When I wrote the title for this post on Tuesday evening, I was all set to relay the story of how I went shopping for knee supports on Monday. I was going to take a picture of me wearing them or manufacture a ‘hilarious’ image of me strapped into the Forrest Gump leg braces. I was going to joke about how the most horrifying physical challenge for all marathon runners is CROSSING A F#CKING ROAD because not only do you have to execute a ridiculously intricate tippy-toe stepping movement that wouldn’t look out of place in a comedy Riverdance routine as you twist round to see if there are any cars coming, but when you get to the other side you have to constantly chop and adjust your stride pattern like a sh#t-scared showjumping horse approaching the puissance wall as you contemplate mounting the monumental obstacle of the SIX INCH KERB.
But now it’s Friday evening and there’s something wrong with my knees; my left knee in particular which ‘popped’ painfully last night as I was slowing down at the conclusion of a five-mile run. Both knees have since been iced, elevated, compressed, rested and plunged into hot baths and although there’s no obvious swelling, I couldn’t walk today without a constant grinding and crunching seemingly taking place behind the kneecaps on every step.
So now I’m anxious and feeling desperate, especially after just completing the online ‘How Prepared Are You To Do The Marathon In 3 Weeks Time’ assessment questionnaire to discover that I’m officially rated as “sh#tting myself”. Every time I get an email from Just Giving to tell me that another kind and generous person has made a donation to my fundraising effort, I cringe at the prospect of not living up to the responsibility. I feel like I want to write to anyone that hasn’t yet sponsored me to say, ‘save your money, save yourselves, turn around and run… run like the wind’. It actually crossed my mind today to see if I could transfer to the wheelchair race instead.
But I have hope.
I re-read the inspirational words on my wee sister Rona’s fundraising page and have reinforced to myself that not completing 26.2 miles on April 26th is simply not an option.
I have been in touch with various friends and acquaintances that have either had knee problems or are medically trained to give opinions.
I have an outside chance (thank you Carol) at getting an emergency appointment with a renowned sports physiotherapist in Edinburgh next week.
I just need a solution to get me to the finish line in three weeks time.
I will pay any price, financial or otherwise, to make this happen.
I have done too much to give up.
If you read this and have any idea, notion, suggestion or experience that you think might contribute to the solution I need, please let me know with a comment, text, phone call, smoke signal, semaphore flags, Morse code, carrier pigeon, two tin cans and a piece of string… WHATEVER!
Or you could email me at neil_sutherlandAThotmail.com
But now it’s Friday evening and there’s something wrong with my knees; my left knee in particular which ‘popped’ painfully last night as I was slowing down at the conclusion of a five-mile run. Both knees have since been iced, elevated, compressed, rested and plunged into hot baths and although there’s no obvious swelling, I couldn’t walk today without a constant grinding and crunching seemingly taking place behind the kneecaps on every step.
So now I’m anxious and feeling desperate, especially after just completing the online ‘How Prepared Are You To Do The Marathon In 3 Weeks Time’ assessment questionnaire to discover that I’m officially rated as “sh#tting myself”. Every time I get an email from Just Giving to tell me that another kind and generous person has made a donation to my fundraising effort, I cringe at the prospect of not living up to the responsibility. I feel like I want to write to anyone that hasn’t yet sponsored me to say, ‘save your money, save yourselves, turn around and run… run like the wind’. It actually crossed my mind today to see if I could transfer to the wheelchair race instead.
But I have hope.
I re-read the inspirational words on my wee sister Rona’s fundraising page and have reinforced to myself that not completing 26.2 miles on April 26th is simply not an option.
I have been in touch with various friends and acquaintances that have either had knee problems or are medically trained to give opinions.
I have an outside chance (thank you Carol) at getting an emergency appointment with a renowned sports physiotherapist in Edinburgh next week.
I just need a solution to get me to the finish line in three weeks time.
I will pay any price, financial or otherwise, to make this happen.
I have done too much to give up.
If you read this and have any idea, notion, suggestion or experience that you think might contribute to the solution I need, please let me know with a comment, text, phone call, smoke signal, semaphore flags, Morse code, carrier pigeon, two tin cans and a piece of string… WHATEVER!
Or you could email me at neil_sutherlandAThotmail.com
2 comments:
Go Neil Go
I tried running a few years ago and suffered knee problems. the physio Iwas was referred to give me the following helpful and inspirational advise - " A man of your age shouldn't even think about running, fatty"
Trust this helps.
DC
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