My JourKNEE Back

  I have a bracelet that says, "Progress Not Perfection" that a friend gave to me as a gift. At the time, I was frustrated with the little progress I was making as a runner. I wasn't as fast as I wanted to be. I couldn't consistently run as much distance as I would have liked. I suppose I am somewhat of a perfectionist, but not in a crazy OCD way. Rather in a way that I hesitate to start things if I know it can't be done "perfectly." I have shied away from setting certain running goals because of this. I have hesitated to tackle certain projects because of this. I have even pushed away friendship opportunities if I didn't feel I could give that person complete time and attention to be the "perfect" friend.  The question I dread the most these days is "How's your knee doing?" as I am not quite sure how to answer. The pain is not clearly in one location and the discomfort level can change from day to day. I started Week Five of ...

In my last blog post, I reported that I reached out to a Physical Therapist who specializes in getting athletes back to running after meniscus surgery, among other common injuries. I did receive a call from Kevin Vandi with Competitive Edge ( www.compedgept.com ), located in California for him to learn more about my specific situation. After listening and asking his own questions, he said he thinks his program could definitely benefit me. He would not guarantee that I will get back to running pain free, but he did think he could help. After pouring out money in co-pay after co-pay for countless therapy sessions, this program seemed to be a good option. I signed up for "The Running Blueprint" program and he threw in the "Run Safe - Run Strong" program which educates on the causes and specifics of meniscus injuries and/or tears and how to safely return to running after you've had a tear or surgery.  I received my first email for the program on April 23rd. I began ...