Pushing past the pain -- coming back with chronic injury

Hey all,

I'm reintroducing myself to this community after a 2.5 year layoff due to knee injury (broken patella, chrondomalasia, torn maniscus and severe arthritis leaving bone on bone).  I thank my parents for the bad knees!  

So, I'm an adult-onset athlete (started in 2000 at age 35) and logged 8 marathons, 10 half-marathons and 6 triathlons (up to Olympic distance) before moving to Southern California and putting it on the shelf.  Tried rest and rehab to no avail.  Cartilage implantation is the recommendation but I wrestled with the 6-month recovery time (6 weeks immobile won't work with my job).  Finally decided to forego the surgery and deal the pain that exists whether I run and cycle or not.  That brought me to this summer.

2.5 yrs and 15 lbs later (I'm 45, 5'11", 192) I decided to do everything possible to treat me right and feed the need to compete again.  I've been training core, cardio and resistance for 3 months now and am tired of walking and hiking as alternatives to running and biking.  So, let's enter the Long Beach 1/2 marathon as a training inducement!  Two weeks in, combo walking/running intervals is going pretty well.  I hope to do LB and then get back to tri's to reduce fatigue on the knee.  Getting a new bike and need to find some open water training buddies.  We have this big pond called the Pacific Ocean just 30 minutes from my house, but I've never trained in it!  The water is cold here, so I guess I'll have to get a wet suit.  BTW, I'm originally from Kansas City.  I've turned into a weather wimp cuz the temps are so consistent and nice in SoCal.  Tough life!

In conclusion, I don't know how its going to turn out but it sure does feel good to train for a goal again!  I solicit ideas, experience and training buddies as motivation. 

Don

on the path....again!