Zetetical Society Meeting Notes

So, by now, everyone knows the story. Finally got the runner’s knee checked out with an MRI and it’s game over. I’ve worn through the cartilage behind the knee and the lateral femoral condyle now rubs the knee cap under flexed load. That pretty much rules out a future of running, squats, lunges, deadlifts, O-lifting, and anything involving pylometrics. The alternative is to risk even further joint failure at some point down the road. I was basically advised to get a bike and enjoy the hip adductor machines.

The problem now that is that exercise is almost impossible for me without some sort of real, difficult goal. What kept me running the last eight years was the next big race. This year it would have been the New York Marathon in November. What kept me CrossFitting was the prospect of being able to do that marathon using it and CrossFit Endurance rather than trying to put in 50 miles a week. I don’t have too many regrets about what I’ve done. Despite being absolutely terrible at running, I got to do all the big NYC races, the Boston Marathon, the toughest trail half in the East, and enjoyed it all even when it was late in the race and no fun at all.

So, now I find it really hard to figure out what to do next. Being generally in shape or the vanity of a little bit more weight loss is just too abstract for me and it’s not getting me to want to work out. I made it to the gym once this week. I can do the entire stack on those hip machines for reps and the worst part is knowing that will only go downhill. I’m thinking about getting a bike and getting ready for a century ride or something similar, but the dilemma of trying a long endurance sport without CrossFit is frustrating. I’ve thought vaguely of going hiking next year, but that can’t be a regular thing. I’ve done pretty well by motivating myself with something difficult for the last eight years and don’t have that next goal right now.

Any ideas?