About 4-5 weeks post surgery I decided I should try to incorporate a little running on my walks. It was nothing spectacular, just a minute jog every 5-10 minutes. I was struck by how difficult it felt, and admittedly struggled with some negative thoughts that I had lost so much fitness and questioning whether I would ever get back.
Two nights before surgery I freaked out and started Googling “Non-surgical repair of meniscus root tears” to no avail. The morning of surgery I did some yoga and took a short bike ride. It seemed weird to think about missing something that I disliked so much, but getting the surgery done meant giving up a certain amount of short term freedom and mobility in exchange for improvements in the long term.
I was a little nervous going into my second opinion appointment, but I had a good feeling as this doctor was recommended by a friend. Talking to the surgeon he agreed that surgery was the best option, but was much less alarmist than the first surgeon.
My initial appointment with the surgeon was the beginning of a series of frustrating encounters with the medical system. The first of these was the fact that I was unable to get an MRI until I first had an x-ray, even though we were certain that the injury was soft tissue and not something able to be seen on an x-ray.
As soon as I felt the pop, I knew it was bad. My knee had been hurting the week before when I was on vacation with my family, but it seemed to loosen up as I ran. It felt decently good that day so I decided to give it a try. About 20 minutes into my run I felt the pop. I could no longer run.
A misstep or loose rock, a wild animal, getting lost or injured, facing dehydration or hypothermia, probably some that I’ve never thought of. If occasionally I forget, mother nature has a way of reminding me through minor falls, close calls, and even the occasional ER trip.
As women, our menstrual cycle adds another dimension to the challenging puzzle that is distance trail running. There are actual physiological changes in our body throughout the month that we, unlike men, need to account for.
This was supposed to be a fun adventure-run day. I had summited Humphrey’s peak (the highest peak in AZ) earlier in the day, and was making my way around the loop created by Weatherford and Kachina trails to arrive back at my car parked at Snowbowl. The scenery was beautiful, and the weather was perfect compared to the 114 degrees I had faced the previous day in Phoenix. And…I was completely miserable.
I remember the first time I read about ultra runners, about the Badwater race, and people having their toenails surgically removed. I thought it was batshit crazy. Wasn’t nail removal a torture method? Who would WILLINGLY do that?
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Before reading this post, please note that I am not a medical expert. The information contained below is not to replace the consultation of an
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Trail Sisters® is a registered trademark of Trail Sisters LLC | © 2021 Trail Sisters LLC
Trail Sisters® is a registered trademark of Trail Sisters LLC | © 2021 Trail SIsters LLC