back in business

Six days after the fall I got up in the morning, mumbled a few four-letter words, and went out to run seven miles.

How much I was going to run I decided in advance. I figured out if I can run one mile, I can do more.

Yet the knee was swollen, red, and hot. I know these are classical signs of infection, but it didn't feel like an infection. More like a battle going on in the region. I thought it would be wise not to do sixteen or seventeen miles, as I had planned before the fall. It would just add more heat and stress. So I settled on seven.

The pain, again, was bearable. But the swelling must have skewed my stride a bit, forcing the foot to impact the ground awkwardly, since my whole right side, from hip to ankle, started hurting after less than a mile. I ran very focused on keeping myself symmetrical.

I know you are not supposed to sit down right after a run, but that's exactly what I did. I propped my leg up, put a bag with frozen vegetables on my knee, and just sat there, still trembling with the exertion. I felt a bit like crying, but didn't.

So it wasn't exactly a big run. Under the circumstances though, it was a good thing.