Season recap: Fall 2020

This season, I decided (on a whim, tipsy at an outdoor bar) to sign up for a new training program with an old friend. I laced up my sneakers, unsure if my knee was up for it, and gave it a whirl!

The program is an off-season run program geared towards triathletes, and while I am not one myself, I have enjoyed every second of it- even the occasional bike ride!

In a year so fraught with uncertainty, it felt empowering to try something new. My work-from-home weeks were punctuated by socially distant group practices and my weekends quickly filled with loops of the park.

As much fun as I've had this season, my leg felt otherwise. Diagnosed as a Plica inflammation, it is a strip of tissue that slides under your knee and can get pinched and irritated, like biting your cheek over and over again. As with most overuse injuries, the fix seems to be in strengthening and recovery; two areas I admittedly stink at.

Even so, it's not unsafe to run, so I've been keeping up with the program- running consistently, making friends, and getting outside more than I normally do in the colder temps. The stronger I get, the less it bothers me. When I feel it moaning, I pull back or do something else. Running is always a balancing act, and each year I learn new ways of walking the line.

From base building to form tweaking, this program has helped me lay the foundation for a more successful season next year. Cheers to more fun runs in our future and lots of sunny days ahead- Happy New Years!