Step One: Sign Up For Marathon

Did you hear? I signed up for a half marathon in January and than I injured my right knee.  Since I thought I was an invincible runner, I then thought it only appropriate to sign up for the Chicago Marathon, my very first Marathon. It would have been perfect, train for the half and be in impeccable shape to start Marathon training in June.

It is debatable if I still will run the Chicago Marathon but in order to keep myself motivated and optimistic, I want to blog about this experience. Mostly with the hope I will make it to the Marathon starting line on October 13th, 2013.

I guess this blog will start out as the Chronicles of an Injured Runner.  Exciting! Before we start though. Here is a little background on how I found myself sitting at my desk struggling through registration (and wondering if this was a sign not to sign up...)...

It all started back in the fall of the year of 2012, when my work (the Jewish United Fund/ Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, check it out: www.juf.org) decided to launch a Marathon team.

Yes, maybe after each of my first three half marathons, I swore I'd never run a marathon, but something told me this could be a great opportunity.  Not only would I be running 26.2 miles but I'd be running it to raise money for a great cause and be part of a team.  I have a soft spot for doing good in the world and I guess making myself suffer as I do it.
 
I thought there was no way this knee injury could last that long.  So I struggled through the marathon registration in February. It just so happened that this year the system crashed.  I was one of the lucky ones who got a spot in the marathon in the first few hours. 

It turns out though that what I thought was a quickly curable injury, is indeed not that at all.  I ended up dropping out of training for what would have been my 4th half marathon and started going to physical therapy for my knee.  Weeks went by of trying one exercise after the next and nothing seemed to be helping me. About a month ago the newest exercise appeared to be doing the trick. I finally could do a squat without shooting pain up my knee.

I declared myself pretty much cured.  I started going on short runs in celebration of overcoming the longest running injury I've ever had.  I also started to pair that with Yoga and biking to work.  Guess what, it turns out I was over doing it.  Got a little too excited about being in less pain and now I appear to have returned to a period of pain in my knee.

Congratulations (to myself of course), I've joined the club of overzealous runners not giving themselves enough time to heal.

Saturday I got an MRI and I'm hoping they will get a better idea of what is wrong with my knee. A few things to point out:
1. It's been almost 5 months since I first injured my knee.
2. I really really really really (can i emphasize this enough) miss running.  And yes, when you talk to me about running, or I see you running... I am jealous.

In the meantime, I am keeping myself in shape through biking, yoga, the elliptical and strength training.  Technically, I should be starting to train right now.  Because of some really motivational friends, they have encouraged me that I don't have to quit quite yet.

Maybe in a couple of weeks this blog can become "Chronicles of a non-injured runner."  First I need my knee to cooperate with me.

Lastly, I have suspended fundraising for the Marathon because of the uncertainty of my knees ability to cooperate with my pending goals.  You should check out my fundraising page anyways just for fun and to prove to you I once thought I'd be cured by at least May.  To all those that have already donated to help me raise money for the JUF, I can't thank you enough for helping me keep motivated.

My Fundraising Page for TeamJUF

To be continued...