2026 Update: Minor Setbacks Have Interrupted My Running Plans...but the Knee is Still Holding Up Well

Running in SF!

I'm checking in here mostly because I haven't posted anything yet in 2026. After a very gratifying return to a high level (age adjusted) of ultramarathoning in 2025, things haven't gone as smoothly in 2026. I had an issue with my left IT band that slowed me down for a while. Finally, taking 5 days completely off and adding some PT exercises solved that and I ramped back up. 

Next, I experienced some sharp pain in the middle of my right knee. It came on during a hot workout and felt sort of like a spasm. I continued to train, but it kept flaring up. Because of the location of the pain, I was concerned that this related to my knee surgeries or the injuries that led to them. However, after taking a week off from running, I was able to run "pain free" again. I then began another "ramp up."

Finally, I'm just getting over a respiratory infection that knocked me out for another week. Once again I find myself starting to ramp up my training. At this point I think the large distance base I built over the last year has eroded to the point where I need to do a longer build up and rack up some volume before racing again.

I was hoping to run a spring ultramarathon or perhaps even two this year, but obviously that didn't happen. As mentioned above, I need to rebuild my distance base before racing again. (Well...I could race shorter distances and/or run less competitive paces...but I'm still keenly interested in testing my limits!) So...if all goes reasonably well, I'll shoot for a late fall ultramarathon. I'm kind of torn between running a 100-mile race (that would require travel) and a looped 24-hour race closer to home. Either of these would hopefully position me to try something even longer and crazier in 2027. (I have a specific idea, but I'm reluctant to put it in writing at this point.)

So, back to the right knee that is the subject of this blog. After the acute injury scare mentioned above subsided, the knee is back to how it has been for the most part over the last several years. I don't have quite a full range of motion (neither complete flexion nor extension), but close enough to run the paces I need to run to prepare for races. I always have some stiffness and sometimes a little bit of vague pain. However, the knee has been stable and predictable in how it responds to training. I'm planning my training without worrying about knee limitations. This is an amazing place to be at 61 years old and at 5.5 years after having osteochondral autografts and allografts implanted in my right knee. I shall continue this experiment!