So I got my first donation yesterday from Katie W. It's very encouraging! I'm trying my hand at Facebook donations first before I bring out the "big guns" (I haven't quite figured out what that is yet) :-)

What is not encouraging is my knee pain. I was told at the beginning of this week that the alignment of my knee caps (though primarily the right knee) are off. It's just the way I'm built and there is nothing I can do about it.  I recall having a similiar problem in high school (when I was forced to be active in gym class) though the pain was a lot different than what I am feeling now. I asked why it would suddenly flair up and I was told age, which breaks down your knees over time, and the fact that most of us gain weight as we age and that, of course, puts more stress on your knees.

What this all means is after a day of walking around and sometimes exercising (which does not hurt) that when I am no longer putting stress on them (at night) they hurt. The doctor told me not to be afraid of the gym but after I went on Tuesday, I've been in pain at night ever since. They gave me exercises that are supposed to help but, of course, are causing my knees to hurt during the day as well.  I feel like an eighty year old woman.

However, this does not mean that I'm throwing in the towel on this or any event. Even if I'm in a knee coma for a week after doing the 42 miles, I'm still going to do it. I have a bike that should be more ergonomic than my old bike and the bikes at the gym, and I finally invested in a pair or real cycling shoes. Knees be damned!