If you’ve been following along with my running journey over the years, you’re aware that my trusty running shoes have been collecting quite a bit of dust lately. 

After more than 50 years of being an avid runner, my left knee decided to hyper-extend and added in a half-gainer while I was gardening in May 2022. This led to surgery in November, a premature return to running post-surgery, and the sincere belief that my running days were behind me come April 18th.

Today

But today, on the treadmill I was able to run 1.0 mile @ 6.2 mph and kept running to the next whole minute, then a 2:00 minute rest at 3.8 mph. Ran the next repeat to 2.0 miles at 6.2 mph, ran to the next whole minute, and another 2:00 minute rest at 3.8 mph. Then ran at 6.3 mph to the 3.0 mile mark according to my GPS watch. If you gotta know the time was 31:47 for the 3.0 miles. Which is the least of what I cared about today.

I ran a damn mile without stopping, that’s what was important to me.

I waited to write this post until I could run that far and today was that day! In case you can’t tell, I’m more than a little excited about this milestone.

All with minimal discomfort in the knee.

So yes, I am thrilled about being able to write about how I’ve started lacing up my running shoes and getting to play being a runner again – albeit at a much slower and cautious pace than previously.

Why?

Now, you might be wondering, “Why do you want to return to running, Harold?” 

You’re old! Gotten a bit too fat, and waaaayyyy out of shape since the injury. Why do you want to take a chance by going back to running and only making yourself feel even more miserable? Or worse, getting that balky left knee back to being quite grumpy all the time.

The answer is simple.

I missed running. 

Not being able to run without significant pain since injuring my left knee was incredibly challenging, both physically and mentally for me. It totally changed how I lived. Now that the pain is gone and the discomfort levels are at levels that are familiar, not running would be unfathomable to me.

Running makes me feel alive, and reminds me that I’m still capable of accomplishing difficult feats despite having more than a few miles and years on this body of mine

Coming back is all about what running brings to my life.

The thrill of a challenge, the opportunity to explore the world at my own pace that you don’t get riding in a vehicle or even walking, and more importantly the running community. As someone who couldn’t run, being around other runners made me even more miserable. So, I isolated myself from so many people and when you add in the COVID years, well you get the idea. 

This Time

This time, I am working to run smarter, not harder. The biggest change is that I’ve prioritized strength training over the past four months more than I have in the previous four years, and am using the treadmill to keep me honest on the pace and provide more cushioning than the roads have. 

Though the roads and trails are calling, I’m not ready to transition to them more than once in a while for now. I am starting at base zero and need to get rid of a bunch of pounds, let the body adapt to running again, and not rush myself into yet another setback.

I have also developed a newfound appreciation for rest days – no more attempts at streaking (no, not that kind). I take them now, when I know that I need one and don’t go by some arbitrary training plan that doesn’t know how I feel that day. If a workout doesn’t happen on the day planned because the body tells me it needs more rest, so be it. My training progression will be a lot more by feel than a plan that I feel I have to do.

So, it seems that as long as I stay smahter than I have in the past, that the time for me to hang up my running shoes hasn’t arrived just yet.

The trial of miles continues…and now to see where it leads this time for this veteran runnah. Yeah, I still remember him.