It All Started Several Years Back

I know this is going to be a bit hard to believe, but back in the day I was quite a runner.  I spent my time in college and then after college running and hiking all over the North Idaho area.   I loved to get out and run and found that at about six miles I had a definite runners high that I really enjoyed to experience.  I ran fun runs and trail run all over the place.  In fact I ran Bloomsday three times in the college Mascot suite.

My running introduced me to many areas and many friends and through this a great friend, Mike Bundy, introduced me to a second passion that related to my running. I became a Hasher!  Hashing was the perfect outlet in my life.  I loved running but that was followed closely by one other passion, beer drinking!  To me they went hand in hand. In college a friend was adamant  that if I ran enough, I could drink all I wanted and never get out of shape or over weight so I took that to heart.  I drank and ran through college and then when I graduated and found Hashing, I drank and ran with others who had the same passion.

My running never got out of control but as the years went by I started suffering the pains and injuries that runners sooner or later inflict upon their bodies.  I think back now and I can remember many of the times I came off trails and felt the pains of over running, so I drank beer and forgot about them.

As I prepare for my first knee replacement I was able to pinpoint one of the runs that started the ultimate downfall of my left knee.  The IEH3 met at my favorite Hashing bar, The Bayou Tavern.  This establishment sits at the foot of the hills that flank the north side of the Green Acers area of the Spokane Valley.  It was a favorite Hashing spot back in the day because it was adjacent to the hills and that it had a very colorful cliental. On this particular trail we were lead up to the top of the ridge and then followed the power lines back down and ended back at the Bayou. 

On the decent, I felt my first sting of bone on bone contact related to my knee deterioration.