Knees

A little over a year ago and after much knee pain, I was diagnosed with chondromalicia. That's where the muscles on the outside of the legs become stronger from running. Since they are attached to the kneecaps, they tend to pull the kneecaps to the outside out of their normal groove. You start to get bone on bone pressure and inflamation and pain. To correct the problem, I had to wear elaborate braces that had straps around the kneecaps to pull them back to the center and into their groove. And, I still do excercises to strengthen the inside leg muscles, which are also attached to the kneecaps. This helps pull them to the center. My doctor would probably laugh if he heard this layman's discussion. In any case, they have improved somewhat, but my right knee more so than my left. My left knee has really been hurting more the last few days. It has been so painful that it is difficult to do my excercises. I have been taking some Aleeve, but I may have to dig my left knee brace out of the closet and start wearing it again.
Lance Corporal Timothy has been here for the weekend, but has to go back to Cherry Point, NC tomorrow morning. He has a 6:30 a.m. flight, so I have to leave at 4:15 a.m. to get him to the airport. We had his girlfriend and her whole family over for dinner tonight. Since I could not do a longer run this evening and my knee was hurting, I went over to the track and ran laps this afternoon.
I am impressed that some of you (i.e. Karen) are getting in longer runs in the heat. I know that with the Marathon 2 Marathon in October, I really have to get with it soon.