My first aches and pains of running

Hello,

Last night’s run was a struggle! It seems I’ve officially developed “runners knee” or patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), probably because I waited until my third week of training to buy proper shoes. Also, I sense it has something to do with the fact that I just jumped into running two miles. Either way, I’m experiencing pain in my knees when climbing stairs or running.

Here’s what Runner’s World says about the issue: “It occurs when a mistracking kneecap (patella) irritates the femoral groove in which it rests on the thighbone (femur).  PFPS can affect one or both knees. It strikes mostly younger, recreational runners and twice as many women as men, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine. (Women tend to have wider hips, resulting in a greater angling of the thighbone to the knee, which puts the kneecap under more stress.)”

To combat this I’ve chosen to forgo my beloved high heels for a while. All the websites I’ve read also suggest cutting back on running mileage and icing the sore knee(s). Being that I’m stubborn, I’ll just ignore it for a while and hope it goes away. That seems sensible, right?

Pain aside, the scenery on the run was great! My running buddy’s neighbor has a zebra in their front yard. Yes, you read that correctly – a zebra. They also have a llama and mini horses but those take a backseat. This led me to ponder the purpose of owning a zebra though. Do you take it to children’s parties? Put a saddle on it and try to invent a new form of polo? Or, just simply state that you own a zebra because who else can say that? Oh, the possibilities!

Well that’s all for me today. If you have any experiences with runners knee feel free to share them. Also, let me know if you have developed any other problems while training.

-N