall at this event after running the weekend’s three races (10k, Hill Climb, and 25k), it was pretty tough to watch this from the sidelines. It’s kind of crazy that it takes an injury to drive home how much you love to do something. Watching everyone race fired me up to get back to the game, healthier, faster, stronger.  Which brings me to the next topic…

    DEEP WATER RUNNING

    Saturday, after watching everyone run an incredibly difficult 10k, I needed to get in some rehab.  I decided to take pool running to the next level by running in Lake Fanny Hooe against the waves.  The fun would only last for 30 minutes though. The water was brutally cold and I was starting to lose the feeling in my arms. It took a hot shower and another 30 minutes of sitting in the sun to stop shivering.

    Today, I was able to get in my first interval workout in the pool.  After a 30 minute warm-up I ran 4 by 3 minute with 2 minutes off level 4. 30 minute cool down.  Level 4 is tough no matter how and where you do it, the pool is no exception.  The intervals went really well and the knee feels even better.  My running form will get a little bit closer to normal on Thursday when I get the o.k. to bend my knee to/past 90 degrees. Currently I am keeping the left leg a little straighter than normal and mimicking real running as close as possible.

    Tomorrow is another day of rehab, looking forward to an 1:30 distance session.

    Wondering what the hell deep water running is?  Check out the video below.

  • Post Op Appointment # 1

    I just got home from my first post op appointment and got to see the pics of what went on inside my knee during the surgery. Pretty cool.  There must have been something on the lens because they are a little cloudy but I was able to see the FastFix anchor that they put in.  Hopefully I will be able to scan them in in the next day or so.

    The swelling is coming down pretty well.  The port holes are closing up.  Now I can start to work my way back to life as it was.  I am still restricted from bending my knee past 90 degrees.  I got the o.k. to start easing my self off the crutches.

    I took my first few steps unaided in a very long while.  It took a few tries to get the nerves up to commit to the leg. After a few tries, my muscles started to remember what their reason for existence  is and things started to fire.  I only let myself walk back and forth across the living room a few times. I don’t want to over do it the first day, so I’m back on the couch with my knee elevated and the polarcare keeping it cold. Just got a phone call, I guess I am going to be on my crutches until next Thursday, damn.

    On another bright note, my port holes are almost completely healed up and after getting a new water running belt the other day, I am all ready to start rehabbing.  So, it looks like next Monday I will be in the pool and then if everything goes smoothly, I will be back to running on land the first week of August.

    Rehab, rehab, rehab…