Turning point

Here it is, New Years eve.  Later I'll write up my season summary, and wonder if it will be my last.  It very likely could be.   To my surprise, Dr. LaPrade responded sooner than expected today saying that he doesn't think he can do a complete repair of my meniscus.   It was devastating news.  

But, I scheduled an appointment with whom many say is the #1 surgeon in the country for this injury, Justin Saliman, inventor of the Novostitch device specifically for complex meniscus repair.  His practice is called the "Knee Preservation Center."   Check out his website.    mailed him my MRI today, and my zoom appointment with him is Jan 15.  So, I haven't given up completely.  Even if it can not be repaired, I'm sure it will heal to the point that will allow some occasional running on turf, maybe track.  I know of masters with knees far worse than mine who have competed for yrs, bone on bone.  Seriously.  (Ben J.)  A few who have resurfaced and replaced joints.  Even as it is now, I could probably get a season out of it, but that wouldn't be good long term.  I really don't want to compete if I can't train 100%.  But, not yet ready to announce my retirement from masters track.  I can still carry 60 lbs of firewood up the stairs with no pain... so there's that.  My legs are still strong.  

There is the question, even if I can sprint, and I can compete, should I?  Probably not.  My dad had his knee replaced at age 71, but he was sedentary and overweight through much of his 60s.  It's pretty routine procedure now.  I'm assuming that it will be in my future.  

But, if it's my last yr, stings that I didn't win Indoor Nationals as I should have, but I ranked #5 in the world indoors, #1 US indoor (by a lot), top 15 in the world overall outdoor and indoor combined, and #2 in the US.  Not bad for the last yr in my age group.  I ran under 60 five times before the outdoor season really started.   I even won my first and only individual Penn Relays Championship in the 100m.  Masters Rankings maintains a world list of the top 25 performances of all time by age group and event.   My 2021 56.23 ranks 21st world wide in M60, 11th for 61 and older, 8th in the USA in M60 and 4th in the USA over 61.   I'm in good company, people like Collins and Allie. 

If I leave, I will leave the sport with 9 USATF National Championships, a World title, and 4 individual world medals.   Regardless, it was a good run.   Me and Francois were only M60 in the US to run under 59 this yr.  (Francois had an amazing yr, Silver at worlds, WL in 2 events).    Just thinking about how hard I was training a year ago and how quickly life can change.  2024 would have been even better if that proximal ham didn't pop on 2/2, although it didn't really manifest for a month.  At least I stayed competitive til the end if this is it.

I guess I should perhaps be happy to hang up the spikes and just run once a week some intervals on turf and focus more on longevity.  I wonder where I'd be if I didn't feel that snap in my knee on Friday the 13th?  Would it have happened eventually?  Is it really just a pain management issue like my foot that should dictate?  Or should I anticipate far worse issues?

My main fear is that without the motivation of track competition, it will compromise my health and life.  Causing me to age quicker, live shorter, be less deliberate in how I live my life.   It took a great deal of sacrifice for someone who has to stretch to measure 5'7" ... a bowlegged white guy with not real good running form to become the fastest 400m runner in the world over 60.  I was literally pushing to the extreme edge.  The lifestyle, keeping the regimented schedule, food and supplement choices, weight, strength, etc...etc.. etc...   I look over to that chair where sits boxes of training shoes, racing spikes, bags of spikes-risers-wrenches, my rollers, tubing, massager, back pack with timers, tape, training clothes for all conditions, the weight dragging harness, orange marker cones, measuring wheel, starting blocks, and the trusty water bottle that has layers and layers of tape with pen scrawled interval times collected over weeks and months up to and including that last 3x300 on Friday the 13th.   

I should know more after Jan 15 and later in the spring.  

Wow, can't believe I made my first post on this blog on April 16, 2011.   Between then and now, that's a big chunk of my life.  I want to thank all those readers that have been with me for so long, you know who you are.  This is post # 2362 on this blog since it all began.  

Even if I retire from track competition, I'll probably keep this blog going because I do believe in sprint interval training, even if it's not running on the track.   

My last healthy workout where I ran a 13.32 100m.

Weight just under 140 lbs.

Dec. 9, 2024.