Time to Panic. (Almost.)

I've run a lot of races in the last 15 years.  Almost without exception, in the days or weeks prior to a big event, something goes terribly wrong with my body.  A new sore joint, nagging pain, freak accident -- you get the jist.  I don't think it is a psychosomatic response or an excuse to sit out the event.  I have run plenty of races with minor aches and pains.  It actually takes something rather significant to derail me (like a stress fracture in my tibia in 2009 a week before a marathon).

About 10 days ago I ran 18 miles around Burke Lake.  I knew I would be sore afterwards, but a new soreness crept into my left knee that I haven't felt for a few years.  About 3 years ago, when I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon, after an 18-mile training run (apparently my unlucky number), I had a very sharp pain in the same part of my knee.  That injury ended my hopes for the marathon, and I took two months off running before ramping up again. 

That pain is back.  The difference this time is that I've worked too hard to not race Ironman.  I have continued to run since the Burke Lake run, though at shorter distances and at a much slower pace.  The knee pain is still there, nagging with every stride.  This morning I went to a knee specialist to make sure I wasn't risking permanent damage to the knee, and he diagnosed me with Pes Anserinus Tendinitis.

Here is an image of the "pes tendon."  It passes over a bursa sac that can get inflamed as a result of impact, inflexibility, and ... wait for it ... wait for it ... OVERUSE.  (Saw that coming, didn't you?)

The bad news:  This takes a long time to completely heal.  6 weeks or more.  And IM Florida is in 3.5 weeks.

The good news:  With enough painkillers or a cortisone shot, I can continue to train for, and race in Florida, and the risk of long-term damage is pretty low. (Yay! Running in pain!)

For now, the Doctor gave me Aleve to bring down the swelling.  If it still hurts by next Monday, it's time to panic, and he promised me a corisone shot. 

This latest development is frustrating, to say the least.  It's not easy waking up early every morning and training for 11 solid months for Ironman.  Every swim in the cold pool, every bike ride in the dark, every energy-sapping run, time spent away from my family, time spent not sleeping when I'm clearly exhausted -- I tell myself that the payoff will be worth it.  At this point, the payoff is less certain than it was a couple of weeks ago.