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A Year of Running After Knee Surgery

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Whhheeeewwwww this year packed quite the punch, as I had the opportunity to remember exactly what it feels like to be a beginner all over again!

I had a choice to either be frustrated by slow progress or to simply celebrate every single mile that I’ve been given post surgery! Luckily with age I’ve learned enough to decide I wanted to embrace the process and besides that I had so much fun!jumping on the bed

Running After Knee Surgery

I’ve had a number of you reach out for updates on running after knee surgery since you’re also going through something. I’ve shared a couple of updates which are important:

  • It started with an MRI that said all kinds of things, but wasn’t the actual issue in the end
  • I started and continue doing these exercises for range of motion
  • How I returned to running a few months after surgery
  • 5 Months post surgery update

Also, while the first doctor recommended a total knee replacement, I didn’t settle for that answer. I spoke to a number of doctors and it took awhile for us to decide what to do because no one really understand why I couldn’t straighten my leg.running after knee surgery

Eventually, we agreed to do an exploratory surgery. In that surgery, they did a lot of stuff:

  • Cleaned up a frayed meniscus
  • Reduced the fat pad behind my knee which had slid down some
  • Cleaned up frayed cartilage
  • Realigned my knee cap (it had been tracking over one side and thus rubbed off cartilage)

Now we are officially 16 months post surgery, does that make me a running toddler? Here’s what I can tell you…

  1. It took me a lot longer than I expected to feel like my old running self.
  2. I started building miles quickly by doing lots of shorter runs. I might do 2 miles in the morning and 2 in the evening at first and then later 3 and 3.
  3. I stopped using the KT Tape after surgery because I didn’t want my body to be relying on anything other than itself for support.
  4. I really do believe CBD oil helped me get over that final hump and start running 14-15 mile runs again. Endurance has always been my strength, but I had to remember that 18 months of not doing runs over 3 miles meant a slow build back.
  5. I still do daily PT work to keep my hips, glutes and core strong.
  6. I have gone back to my physical therapist every 2-3 months when I start to notice issues. We evaluate my stride, my weakness and I keep working on all of them.
  7. My knee still aches, but it doesn’t hurt. If you’ve had pain that will make sense. I know that long trail runs often leave me very stiff and I get nervous about injury, but overall the knee is strong, healthy and stable.

I’ve gotten so many emails this year from those of you going through knee surgery and wondering what the recovery process is like. I can tell you that sometimes it was slower than I wanted and my speed is still in progress, but my focus was on simply being able to run pain free.

I chose to act like a beginner and start over, only smarter thanks to all the years of running lessons. In that process, I finally stuck to strength training and core work. I remembered all the reasons that I love to run and I stopped judging runs as good or bad.

PAST PERFORMANCE (the miles)

Linked years are a recap from that year! Unfortunately, I didn’t start digitally tracking til half way through 2007, which means I’m not 100% of my numbers for the first 5 years of my running career. I’d love to know what my true total is (but know it’s over 20,000 miles)!

As noted before I don’t look at monthly or weekly mileage until December hits then I become curious. This year, I was quite literally blown away when I realized just how far I’ve come back since injury!!!

Now here’s to hoping the speed keeps coming back and well you know…maybe another full marathon.

2008: 1423.3
2009: 1277.7
2010: 1600.3
2011: 1600.3
2012: 1458.5
2013: 1618.3
2014: 1603
2015: 1571.5
2016: 1626.2
2017: 847
2018: 1364.2

Highest Month: December — honestly, I was just freaking excited as I started to realize how far I’d come this  year.

Lowest Month: October 86.7 — recovery days after getting my sub two hour half marathon once again in Long Beach. That was my let’s go have a good time pace pre-surgery, so it felt like a big win to get back there.

Luckily I’ve been doing this post for many years now because the online tool that I used to track all of my workouts, suddenly shut down with no warning in March!!

I lost all my running logs, sniff!!! Now I shall use spreadsheets forever more!

