I ran, I ran, I really really ran

I ran tonight. I just couldn't take it. It hit 80 degrees here in Oklahoma and I just new that the Gods were tell me it was time to run again.

So I strapped on my (new) shoes and headed out for an easy 3-4 mile run. I wanted to talk to my shoe dealer about my knee anyway so I figured I would run there. I could feel my knee about .25 miles into the run. It didn't hurt but it was there. I took it easy holding a 9 minute mile pace and it didn't seem to get any worse. I did notice that it hurt worse on an uphill or a downhill.

I showed my shoe dealer, who is also a foot doctor, where it hurt. He said that it was the Bursa sacks in my knee that were inflamed.

He said I could run as long as it didn't hurt but to avoid hard surfaces. He also said 4-6 weeks before it will heal completely. I've given it 2 already. Those were really good weeks too so I think they count as 2.5 maybe 3. It's quality not quantity that matters right??

So I left the store feeling pretty good. He did say I could run and I may only have a week left to heal completely. I love selective hearing, I'm so good at it.

I made it 3 miles without any significant pain. The course I was running has a significant hill around the 3 mile mark so I decided that was a good time to walk. So I walked. When I got up and down the hill I figured 3 miles was a pretty good distance for my first run in 2 weeks so I continued walking. Normally this would drive me crazy but I was so happy to have just run again that I didn't mind walking the last mile. All I could think was that I had just run 3 miles and I was happy. Really happy.

All that walking gave me a lot of time to think. First I thought about my run tomorrow. I'll get off work early as usual since it's Friday and I can go to LAKE HEFNER and it will be 70-80 again! And I can RUN!! Oh that made me happy, I can't wait for tomorrow. Then I got to thinking about the last time I was really hurt. Specifically I remember how much Ibuprofen I used to take. Then in true Willie form I had a lightbulb go off between my ears. I haven't tried taking massive doses of pain killers for this injury like I did before??!! Back then I could barely walk but if I took the drugs I could not only walk but I could run! Hmmm..... Hmmmm.... Hmmmm... Bad thought go away, bad thoughts go away, bad thoughts go away...... Sure I'll be prolonging the time it takes for this to heal BUT I will be able to run during that prolonged time which, in Willie's world, is soooooooo much better than just waiting out the shorter time. Willie's world is a scary place sometimes. Good thing I'm the only one in there, probably get arrested if anyone else ever got in there.

So my plan is to hit the Ibuprofen tomorrow before my mid-afternoon Hefner run and see how that feels. I will only do 3-4 miles again. This will just be a test to see if I have any pain at all once I'm sufficiently drugged out of my mind. If that works, it's on baby! bring on the long runs and the come-back.

Thanks for listening