A couple of months ago I wrote about my new rehab plan for my right leg. I’ve been using the Three Pillars of foam rolling, supplements, and exercises fairly consistently and with some success. When I go out to the park for a jog, I start with stretching and a 5-10 minute warmup walk. Then I run-walk 3.1 miles (5 kilometers), running for a minute or two and then walking a bit. The proportion of running to walking depends on how quickly my knee starts to hurt.

Compared to what I could do before the new plan, I am grateful and happy with my progress. However, I seem to have plateaued in my recovery. My goal is to run 5k or more continuously like I did a few years ago, but I can’t get there until the pain goes away. On the plus side, my thigh and hip muscles are growing stronger and more defined. Ever notice how runners and other leg-intensive athletes have a cool line on the side of their leg between their quads and hamstrings? I want that line. But I would rather break 30 minutes on a 5k.