Blogmaster set for performance-enhancing surgery
The IAAF and WMA can't stop me. Tomorrow at 7 a.m., I undergo a two-hour procedure that will make me faster, stronger and extend my track career at least 50 years. I'm replacing my anterior cruciate ligament. Kaiser-Permanente's Dr. Donald Fithian, a world-class knee expert, will do ACL reconstruction on my left knee -- the knee that went kablooey in October 2002 as I attempted to three-step the 100-meter hurdles at the Club West Masters Meet in Santa Barbara, California. After barely clearing the seventh hurdle, my left knee gave way, and I crashed to the track (breaking my wrist in the process). Over the next couple years, I built up the muscles and tendons and returned to sprinting. I competed at outdoor nationals in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
But hurdling has been tough. I tried some low hurdles a few times, but they were tentative and slow -- the opposite of how you should run hurdles.
But I didn't need, or consider, ACL surgery until April of this year, when I reinjured the left knee upon takeoff in the high jump at the John Ward Masters Games in Santa Ana. After icing my knee, I told the gent running the event -- Olympic silver medalist Ed Carruthers -- thanks for helping. You just witnessed my last high jump.
I hope I misspoke myself. I love to jump. I love to clear the bar. I love to clear 10 bars in a row-- in the long and short hurdles. It's part of my DNA. Timbertoperis, ergo sum. (I hurdle, therefore I am.)
I'm optimistic about my return to hurdling and jumping because:
1. I've done it before. After breaking my lead ankle while hurdling at the 1998 Orono nationals, I rehabbed religiously and was able to three-step the first four M45 hurdles at the 1999 Gateshead world masters meet.
2. Many friends have undergone the same surgery and come back hurdling. I'm especially grateful for the encouragement of fellow hurdlers Bill Pontius and Eugene Anton, who both have come back strong from ACL surgery. Bill was fourth in the M55 short hurdles and sixth in the long hurdles (and high jump) at Orono -- only 11 months after going under the knife. Eugene has even run 42-inch hurdles in his late 40s! They are my heroes and inspiration.
3. I have a great support system in my wife, Chris; teen son, Bobby; co-workers (who will hold down the fort at SignOn for two weeks while I recover), local friends and Internet pals.
(And, of course, Dr. Fithian, who says he has performed this procedure 100 times a year for the past 17 years.)
Tomorrow's surgery will be an allograft -- meaning I'll be getting tissue of a cadaver instead of from somewhere else in my body (an autograft). Dr. Fithian will use an arthroscopic process to thread a "harvested" pateller tendon through my knee bones and connect stuff together.
My surgery originally was scheduled for October 23, but was canceled amid the wildfire emergency.
The operation will take place at Coast Surgery Center in San Diego, but don't contact them. I'll be home by noon Tuesday.
I hope to report on my recovery within days.
In any case, I'm preparing blog entries for the next week or so, so don't turn that dial! My blog software allows me to schedule blog postings. I have some really cool ones coming up.
I began hurdling in junior high -- clearing 30-inch wooden monstrosities on a grass track at Kraemer Intermediate School in 1967. I eventually set hurdle records at Valencia High School (13.7 for the 120-yard low hurdles) and Omaha Burke High School (14.4 in the 120 highs). As a walk-on at the University of Kansas in the early 1970s, I trained with the legendary Bob Bornkessel and the national-class hurdlers Greg Vandaveer and Delario Robinson.
After taking a 16-year break from track after hurting my right knee while high jumping, I discovered the masters circuit and resumed hurdling. I wasn't very good (barely breaking 20 in the highs and going 65 in the 400s), but I live by the philosophy "Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly."
But when it comes to my ACL rehab, I will do this most excellently.
My goal: run hurdles at Lahti worlds when I will be a new M55.
I'm told this will be a long, difficult process. But I'm up for it. I appreciate the well-wishes of all my friends, and I promise you I won't bonk. Just another barrier to overcome.
Look for me in the sprints at Spokane.
Comments
Good luck to you, Ken. I busted my MCL playing soccer in the early nineties. Today, I'm deadlifting 400+ lbs., do one-legged full squads with weights, do step-ups with 150 lbs. and so on. An ACL is a minor inconvenience and a little training interruption. I know some semi-pros who schedule an annual ACL just to get a break from training! You will be back in no time, champ.
Posted by: stefan waltermann | November 5, 2007 12:45 PM
Good luck Ken! The hurdles will be waiting for you. We'll see you in Spokane.
Posted by: Liz Palmer | November 5, 2007 12:47 PM
Best of luck Ken.
Posted by: Doug Smith (The Younger) | November 5, 2007 12:56 PM
Speedy recovery to you Ken. I just had a corneal transplant on Friday, so I am dealing with the post-op funk right now. If misery loves company, you are not alone in the joy of life after major surgery right now.
Posted by: Chad Lindsay | November 5, 2007 1:32 PM
Ken: You may not be a world class hurdler - and probably will not be one after your performance enhancing surgery, but you are a world class blogger - and I am glad that you are not having surgery on your blog muscles! Good luck with the surgery, "enjoy" the rehab knowing that when you are recovered, we will be watching to see just how much your performance has been enhanced.
Posted by: Mary Harada | November 5, 2007 1:47 PM
Sounds like a wonderful thing to do to get back to
the events you love.
Just please keep up the "blog".It is the "light" of my life being able to read what all those great athletes are doing,even though I don't know most of them,I feel awed by what they do.
