No Knee Sleeves!

on October 11, 2009

Can you believe Iâ€™ve been friends with Megan since June 6 and I havenâ€™t been inside her apartment yet?

A while back, Megan said that I could use her apartment gym (mine is terrible) whenever I wanted and I decided to stop by and take her up on her offer.

Her gym is LOVELY! Itâ€™s like a real gym, not a dinky apartment gym. The treadmills even have TVâ€™s! Yayyyy!

I decided to do something wild today â€“ I didnâ€™t wear my knee sleeves like I normally do. In fact, Iâ€™ve worn knee sleeves for every single run since last September. The sleeves allowed me to run through my PFPS symptoms, but itâ€™s post-run icing that has really been my saving grace (check out this post for details about my injury). I was curious to see how I would do without the sleeves.

I ran 2.0 miles in 17:43 per my training plan.

Look â€“ no knee sleeves! It was so strange to look down and not see sleeves. I felt a little naked!

My knees felt fine, even during the final 6:45-minute/mile sprint (which I held for about 1 minute). Iâ€™m not sure Iâ€™m at the point where I want to do a long run without sleeves, but it was an interesting experiment. I didnâ€™t ice when I got home, either, so Iâ€™m curious to see how I feel later.

Before my run, I had Greek yogurt and granola:

And afterwards, I made a black bean, salsa, and cheese sandwich on the George Foreman. I had asparagus on the side:

This sandwich was to die for! It kind of tasted like a quesadilla. Cheese makes anything taste good, though. 🙂

By the way, my sports bra burn from my 16.0-miler on Friday is NOT looking good. It looks like someone beat me with a whip. I had to tape myself up to run today:

Ouch. Hope it heals soon. I am going to invest in a lot of Body Glide for the rest of marathon training.

Hope youâ€™re having a fabulous day!

**Update: Annnnd my knees hurt. A lot. Going to ice now. **

{ 48 comments }

Emily October 11, 2009, 5:15 pm
Wow! That gym does look awesome! Even the gym I went to didn’t look as spiffy as that one!!
Island Girl Eats October 11, 2009, 5:26 pm
That is good news that your knees are doing better. Ever since I changed my running shoes, I don’t seem to have any knee problems. I was so shocked. I did a 10 mile run this morning and have no knee / joint pain. I put that down to my new New Balance shoes. They are great.
BethT @ Pretty By The Bay October 11, 2009, 5:27 pm
Man, the gym I PAY for isn’t that nice! 🙂
Teacherwoman October 11, 2009, 5:30 pm
Way to go… running without the knee sleeves! Do you know the difference between knee sleeves with the holes (like yours) or knee sleeves without holes? I have one without holes and I am just wondering if you have any idea what the differece is?
- caitlin October 11, 2009, 5:33 pm
  i think the ones with holes cup your patella better. (?)
  - Teacherwoman October 11, 2009, 6:22 pm
    Thanks Caitlin. That’s what I was kind of thinking. I feel like I have a hard time bending my knee with the full coverage knee sleeve. I might try the ones with the hole. 🙂
Valerie (College Girl Eats) October 11, 2009, 5:30 pm
Ahh! Sports bra chafing is awful! Hopefully it heals fast!
Kelly October 11, 2009, 5:31 pm
So glad you are at the point where you don’t need the knee sleeves (at least for short runs).
Jenna October 11, 2009, 5:33 pm
I would be in heaven if I had a gym at my apartment building with tv’s!

Nice job on the run and yay for no knee sleeves 🙂
Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) October 11, 2009, 5:34 pm
ugh hate bra burn! I always get it! Even after short runs!
Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) October 11, 2009, 5:39 pm
I hope those knees stay pain free for ya!! That sandwich looks SO good – mmm melty cheese, my love 🙂

Glad to see you are trying some asparagus! Did it make your pee smell funny LOL?? It tends to do that.
Sarah Jayne October 11, 2009, 5:40 pm
Poor you & your sports bra burn! ICK! That quesadilla inspired sammie looks fab. I wish asparagus was still in season around me!
Shannon (The Daily Balance) October 11, 2009, 5:43 pm
yikes on that sports bra burn!!!

Quesadilla sandwich looks awesome!
Danielle October 11, 2009, 5:59 pm
Yea for your run without knee sleeves!

Ouch is right! Your sports bra burn must be pretty darn painful! I hope it heals quickly! Band-Aid also makes a “non-friction stick” that you may want to try, too.

Have a great Sunday!
Danielle
MelissaNibbles October 11, 2009, 6:00 pm
Yikes. I saw this after you posted the update. I’m sorry your knees are hurting you. I hope it isn’t lasting pain.
Sana October 11, 2009, 6:01 pm
Yummie, I <3 greek yogurt and granolaa! Chesse makes EVERYTHING better 🙂
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is October 11, 2009, 6:13 pm
That gym does look nice for an apartment!
Julie October 11, 2009, 6:22 pm
I feel naked without mine if I don’t wear it either. I’m too afraid to run without it, you are brave! I’m sorry your knees hurt you now though, experiment fail 🙁
Allison October 11, 2009, 6:24 pm
I used to get chafing like that from swim suits. Whenever my swim team did 2 a day practices I’d get it really bad on my neck. Aquaphor did a really good job of preventing it though. I assume body glide is a similar thing. And good luck with your knees! Knee pain sucks.
Angela (Oh She Glows) October 11, 2009, 6:29 pm
I haven’t not worn my knee sleeves since I got them this Spring (maybe once but it wasnt for long)…I’m pretty sure I would be sore as hell not wearing them too!
Ellen Collis October 11, 2009, 7:45 pm
I’m so jealous of the apartment gym! I don’t have a washer/dryer in my teeny NYC aptâ€”let alone a gym!

http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/
Tay October 11, 2009, 7:59 pm
I’m so sorry your knees ended up hurting 🙁 But I think this experiment actually pushed me more to invest in knee sleeves. If you can really really tell so much difference with them, I think I’m going to look into buying them tonight. Thanks!
Lizzy October 11, 2009, 7:59 pm
It was good that you experimented though right? Atleast now you know for next time
Simone @ P:T October 11, 2009, 8:09 pm
Ouch, that chafing looks really bad! Hope it heals soon!!

