running the Boston Marathon 2014

I just signed up to run the 2014 Boston Marathon on behalf of the hospital where I work, BIDMC.

This year's marathon will obviously be a very special event, and that has catalyzed me to find out if I can run one more marathon.  What had immediately pushed me to do this was a chance conversation with one of the doctors I know who told me he was running, and that the medical center had received many more bibs that in the past, presumably because of the medical center's role in caring for the victims of the tragedy at last year's race.

Last year, I had attended the Red Sox game, watching the Sox win a fine 3-2 victory.  After the game, I watched the runners for while just short of the 40 K mark.  I then walked back to me office at the hospital to work on paperwork for a while before heading home.  I was aware of a lot of sirens, but it didn't register that there were more than usual.  I then got a text message from a friend asking if I was OK.  I replied that I was, but asked why she was asking.  It was then that I first learned about the bombing.

My last marathon was the Boston Marathon in 2004.  It wasn't a very good performance; it was very warm that year, I was undertrained, and I really struggled.  I finished in 4:05:29, my slowest marathon ever.  At the time, I was disappointed, but figured the next one would surely be better.  But there was no next one.

While training for the 2005 race, I developed pain and swelling in my left knee, which was subsequently diagnosed as a full thickness articular cartilage defect in my trochlea.  Further investigation also showed the underside of the patella was in bad shape, too, and so I eventually underwent an autologous cartilage transplant in April, 2007.  It was a very slow recovery; I wasn't cleared to run for a year.

Since then, I haven't really run much (I've become much more of a cyclist).  I had resigned myself to the fact that my marathon running days were over.

But now I think I'd like to run one more, and the special circumstances of this year's Boston Marathon make it the one to run.  I've certainly got work to do; I haven't run more than 5 miles at a time since my surgery.  I will update my progress over the next 4 months - 131 days until race day!

 Fundraising Websites - Crowdrise

Longest run since aci knee surgery

I ran 5.7  miles yesterday, which is my longest run since my surgery in 4/07.  Previously, my longest was a 5 mile race in July, which was kind of a disaster, as I felt awful.

Yesterday, I just decided I would go out and run 2.6 miles, then turn around & head home.  I wound up going a little further, since I was feeling OK.

A little ironically, my right knee (which is the good knee) was bothering me during the run, and it feels a little sore today.  The left knee is minimally sore.

I am picking up my new orthotics in 2 days, so I am interested to see how they work out.

I've decided to run a 5K race in Needham on New Year's Day.  Prior to that, I have 3 days of downhill skiing planned at Jay Peak on Dec 27/28/29.  That will be a good test for the knee.

Return to Running

I am entered in the Komen Race for the Cure 5KM in Boston in 2 days, on September 24th.

This will be my first race since November, 2006, and my first race since my big knee surgery (an autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) of the patella and trochlea in April, 2007).

I fully anticipate I will run a "personal worst" since I really haven't run much at all since I was given the OK by my surgeon to try some running at my 2 year followup visit this past April.

Indeed, my longest run has been 5K last Saturday (so at least I know I can make it 5K).

Having run competitively or semi-competitively from age 15 to age 46, I've really missed it.

But I also have some anxiety about it, since I'm by no means sure I'm really going to be able to successfully return to running.

So, I've decided to share my story in this blog. I'm hoping it may be of interest to others who may be trying to return to athletic activity after a surgery, and injury, or just a long layoff.