disappointing 16.7

This is a run report I was hoping never to have to write. I was all set to run a 17 miler this morning. Yes, it was chilly 27 with 18 degree wind chills...yes, of course it was snowing my entire run....yes of course the roads were slick and the sidewalks were not all shoveled and yes I was alone. But all of that was OK and I could tolerate it. I am getting tired of layers and layers of running clothes and running in the chilly snow...but that's not all that bad. What was the bad part of my run today? The sharp, knee pain that I started to experience at mile 14. Out of no where! It's funny during the start of my run my left knee felt a little tight, then my inner hip felt weird but after awhile it went away and I was feeling great. It's hard with the snow and slick roads to find a good stride. But then I started to feel a dull pain  in the right knee. It proceeded to get worse and I actually stopped (I NEVER STOP WHEN I RUN!!) to stretch it out. From mile 14 on, I kept stopping to stretch it then kept running/hobbling until it started to get bad again. I even passed my house and could have just stopped but I was determined to finish up my 17 (or close to it) miles. I was mad - mad at my knee and this pain. I wanted to enjoy the run and just finish, feeling tired but satisfied that I finished! I almost did just quit but I couldn't do it. So I trudged forward and literally hobbled the rest of the miles. I caught a glimce of myself in the reflection in downtown Flossmoor and didn't like what I saw. I looked slow and off gait, a different runner from just an hour before.

So I finished up and in that last mile I actually walked just for a few seconds in between the pains I was feeling. I will post my splits just to see how great I was doing then all of a sudden - blah!
16.68  9:28 pace (UGH) 2:37:54 - very disappointed. I am hoping this knee was just a fluke thing and I will be feeling better by Monday's run. I may do a recovery 3 mile run tomorrow just to test the knee out...or else RICE it!

1	9:08	8
2	9:29	-17
3	9:06	-24
4	9:11	10
5	9:10	-6
6	8:56	12
7	8:53	21
8	8:35	4
9	8:52	0
10	8:40	-36
11	8:46	-12
12	8:56	26
13	9:03	-8
14	10:21	17
15	10:39	21
16	10:59	-11
17	13:25	-9