Knee update: OR "The great shoe debacle"

After attempting to run on Saturday and continuing to experience the same pain-weirdness in my left knee, I don't mind telling you that I was discouraged and fearful that something had really gone wrong. I had all kinds of worst case scenarios going around in my head.

Runner's knee?
IT Band Syndrome?
Torn Cartilage?

Oh my!

But when my rational brain had a moment to chip in, it reminded me that I didn't have any trauma, so there was probably no tear. IT Band syndrome is a syndrome and comes on gradually and Runner's knee is a similar scenario. I didn't feel strongly enough to rule any of those out, but tried to prevent myself from going off the deep end. I was also focusing on something the coach of my running group said...

"Aren't those new shoes...?"

Hang on a sec. They ARE new shoes. I have been running with absolutely NO problems for months and months and these issues first came up after my first long run in the new shoes. Maybe there is something going on with the shoes? Several people suggested that I go back to Big Peach Running where I GOT the shoes because they are really good about taking them back if there are problems.

Friends, THIS is one of MANY reasons why you go to a specialty running store for your running needs.

So, slightly anxious and feeling a little weird about it, I went by the Big Peach near my house where I usually shop for running stuff. It just so happened that the guy who originally helped me pick out the shoes helped me again today. See, they didn't have my size in the new shoes I wanted, so I ended up going to another location to pick them up the next day.  I explained my situation and he was very understanding and basically said, let's make this right. I sat down, showed him my old shoes and we looked at the wear pattern which he said was a good wear pattern that showed that my foot strike was right where I wanted it to be. (that is nice to hear)

And I pulled out the new shoes and he immediately said "Wait, those aren't the right shoes!" The other location had not sold me the shoes that I had intended to purchase!

Mistakenly got these shoes.

Long story short, I had basically gone from a highly structured rather cushy shoe to almost a minimalist shoe. He used the phrase "cross trainer" to describe the above shoes. That is a BIG difference. And while I would probably have been perfectly happy with the shoes I had INTENDED to buy because they molded to my feet just perfectly, I was a little bit gun shy so I decided to go with the newer version of my old shoes.

Old shoes that got me through a BUNCH of miles very comfortably.

So today, I will be going out for a very short run and paying attention to my knee. When I ran a little yesterday while trying on the shoe, I was pretty comfortable and could immediately tell a difference. Hopefully this will be the end of my knee weirdness.

The hope of my knee's happiness rests in this box.