Stephanie Lechner: Nametags and Hairnets

Alright, I’ve had a few concerned friends who know about my history of knee issues. They think that running is a bad idea. It started in my early teens when I spent the better part of the 7th grade on crutches thus sabotaging my burgeoning basketball career (Ok, so I was 2nd string, but whatevs, I could’ve gotten better!). I’ve been to several doctors, and over the last ten years, I’ve been told that my knee pain was a result of poor bone structure, misplaced tendons, degenerative cartilage, arthritis, food allergies and bad negative energy harnessed in my joints as a result of not pursuing my hopes and dreams. Now come on folks, that can’t ALL be true. Hell, the last guy I talked to said that there isn’t technically anything wrong with my joints and that if I exercised and got in better shape (i.e. lose some lbs) I’d probably notice the pain subside. I’ve had x-rays, MRIS, surgery, and pain killers (which are fun, really). Then there were the needles–so many needles–steroid injections, acupuncture, mesotherapy and some pseudo-cartilage endorsed by Bruce Jenner delivered beneath my knee cap by the largest gauged needle I have EVER seen (Bruce, how did you do it, man!?). But no one has been able to pinpoint, without a doubt, what causes my random bouts of knee pain. So I say screw it. I’ll be fine. I’m nothing if not stubborn. I have this weird, almost immediate, reaction to being told that I can’t do something–I immediately want to do it. I’ve spent so much time feeling the weight of these physical limitations that I’m over it. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m being careful. I’m slowly working my way towards running long distance and I don’t expect it to happen overnight and I’m good at listening to my body. If it hurts too bad, I’ll stop.