I began regular running in the fall of 2012 after retiring at the age of 56. I became a volunteer coach for Moms on the Run. In the fall of 2016 I was going to turn 60, so I vowed to make it my best spring/summer/fall of running ever. I ran 3-4 days every week from May through October, finished four 10-mile road races, a half-marathon, a half-marathon relay, a 5k, a 5-mile trail race, Ragnar Great River, and Ragnar Northwoods Trail. It was a great year of running and I was pretty much pain free. I was a year-round outside runner. But then something happened in March 2017 while running with a friend who was rehabbing after a broken ankle. We took off too fast and something popped in my knee, but I kept running until I physically could not. During that year and into 2018, I ran in pain and tried different physical therapies, along with a meniscus procedure. It seemed to work for a bit. I continued with therapy, received cortisone injections, and eventually synvisc injections in both knees, but no relief. I was forced to stop running and simple walking became very difficult. On April 11, 2018, I had my left knee replaced and seven weeks later, on May 30, my right knee was replaced. It’s been a long, long (almost) year of very hard work, patience and determination, but I vowed that I would attempt to run again. After walking and biking a lot, I just recently made that attempt and it felt “good.” I still experience stiffness and I know that I’ll always “feel” my replaced knees, but I am pretty much pain free. I don’t think that any distance above a 5k is in my future, but just to be able to put on my shoes and go out for a short run is heaven to me. My goal is to participate in the Women Run the Cities 5k on May 19. I can’t say enough about the excellent care that I received from everyone involved in my surgeries and recovery. I will be forever grateful.