Biking Swimming Cardio Walk/Hike Strength/Yoga/PT
2018 40 hours 0 8 hours 1033 miles 62 hours
2017 100 hours 0 5 hours 820 miles 180 hours
2016 14 hours 0 20 hours  790 miles 110 hours
2015 12 hours 0 70 hours 730 miles 118 hours
2014 45 hours 0 5 hours? 690 miles 90 hours
2013 58 hours 1 hour 13 hours? 560 miles 120 hours
2012 70 hours 3 hours unsure 620 miles 100 hours
2011 42 hours 2 hours 29 hours 980 miles 137 hours
2010 13 hours 3 hours 30 hours 1068 miles 86 hours

Ok the lack of swimming is actually kind of embarrassing! I was on the swim team in high school after all…maybe that’s a 2019 goal.

States Run in: 6 (CO, CA, AZ, MO, KS, TX, IA, OR) + Croatia, Austria, Slovenia

Longest Run: 15 miles on the roads around our house

Most interesting run: The morning I went out for a run along the river in Austria was downright phenomenal. We’d already been putting in 10 miles walking a day, plus hiking and biking, but I needed that run. The solitary morning, watching the fog clear and castles appear on one hill and mountains on the horizon. Oh man, I wanted to go for hours, but we had a train to catch so it was just 6 really happy miles.

Most exciting #runnerd moment: No crazy VO2 max tests or running with celebs this year, but ummm….yeah I got a freaking book deal!!

How did this year compare? Joyful. Truly it was a joyful process coming back from this injury. I mean 2017 was a year of really reduce and rough running, so this year I knew I wouldn’t be who I was before and I embraced that process.

It allowed me to become a much stronger and more well rounded runner. I celebrated each mile and what a freaking gift.running book author

Best race: Steamboat was my first race after knee surgery and it did not disappoint. It was beautiful from start to finish, I was next to my husband and though I could barely walk right after the race, I rant it pain free!

Favorite gear: Currently beyond obsessed with my Nike Epic React shoes…yup 3 pairs. They’re just cushy and comfy and I swear I never thought I’d be telling you I loved Nike. I haven’t worn them in nearly 10 years!

Goal for next year? Oh man this is my least favorite part of this annual post. It’s not so much that I’m afraid of setting goals, it’s that I’ve realized things change and mostly I’m focused on enjoying each run.

So my goals?

  1. Remain injury free
  2. Write a book that resonates with other runners
  3. Keep cranking down my half marathon time
  4. Smile more than worry about pace while running

Ok friends, that’s a wrap on 2018 and right now I’m feeling nothing but excited to see what next year will bring.

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Posted by amanda Categories: About ME

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Annie says

    January 5, 2019 at 7:49 pm

    Just wondering, are you solely running in the Nike Epic Reacts, or do you rotate with other sneakers? If so, what others are you running in?

    • amanda says

      January 6, 2019 at 6:22 am

      Hey Annie! No I’m a huge proponent of rotating shoes https://www.runtothefinish.com/why-you-must-rotate-running-shoes/

  2. Angelina Brown says

    January 10, 2019 at 9:38 am

    Great article Amanda! You really are an inspiration for so many people. Knee surgeries require extensive recuperation periods and I am hoping that you are not over-stressing yourself. Hope the New Year brings more milestones for you. Happy running!

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Hello runners! I’m Amanda Brooks, a certified personal trainer and running coach. I’ve been coaching over a decade and distance running since 2002. My philosophy is that running isn’t about your pace or the distance or your body. It’s about showing up for yourself, loving the process and doing it injury free!

 

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Amanda Brooks is a Certified Running Coach, Certified Personal Trainer and long time distance runner with a passion for every facet of running, which leads her to do more reading, research and running than necessary. Find all the tips, tricks and tools you need from this running coach for your best injury free running. Read More…

