All the while, this friend sat, collecting dust, patiently waiting for the day when I would need to seek out their help once again. Like the giving tree. Though I hadn't yet stooped to the level of the selfish little boy who took the leaves, branches, and trunk for my own devices (really? the trunk too? that tree was somewhat of an enabler, no?).
I decided to take an entire week not only off the bike, but off EVERYTHING. Running, walking, swimming, nada. I felt serene and zen during this time period, knowing that my extreme measures would surely (surely!) pay off in the end.
Today, I tried to test out my knee on the bike for the first time since my injury onset on 6/30. On this glorious, easy ride on my completely dialed in (thanks Cullen and Jonathan!) new bike, I would reap my rewards with a pain free spin of 20 miles.
Or my moral would plummet after the pain was there right from the get go the second my right leg had to work to pedal. I immediately decided to just go for 10 miles, just to see if it would spin out. The pain, just like last time, was worse on the uphill than the downhill, but left as soon as I could easily spin the pedals. I returned home, popped some Vitamin I, put on my icepack, and started to cry.
WHAT WAS WRONG? I couldn't understand any of it. To go from zero pain on the bike to this, after one ride, was too much to wrap my head around. I called my mom, a doctor, and lost it. She patiently told me to go see the orthopedist.
Duh.
Fortunately, Greensboro has an AMAZING orthopedist safety net in SEOC. My doctor from my ankle wasn't available, but his PA Karen was. In one hour. Off I went.
In the office, after the Xrays, I lost it once again, and explained with some difficulty what had happened and conveyed my confusion about the injury. She took my left leg, my good leg, and manipulated it all around. Then she took my right leg and did the same, asking each time if it hurt.
Nope. Nope. No. Nope.
She had me stand on my right leg, bend it slightly, and twist from side to side. Pain? Nope.
She took my leg again and started fiddling around with my kneecap. Did it hurt? Here? Here?
Nope, Nope, n...AAHh! Yes!
AH HAH! Finally! After a bit more prodding and one more X-ray, she said that I, like many women, have a patella that sits a little off to the side. Somehow, during that one ride, whatever angle the improper saddle position put me in, misaligned the kneecap so that it no longer fit into the right groove, but banged repeatedly against my femur, resulting in a bone bruise. So, no fluid, no ligament or tendon inflammation, and my muscle tone was good. As soon as the bone bruise healed, I would be good to go.
She ordered one more week off of the bike, but that I could spin on the trainer or swim, and that as long as there wasn't any pain, it was fine.
Then I asked a question I haven't asked in a long time: Could I elliptical?
Yes, as long as it didn't hurt, that would be fine too.
O, Elliptical. O, friend of friends. O, machine of zero impact and comforting rhythmic hum. Where have you been these past months, as I've been zooming off, logging miles and miles of road? Where have you been as I casually glanced at you, commenting to friends, "I can't even remember the last time I was on that thing."
Today, Running Magazine in hand, I ellipticalled, pain free. My calves awakened. My hamstrings started to stir. My running muscles slowly wiped the sleep from their eyes and started to work again. In a completely safe, comfortable, sustainable way.
And thus, good people, I am publicly expressing my love for my elliptical machine. Not only will it keep me in shape for the next week, but will get my running muscles re-warmed up and ready to rock n' roll. It is another, now publicly, stated goal to have my base mileage up to 20 miles a week by the end of August.
Sing in praise of ellipticals everywhere, friends to injured runners, cyclists, and athletes of all credos.
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