Phyllis Provost
Lewisville,Tx.
runicajun@yahoo.com
Posted by: Phyllis Provost | November 5, 2007 2:43 PM
Good Luck Ken! I know that knee will work much better with a new rubber band in it."Keep on Bloggin"..
Posted by: Jim Broun | November 5, 2007 4:36 PM
Ken, good luck with the surgery tomorrow. We'll be waiting for an update when you feel up to it. Hopefully the operation will allow you to return to training and competition again real soon (and without any pain!). Hope to see you in Spokane.
Posted by: Ken Effler | November 5, 2007 5:36 PM
Hola Ken. Animo y mucha suerte con tu operacion. Ooooops. Hi Ken. Good luck with your surgery. No excuses to run under 13.00 in 110 hurdles. Better yet, join me in throwing the discus or shot put.
Posted by: Juan Bustamante | November 5, 2007 5:58 PM
Ken, Hoping all goes well for you in surgery.... with a swift recovery and little down time... Keep us all informed ...You know we all love you..
Posted by: Sully | November 5, 2007 7:41 PM
Good luck, Ken. See you at Spokane, if not sooner.
Posted by: Ed Baskauskas | November 5, 2007 7:58 PM
Hey Ken, If'n I've got some wheels, I'll come down and continue the torture with some post-surgical acupuncture.
Just be thankful that you're not in China where we used acupuncture for knee surgery anesthesia!
Posted by: Al Stone | November 5, 2007 8:23 PM
Goodluck Ken, I'll see you on the track
Posted by: nolan Shaheed | November 5, 2007 9:35 PM
Hey Ken
See you at Henry for some 1000m repeats.
Posted by: Kettrell Berry | November 5, 2007 9:43 PM
Hey Ken,
My thoughts are with you and wishes for a full, quick and impressive recovery. I'm a little disappointed though that you already have blog postings waiting to be released. I was envisioning what might be posted if you were to write while under the influence of those post-op meds!
Take care buddy!
Posted by: John Altendorf | November 5, 2007 9:44 PM
Good luck, Ken.
You are a world class blogger (Mary Harada).
I will miss your blog. Come back soon and clear all the hurdles (and blogs)in the M55/M60/M65/M.../M105!
Take care!
Posted by: pino pilotto | November 5, 2007 10:36 PM
Best wishes for a successful surgery. You hold masters track together, so get well quickly!
Posted by: Tom Fahey | November 5, 2007 11:58 PM
I am praying for you.
Posted by: kevin morning | November 6, 2007 11:16 AM
Good luck Ken. See you at the track.
Posted by: Marie-Louise Michelsohn | November 6, 2007 12:16 PM
Hi everyone!
Ken is home after his two-hour surgery. They said everything went well. He is sleeping off the drugs right now and doing OK.
Thanks for all of the good wishes and prayers!
--Ken's wife and nurse, Chris
Posted by: Chris Stone | November 6, 2007 12:22 PM
Ken, The best to you for a speedy recovery, I look forward to your return in 2008. Watch out, Ken's going to be fast.........
Bill
Posted by: Bill Collins | November 6, 2007 12:56 PM
Ken - Absolute best wishes on a speedy recovery and a successful return to jumping and hurdling! (No need to wish you a successful return to blogging ... you got that in the bag!) I'll see you on the track before you know it!
Pete
Posted by: Peter Magill | November 6, 2007 2:19 PM
Hey Ken I'm glad your fine, hopefully you will recover quickly and complete. Best Wishes!
Posted by: Tony Echeandia | November 6, 2007 3:48 PM
Chris :Thank you for sharing the good news about Kens operation. Give him my regards and good wishes for a speedy recovery. Juan Bustamante.
Posted by: Juan Bustamante | November 6, 2007 5:45 PM
Ken: You have been so kind to others for many years. It is great to see the outpouring of best wishes from your diverse fan club. Alooooha!
Posted by: Jack Karbens | November 6, 2007 8:21 PM
Hi Ken,
We will continue to pray for fast healing. Let Andy and I know when you are ready for a hurdle race. You pick - 180 yard LH, 220 yard LH, 100 meter 36" H, . . . Andy has found a potential spot for a 180 yard straight run (no turn) if that sounds fun - Jeff Davison
Posted by: Jeff Davison | November 6, 2007 9:41 PM
Ken, wir hoffen, Du hast alles gut ueberstanden und wir sehen Dich in Lahti 2009. Pass auf Dich auf!
Annette und Robert
Posted by: Annette und Robert | November 6, 2007 9:53 PM
Ken,Chris
Glad to hear the surgery went well. Best wishes for a speedy, full recovery. See you at PH soon for some 200's, well maybe some 600's to start out with ...
Posted by: Jai Black | November 6, 2007 11:20 PM
Hey Track CEO:
Happy to hear that your operation went well.
You'll be 3-stepping speedily in no time!
-Grant L
Posted by: Grant Lamothe | November 7, 2007 12:34 PM
Ken, I wish you the best of luck. I had the same surgery Jan of 05. I ran in Hawaii at the Nationals that summer. Don"t rush the comback. Regards, Mike Milove
Posted by: Mike Milove@comcast.netilove | November 7, 2007 5:32 PM
Ken, before you have surgery, make sure the ligament you're getting is from someone who was a sprinter/hurdler!!!
Good Luck & Best Wishes.
Posted by: Mickey Miller | November 7, 2007 7:38 PM
best wishes to you...my buddy and teamate phil had similar surgery last year after winning the m50 long hurdles at charlotte, and healed just fine enough to win the m50 short hurdles at orno...you'll do just fine...our prayers are with you...albert
Posted by: al cestero | November 8, 2007 3:25 PM