I ran cross country in the Ozark mountains of NW Arkansas from 5th grade through high school in the 70s through 85 when I left for college and work.  From 95 to current I have cycled road and MTB competitively.  IN 2008 I was training in Houston for the Houston marathon in 2009 and came back from a week in San Diego running with crazy knee pains.  The ortho said my patella bone was not in the groove.  Now in 2012 I am trying again here in San Antonio.  I really love running even more than cycling.  I ride mostly single speed for its simplicity which is why I like running. 

For the past month I have been running with Merrel trail gloves (Vibram sole with wide open toe box) and Saucony Kinvara 3 minimal shoes and doing okay with minimal knee pain and mostly calf muscle soreness from hills and focus on mid/forefoot strike trying to run soft.  A massage therapist said my patella bone is right where he expects to find it now but I still have quite a bit of knee pain on the right side nearly full circle and on the upper edges of the tibia.  I have been reading and getting ready for a visit to a new ortho this week.  Between a nearly flat foot and longer second toe, I suspect I have a bio-mechanical issue causing my knee some unneeded stress.  I like the minimalist running for the feedback but the concrete running and foot configuration may be working against me and I need more cushion. 

By posting in this blog on Running with Eric I anticipate getting some feedback from more experienced runners to give me more information in next steps and experiments to try.

Jimm