Zoo Run & Pity Party

Lining up ready to start with Greg & Janine

Yesterday was the highly anticipated Brooks Sunset Series Run around & through Melbourne Zoo.  This was the fun run I've been looking forward to.  I love animals, I love running what an awesome combination. The course was originally 8kms but cut down to 7.2km due to the Meercats renovating.
It was also going to be Greg's first official fun run so it was great knowing I could be by his side.

We lined up from 7.05pm the temperature was still around 27 degrees but I felt comfortable as I had made sure I was well hydrated, I had been stretching my abductors every time I got out of the car between appointments during the day due the fix I needed after Monday's run and felt ready to take it on!

It was our turn to take off and OMG it was congested.  It was hard weaving in and out in the beginning some of the walkers cheekily started with the runners and blocked the paths with their groups when they were suppose to wait until after all the 8km runner waves had been completed.  
The course started off with a lap around the outside of the zoo not so scenic with some funky smells along the way and a couple of inclines.  I was so excited when I finally got to get inside, what a beautiful run with all the trees & enclosures.  Absolutely loved running along the primate boardwalk, the monkey's were all along the windows looking at us with a "What are they doing?" expression  the Zebra's were also amused and the giraffes just confused.
It was a tough run after the first lap it felt like I had done more than 3.6km as I touched on my last post I never run on inclines and the Melbourne Zoo felt like I was running over waves in the ocean

At the 4km mark in mid stride my right knee went POP, and it brought me to an abrupt halt.  Thinking it was my abductor again as it usually causes me knee discomfort I went into a Quadriceps Stretch, and it was bizaare there was no pulling, pain or tightness it felt un-stretchable, so mentally after this I was like right you can keep going! I lasted at maximum 2 strides before I came crashing down again.  I was holding back the tears, I was not going to be defeated I was going to finish this!  At this point I had a few people stopping asking me if I needed help which I told them no and to keep going.  So from 4-5km I hobbled, hopped, attempted to run, crashed, burned over & over until I admitted defeat and called G to come get me.

400m until my injury

I made a phone call once I got in the car to my Aunt who is my Manipulator/ sports therapist told her what happened, where the pain was, that I couldn't straighten my leg and what are my options, she told me to get my arse to the hospital and so I did.

I will skip all the dramatics from the Royal Melbourne Hospital emergency room but 1 hour 45 minutes in the waiting room there was enough for life.    I was drugged, poked, prodded, bent here, bent there, issued crutches, a referral to a specialist/ surgeon, and told by 2 doctors I had a suspected tear of meniscus or in Dayna speak torn cartilage in the knee.  Speaking to my Aunt today she said it's highly likely with my early knee issue & continual abductor twisting that I have been slowly fraying the cartilage until it decided to tear properly last night.  So what a not so awesome finish to the race I had been looking forward to!

It was great seeing how happy Greg was at the end of his first run and awesome having Julie & team Leitch cheering us on.  I wish it had ended in better circumstances for me and I will probably wish I had listened to my body and stopped at 4 km and had hobbled back to the marquees but it's this damn All or Nothing attitude of mine when it comes to fitness, I saw this and still do see this as having been defeated I didn't get to finish and it makes me so angry!!!    And it frustrates me to know when I just received my bib in the mail that I won't be able to complete my 50km MS Cycle ride this Sunday & it could affect the following weekend of doing the 15km Samurai Challenge & I'm really hoping not my 8km Birthday Run around Princes Park on the 6th March.  I have a specialist appointment tomorrow and will be having scans done so watch this space!


Focus for the rest of the week, eat clean, rest mean so I will be up and running in no time.