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Amanda Brooks : Run Coach
A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might alr A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might already know what’s best for you, but aren’t doing it consistently. That’s the only way we really make changes.
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A PLAN can help, but I often don’t think that’s step one to making lasting change.
//
HABITS AND ROUTINES✴️
-Eliminate the need to make decisions.
-Which reduces brain fatigue.
-Which increases your chance of success.
//
TINY HABITS✴️
This is the smallest step you can take towards your goal. Often so small it seems insignificant, but is easy to make it a habit.
🌟
That leads you to another tiny habit, then another and suddenly it’s just your lifestyle.
👆👆👆
When people ask how I easily kept off 35lbs for over 15 years, while enjoying pizza, taking rest days and not obsessing about food.
👇👇👇👇
When people ask how I stay motivated to run year round and rarely race. Tiny habits.
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Day one isn’t eat perfect or run for an hour.
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Day one IS drink a glass of water when I wake up. Put on my running clothes.
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Day 30 is then more like after I drink my glass of water, I do 5 push ups. After I put on my running clothes, I do a 5 minute warm up.
//
SLOW PROGRESS IS BETTER THAN NO PROGRESS, it builds momentum and is sustainable.
❔❔❔
Have you ever practiced creating tiny habits???
1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR? M 1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR?
Mine... satisfying.
😊
1900 miles blows away previous years.
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(swipe to see...because yes I love tracking.) Unfortunately I’m not positive what it was 2001-2007 because I wrote it on calendars.
//
SATISFYING
🥰I needed the long miles early on to process my business being thrown for a loop. Bye bye book tour and partnerships.
😊I needed it after that to get away from the news and pretend I wasn’t spending all day alone. Then as my business shifted again to keep ideas flowing.
🌲I loved the time outside to think, get lost in a comedy podcast or audiobook. Otherwise I’m at home working!
🤩Without a single race, I still checked a big goal off my list of running an ultra distance (solo was very interesting!).
//
I’ve seen some posts that make it seem like we’re wrong for talking about what we achieved this year.
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It was a HARD FCKIN year for everyone, but guess what lots of years are. And not every year is great even without a pandemic.
//
For all the lows this year, I also worked my ass off to make some really good things happen. And I’m extra proud of that.
//
So let’s hear your word for fitness in 2020??
⬇️
Hard, easy, strong, powerful, consistent, cleansing, relaxing, nature, grace, grit, grind, triumph, building...
HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot r HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot right?! Figuring out what to do with it, color it don’t color it, keep it healthy, breakage from ponytails, long, short. And yet a good hair day😃 🔥 🌟
//
POLL:
🥰Love your hair
🤪Frustrated with your hair
1️⃣Natural curls
2️⃣Stick straight
👇👇👇
Curly friends: share your favorite tips!!
Long hair friends: what helps you keep it healthy?
👆👆👆
//
At 7 I could sit in my hair it was so long.
At 10 we started perms.
At 16 I had a full mane of hair I loved.
At 20 I learned I have naturally curly hair 😂after years of perms as a kid.
At 25 I was going blonde blonde blonde.
At 29 I began losing hair and it got so brittle I had to chop it off, due to the hormone issues.😭
At 35 my hair started to recover (as did my body), but never like that mane I loved as a teen.
At 39 I got my first curly haircut! I’m still figuring it out, but was amazed at how it looked.
//
I don’t wear much make up, but I do admit to really caring about my hair and it was a tough time when it felt so unhealthy.
//
I’m still struggling to figure out this new curly style 😂but keep hearing from other curly girls ya just gotta stick it out. So we’ll see.
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#curlygirlmethod #hairtalk
ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just enjoy a day off? Don’t you feel guilty about the time apart?
//
Yes.
It makes me happy.
No, if I’m happy our time together is better.
👇👇👇
MY VIEW IS THIS...
❌If you aren’t working out because of food guilt
❌If you aren’t missing big moments because you must workout
✅If you enjoy it and it improves your day
✅THEN GO FORTH and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for improving your mental and physical health.
//
❓Do you have guilt or get guilted about workouts for n holidays?❓
//
This has been my lifestyle so long that our families just know to expect that I’m gonna sweat. And of course, I’m lucky David wants this lifestyle too.
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BUTTTTT I remember those first trips to David’s family, where it really threw them for a loop. They still find it weird, but I sneak out before everyone gets up or have gotten them to do family things like the rec center.
//
My best advice when asked has always been to try and calmly explain why it matters to you and then just go. They get over it or used to it.
🎁 🎄🕎
TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder this holiday season that we all need to be loved differently...and pizza transcends all.
//
🍕Do you have a favorite local pizza place?🍕🍕
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Yes, I knead to know for when we can travel again.
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Here we fell in love in love with @saucyspizza and I wouldn’t be sad if I got it as a gift 😆
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#pizzamemes #eatlocal #denvercolorado #ilovepizza #lovememes #pizzagram #digiorno #papajohns #foodisfuel #longrun #womenwhoeat #carbsarelife
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