The good and the ugly

Oh boy. Have I been having blog withdrawals!

There is so much to catch up on, where do I begin?

Well.... let's see. I ditched working out on Wednesday. I felt bad about that on Thursday, so I was really looking forward for a run. Unfortunately, you can't run outside when it ASHING. Because of the LaBrea Fire, it was literally raining ash. I thought about running with surgical mask on. Yeah. Call me crazy, but that's how bad I wanted to run. But I thought the sight of a chick running with goggles and a surgical mask with a head covered in ash dandruff was too pathetic/desperate/crazy, so I resorted to running 6.25 miles on the treadmill (New treadmill PDR, BTW). The ash in the air did FUNKY things to the sunset; check it out:

The sun is glowing bright red

a closer view...

On Friday I ran 4.5 fast yet easy miles on the bluffs by the beach. One notable aspect of this run was knee pain I experienced. But more on that later. Saturday I rested again in preparation for the 10K race on Sunday. Three rest days in one week. What's going on here.....????!!!!! Gotta get back on the plan.

This morning was the McConnell's Endurance Events 10K run for me, and James' first Biathlon! We both had a GREAT time, and I'm gonna be a tease here, and leave the good news and a race recap for the next post. But we both have good news :)

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But as with all good news, it must also be accompanied by it's evil twin.

I noticed a new twinge on my right knee a couple of weeks ago. I didn't think much of it, and it kind of disappeared. I thought it might be a mild case of "Runner's Knee", because it would only hurt when I bend my knees, like when going down the stairs.

I would also notice a slight discomfort/pain AFTER a fast repeat session, and after the fast 7 miler I did on Tuesday. Well, I've also been noticing a slight discoloration, not quite a bruise, but a little dark patch of skin, right below my knee, where the pain is.

AFTER the fast-ish run this Friday, my right knee was THROBBING! It didn't hurt one bit while running, but hurt like a $+*%%#! afterwards. I was able to kind of "walk it out", but when I got home I could hardly ben my right knee. The "bruise" was a lot more prominent, and it hurt like crap to touch it/apply pressure to it. After a while the pain would subside, and it would just be a dull pain/general discomfort, and only hurt when jumping/walking up and down stairs.

It still hurt on Saturday, and resting it seemed to ease the pain, but not make it go away. It stops hurting once it is warmed up, but deep knee bends still hurt.

It hurts right where the blue arrow is.

Well, after careful prodding, I've discovered that the pain is not in my knee, but on the upper most part of my Tibia bone, RIGHT UNDER the knee, on the inner side, not outer. The pain is in one very specific, localized spot. A quarter of an inch away from the point doesn't hurt at all.

I was able to successfully run my 10K pain free today, but my tibia has been dully aching ever since. On a scale of 1 to 10, with ten being "I'm gonna pass out" pain, I would say my pain is a 4, 6 at worst. It's hardly ever sharp pain.

I'm worried I might have a stress fracture?

I'm gonna call my Doc tomorrow morning, but I doubt I will get to see him for a few more days. If any one can enlighten me in this problem, Please. I'm all ears.

I have only been running 3 times a week, and have only been increasing my miles by 1 or 2 a week. I change my shoes every other run or so, and never experience pain WHILE running; only afterwards. I'm SUPPPPEEERRR worried, so please help. Thank you!