Update on the Knee

My left knee started to hurt shortly after finishing the marathon on Sunday. It never gave me any indication of being overused, or sore, or in any pain until AFTER the finish. I worked my way thru the finish chute and met Bonnie at the exit of the chute. I was still standing at that point and looking around for perhaps an ice pool but didn't see any for this race.

I did spot a food tent for finishers and told her that I wanted to head that direction. She asked if I wanted to sit down but I said no I felt that I needed to walk. The food tent was across a field so we started that direction, slowly. I took my time letting my legs and body get back to some semblance of normal vertical activity. I went into the tent and had two orange slices then moved on to find all they had left was pepperoni pizza, which at the time sounded like a 16 oz prime rib to me. I took a very large slice and walked out the other end of the tent.

I could see Bonnie waiting on me at the entrance and thought I would get her attention to come to me rather than me walk back to her. Then I did my biggest mistake.....I sat down in a chair to eat the pizza. I sat there long enough to eat it, and Bonnie eventually saw me and came over and sat down too. I finished the water that I had and began to realize that my knee was hurting all of a sudden.

I was panicking that I had done something to it in the race but could not remember anything that caused any problems on the course.

Well, my coach says that by sitting down too soon and bending my knee at a 90 degree angle that quickly and for a prolonged period of time I was pushing my thigh bone into the knee cap and aggravating the cartilege there. He says that the running naturally aggravates it some but as long as you don't sit too quickly after the race or sit with your leg bent 90 degrees or more that you shouldn't have alot of pain.

Today it continues to feel much better. I just have to remember to not sit that same way even now as it brings the pain back when I do. I will take his advice and not run until at least the weekend and maybe into the middle of next week. It's again my taper time for Honolulu anyway.