Knee arthroscopy - 14th July 2010

Background:

Since November 2009, I've been unable to run or bike without significant right knee swelling, loss of mobility, and discomfort. Less demanding tasks like walking to work, or simply standing for more than fifteen minutes, are also problematic. My knee did not respond well to standard treatments such as physical therapy, rest etc. An inconclusive MRI indicated two possible meniscus issues; discoid and a small tear. A steroid injection in May didn't help so I canceled my 2010 race plans and prepared for something more invasive...

Surgery:

During the arthroscopy, the surgeon trimmed some tissue around my kneecap (below and on right side). However my meniscus looked better than the MRI suggested so it wasn't touched. Unfortunately there was no Eureka moment. I might need more work on my IT-band and I definitely require post-surgery physical therapy.

Recuperation:

The post-surgery pain is not yet enough to warrant medication but I have that option. I can hobble around my apartment but I need crutches for the stairs and San Francisco hills outside my door. :-) Bandages come off on Saturday - I cannot shower until then (so don't visit! :P). I need to elevate and ice as much as possible. The fluid in my knee should disperse in a few days too. Stitches should come out in about two weeks. Then the real recovery starts!


Friends and family have been amazing and supportive as ever. Thank
you all so much!!

Pacific Masters Swimming - 11th July 2010

I missed/cancelled most of my 2010 races due to injury, including

• Bay to Breakers (20^th May, run)
  
• Escape from the Rock (20^th June, triathlon)
• Alcatraz Challenge (18^th July, aquathlon)
• Marin Century (7^th August, bike)
• San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz (29^th August, triathlon)
  

Fortunately my knee problems (discoid meniscus) (see following posts) didn't prevent swimming, so long as it was freestyle i.e. relatively little leg motion, knee bending or impact.

The 2010 Pacific Masters Long Course Championship was held in UC Santa Cruz from July 9^th to 11^th. I competed as part of the USF team on Saturday July 10^th. Given my injury and lack of training, I was very pleasantly surprised by my performance - it was faster than at my "peak" in my teens when I trained five or six times a week, and often raced twice a month.

• 200 LC Meter Freestyle: 2:28.36 (splits 1:05.37, 1:22.99)
• 400 LC Meter Freestyle Relay: 4:13.97 (split: 1:00.09)
• 50 LC Meter Freestyle: 26.58

My lack of recent race-experience and stamina is telling from my 200 meter splits - they are embarrassingly front-loaded. I also had my share of race-drama - my goggles broke as I was about to mount the blocks for my relay swim. Luckily a teammate promptly loaned replacements.


Official results. Official splits.

Here's hoping I can get race-fit in time for the Pacific Masters Swimming Short Course Meters Championships, on October 8^th through 11^th.

Swim distance converters:

• Swimming World
• Huntsville Swim Association

Batteries for Jesús - part 3

Some friends meet semi-regularly to catch-up over strong booze, good food, and great (new to the someone in the group) music. They recently invited me to join and after requests from other friends, and my own desire to capture this somewhere other than email, here are the (incomplete) "minutes" of the first session I hosted.

Luke's original playlist:

• "Create Your Fate" Steadman
• "Blue Hour - (home recording)" Turin Brakes
• "Perfect Opening Line" The Frames
• "Hollocaine" The Frames
• "Water" Feist [i skipped this as it was too down-beat but it's worth a go]
• "Step Away From The Cliff" Blue-eyed Son
• "Red Lights" Holy F*ck
• "For Silence" Paul Hartnoll
• "Moar Ghosts n Stuff" Deadmau5
• "Belfast" Orbital
  

also played:

• "Two-Headed Boy" Neutral Milk Hotel
• "You've Got The Love" Florence & The Machine
• "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" Neutral Milk Hotel
• "Black Cat" Ladytron
• "Runaway" Ladytron
• "Fortress" Pinback
• "AFK" Pinback
• "The Fatalist" Robbers On High Street
• "West Coast" Coconut Records
• "The Ghost Inside" Broken Bells
• "Drunk Girls" LCD Soundsystem
• "Dance Yrself Clean" LCD Soundsystem
• "Streets Score (Instrumental)" The Streets
• "Uninvited (Original) (Radio)" Freemasons
• "Escape Velocity" The Chemical Brothers

• "My Car Is Haunted" Royal Bangs
• "Falling Day" Kaki King
• "Celestica" Crystal Castles
• "And The World Laughs With You" Flying Lotus
• "Sun" Caribou
• "Wide Eyes" Local Natives
  

We also had a screening of Circus Porcelina - I think now we're all in agreement that clowns are scary. :-) Food was provided by Paxti's on Filmore. This post title was inspired by a doll who joined us for the evening...