Megan’s gym on the other hand, WOW! It really IS a nice apartment gym. I wish my apartment had a gym, but sadly it doesn’t. 🙁
Lauren October 11, 2009, 8:12 pm
You poor thing, just looking at your sports bra mishap makes me hurt! 🙁 When I was running my 1/2, there was something sharp poking out of my camel back and rubbed against my lower back for the entire 2 hours. I had such a nasty scrape for weeks. Ugh, the pain we endure on these long runs.

Enjoy the rest of your day love!
Evan Thomas October 11, 2009, 8:36 pm
I love the TV’s in front of the treadmill; they make them so much more bearable
Nicole October 11, 2009, 8:43 pm
That looks so painful. But the gym looks fancy! The black bean sandwich looks good too. Have a great week!
angieinatlanta October 11, 2009, 8:50 pm
Yet another great sammie idea! Is there anything melted cheese can’t do?
Jenna October 11, 2009, 8:52 pm
glad you enjoyd megan’s appartment and gym! yeah you do look different without your knee sleeves!
go ice them!!
jenna
Mellissa October 11, 2009, 8:54 pm
No knee sleeves is great, hopefully icing and rest helps a bit and you can continue to have your knees get stronger.
Kristine October 11, 2009, 9:18 pm
that sandwich combo looks good! we have tvs on our treadmills but i never use it. i get dizzy and im scared ill fly off the treadmill lol
Gab* October 11, 2009, 9:18 pm
Oh, it’d be great if your knees are rehabilitated! Ouch, the bra burn must hurt. The toasted sandwich looks yum, great combo.
Peanut Butter Bliss October 11, 2009, 10:07 pm
YAY FOR KNOW KNEE SLEEVE 🙂
sounds like a great run too.
couldn’t agree more with you – cheese makes the world go round 😀
Joelle (The Pancake Girl) October 11, 2009, 10:17 pm
Aw, i’m sorry about your knees girlfriend- that’s a bummer. Least your sandwich looks pretty delish!
Morgan @ Life After Bagels October 11, 2009, 10:17 pm
you’re making my knees hurt, ouch you are daring!
Annamarina (Running Tails) October 11, 2009, 10:20 pm
Oh no! I’m sorry your knees hurt – I have a similar problem with my knees, so I can feel your pain!
Emily (Emily Eats and Exercises) October 11, 2009, 10:56 pm
Uggg… injuries suck. I hope the icing helps – you’ve reminded me that I should be icing my shins right now.
Good sandwich idea – I wish I didn’t love cheese soooo much.
Sara (ActiveGal) October 11, 2009, 11:03 pm
Ouch! I’m sorry about your knees! I hope they feel better soon! I know how much knee pain can interfere! I have noticed too that a lot of times treadmills start to make my knees hurt worse so maybe that could have something to do with it…

Hope you feel better soon!
Julie @savvyeats October 12, 2009, 12:12 am
The sandwich looks delicious! I’ve been thinking of mashing up some beans for sandwiches, so I may just have to combine it with salsa and cheese!

Hope your knees feel better soon. 🙁
Lu October 12, 2009, 12:31 am
Wow. I didn’t realize that a sandwich could literally make me drool on my keyboard. Black Beans, Salsa and Cheese…Can it get any better? Yummy. Hope your knees feel better.
Tasha - The Clean Eating Mama October 12, 2009, 1:44 am
WOW! That gym really IS huge!
Shannon October 12, 2009, 7:37 am
Sorry the knee sleeve experiment didn’t go as well as hoped. But I guess the important thing is that they work for you and allow you to run. Yeah!
Paige October 12, 2009, 7:43 am
Oh crap! Sorry about the knees hurting. Do you always ice them? I wonder if it’s because of no sleeves or because of no ice?
Ali@ Food, FItness, Fashion October 12, 2009, 7:52 am
Oh no, they hurt now?! BOOOOO! That stinks. Well, at least you tried it out. I have gotten sports bra burn too. Is there anyway you know of to prevent it?
Rosey Rebecca October 12, 2009, 8:28 am
Megan’s apartment gym is so nice!! Mine has like three machines in it. My actual gym (Gold’s gym) is right behind my apartment complex so it’s kind of like having a gym in the complex.. except I have to pay for it. lol
Jac October 12, 2009, 9:07 am
hopefully the sports bra burn will be alright soon!
Sarah @ See Sarah Eat October 12, 2009, 9:20 am
Uh oh, don’t skip icing anymore! Man, I am jealous of that gym. Hope that burn heals up soon, ouch 🙁
Paige October 13, 2009, 1:02 pm
Body Glide is nice, but Vaseline is a LOT cheaper, and works just as well for me…I use it on all of my long training runs, and even used it in the Chicago Marathon this past Sunday!

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