Well, I guess it was bound to happen… I missed snapping a pic from one of my runs last week. Ooops….

It was after my Tuesday night run at Fleet Feet. I have been taking those pics in my car post-run, simply due to the fact that it is dark out during these runs at this time of year. (I wish it was dark during those runs during the summer… that would make the heat easier to deal with!)

I have discovered that I kind of like running at night. My Monday night run last week took place around 7:30… but when you have runs at that time and you try to snap a pic by the light of the streetlamps you end up with these kind of lovely pics:

(Do you ever watch Survivor and see how freaky all the contestants look in the video taken at night? I need to get a picture of myself like that!)

Then I missed the Tuesday night photo op. Next I had a couple of runs on my mom’s treadmill when I was at her house after her knee surgery. Thursday I ran mid-afternoon while she slept, since her surgery was that morning. The whole time I was concerned that she would need something and I wouldn’t hear her because I was running. That was silly, because she could just text me from her room and I’d come running! Saturday I ran on her treadmill but unfortunately chose the exact time when the sun would be streaming through the window right in my eye the whole time. Due to this I was apparently some what clumsy and I kept knocking the emergency stop “key” off so the treadmill would stop!

But I am still taking pictures of my runs and this should make for a really goofy AWESOME slideshow at the end of the year.

My mom came through her knee surgery really well! She’s strong and she’s tough, so the recovery will be easier than it might be for someone who never worked out.

She had a menisectomy, lateral release and “foreign matter removal”. Part of her shredded meniscus was removed, but they were able to leave some of the meniscus. That’s good because going into the surgery it was kind of assumed that the whole meniscus would have to go. The lateral release helps pull her kneecap back in line so it’s tracking properly and not roughing up the cartilage. (I had a lateral release 14 years ago and the procedure seems to have improved a lot since then!)

The bad part is that they discovered some degenerative arthritis in this whole process and while in the surgery it was found that spots were a little worse than initially thought. In fact, there was a spot where the cartilage was all gone, making the joint have a “bone on bone” spot. The doctor is hopeful that she’ll be able to feel great after this and won’t have any pain, but he also cautioned her that the spot could be trouble. If that happens, she may have to consider a knee replacement.

But my mom is totally kick-ass…. she went into surgery wearing the t-shirt from the 2009 PF Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and with the committed attitude that she’ll be able to do another one. She said, “Even if I’m not fast, that’s no reason why I can’t go out there and still have fun on the course.” She’s so right!

The coolest part is she was sent home after surgery WITHOUT CRUTCHES! It kind of scared her at first, the thought that she could just start to try walking on it, but I think this is a great form of physical therapy to start off with. I know when I had knee surgery I was on the crutches for so long and I had no idea how to start using my knee. I think it’s better this way.

She’s had a lot of swelling, but they did warn us that would happen. She’s icing, elevating, resting, compressing… good old fashioned RICE treatment! She was a model patient and I am really glad that I could be there to help her, but I’m also glad that she is feeling strong and able to take care of herself now too. I think that is comforting for both of us!

Mom… you totally rock!