power smoothie

My Go To Power Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup frozen fruit, 
• 1 banana, 
• 1/2 cup fat free sugar free yogurt, 
• 12 oz almond milk, 
• 2 scoops pea protein power smoothie 

This specific power smoothie recipe yields approximately 

• 495 calories, 
• 62.4 grams of protein, 
• 45 grams of carbohydrates, and 
• 8.3 grams of fat.

Key Takeaways

• Very High Protein Efficiency: Packing over 62 grams of protein, this smoothie hits the upper limits of what your body can optimally synthesize for muscle repair in a single sitting.
• Low Net Carbs: With 7.6g of dietary fiber, the net carbohydrate impact is roughly 37.4 grams, primarily sourced from the natural fructose in the banana and berries.

finis agility paddles

what percentage of forward propulsion freestyle is pull

In freestyle swimming, the arm pull generates 70% to 90% of your total forward propulsion.

The exact breakdown relies on your distance, speed, and gender:

• Distance/Endurance Pace: 
• Your pull handles 85% to 90% of your forward drive. 
• At this pace, the legs drop down to about 10% of forward propulsion. 
• The kick shifts from a generator into a "chassis"—its job is to keep your hips high, stabilize body rotation, and reduce drag.
• Sprint Pace: In an all-out sprint (like a 50m dash), the legs are kicked furiously, driving their contribution up to 30% or 35%. 
• Studies on elite sprint swimmers show the pull accounts for roughly 70.3% of propulsion in males and 66.6% in females.

The Agility Paddle Effect

• Because you are training with FINIS Agility Paddles, your arm propulsion temporarily shoots even closer to 100%. 
• Paddles artificially expand the surface area of your hand, giving you massively increased leverage to grab and pull water.
• However, since the pull is your true primary engine, any flaw in the high-elbow catch will drastically tank your speed. 
• If your Agility paddles are slipping, it means you are losing a massive portion of that 70–90% propulsion window.

For long-distance and triathlon swimming, maximizing your arm pull efficiency is the ultimate goal. 

• Since the pull dictates 85% to 90% of your forward drive over long distances, your primary objective is to save your legs for the bike and run while building a highly efficient, sustainable upper-body engine.
• Using your FINIS Agility paddles is the perfect way to build this specific endurance, but you need to structure your sets to simulate open-water pacing rather than short pool sprints.

The Long-Distance Paddle Progression Set

This workout builds active pull strength, improves your catch efficiency when fatigued, and trains your body to sustain a high-elbow catch over distance.

• Warm-up: 
• 200m Easy Swim 
• (No equipment, focusing on a relaxed, balanced body position)
• Technique Prep: 
• 4 x 50m Catch-Up Drill with Agility Paddles.
• Focus: Keep the front arm fully extended to maintain high hips until the pulling arm returns.
• The Main Engine Set: 3 to 4 rounds of the following block:
• 1 x 200m Pull with Agility Paddles + Pull Buoy.
• Pacing: Steady, conversational aerobic pace.
• Focus: Absolutely zero leg kick. Let the buoy hold your hips up so you can focus 100% of your energy on an Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) catch. 
• If the paddles shift, you are rushing the stroke.
• 2 x 100m Swim (Remove paddles and buoy).
• Pacing: Match the exact stroke rhythm and hand pressure you felt with the paddles.
• Focus: Use a minimal 2-beat kick (one kick per arm stroke) just to maintain your body rotation and keep your legs from sinking.
• Rest: Take 20–30 seconds of rest between each distance.
• Cool-down: 100m Easy Choice.

Open-Water Habits to Practice Now

• Embrace the 2-Beat Kick: 
• Do not flutter kick rapidly. 
• Kick exactly once per arm entry. 
• This saves your glycogen stores for the bike and run while keeping your lower body perfectly aligned behind your torso.
• Maintain Pressure at the Finish: 
• In open water, chop and currents can knock you off balance. 
• Ensure your Agility paddles stay locked to your hands all the way past your hip to maintain a clean, stable exit.

neoprene buoyancy shorts simulate wearing a triathlon wetsuit in the pool

• To accurately simulate the "downhill" body position of a triathlon wetsuit in a swimming pool without overheating, your best gear option is a pair of neoprene buoyancy shorts.
• Unlike a traditional pool pull buoy, which locks your thighs together and completely paralyzes your lower body, buoyancy shorts lift your hips and upper thighs while still allowing you to execute a natural 2-beat kick and practice proper hip rotation. 
• They essentially act as a wearable pull buoy that mimics the precise muscle memory you need on race day.

how to use finis paddles

FINIS is famous for its unique, strapless, tech-focused designs that provide instant stroke feedback—if your technique slips, the paddle will literally shift or fall off your hand.

• How to put them on: 
• Slide your thumb through the designated thumb hole. 
• Your palm should rest completely flat against the convex surface of the paddle. 
• There are no other straps.
• The Technique: 
• You must maintain consistent water pressure against the palm to keep the paddle in place.
• Stroke Execution: 
• Enter the water cleanly, immediately tip your fingertips down, and keep a high elbow (Early Vertical Forearm). 
• Pull backward with a flat palm.
• Instant Feedback: 
• If you drop your elbow, lead with your elbow, slice your hand sideways, or stop pulling halfway through, the paddle will flap or fall off.

Tips for All FINIS Paddles

• Start Slow: 
• Because tech paddles alter your stroke mechanics and increase surface area resistance, start with just 100–200 meters at a time to prevent shoulder fatigue.
• Combine with a Snorkel: 
• Pairing these paddles with a FINIS Swimmer's Snorkel allows you to keep your head down and look directly at your hands to see exactly how they enter and track through the water.

Note:

• To master the freestyle pull using FINIS Agility Paddles, you must focus on maintaining continuous water pressure against the palm. 
• Because these paddles are strapless, the moment you lose pressure or use incorrect mechanics, the paddle will wobble, shift, or slip right off.

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to execute the perfect freestyle pull with your Agility paddles, from entry to exit:

• 1. The Hand Entry & Extension
• The Action: 
• Slide your hand into the water fingertips first, keeping your wrist slightly bent downward. 
• Extend your arm fully forward.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• Do not slap the water flat with your palm. 
• If you slap the water, air gets trapped under the paddle, causing it to instantly slide out of place or wobble.
• 2. The Catch (Early Vertical Forearm / EVF)
• The Action: This is the most critical phase. Initiate the catch by tipping your fingertips down toward the bottom of the pool while keeping your elbow high and stable near the surface.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• The paddle should immediately face the back wall of the pool. 
• If you drop your elbow first (a common mistake called "dropping the elbow"), the paddle will slice through the water flatly, lose all resistance, and float off your hand.
• 3. The Power Pull (Mid-Stroke)
• The Action: 
• Drive your hand straight back toward your feet, maintaining a flat, strong palm against the paddle. 
• Engage your latissimus dorsi (lats) and core rather than relying purely on your shoulder.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• Keep your hand moving in a straight tracking path. 
• If you slice your hand sideways, wiggle it, or try to do an old-school "S-curve" pull, the water will catch the edges of the infinity shape and twist the paddle off your thumb.
• 4. The Finish & Release
• The Action: 
• Push all the way past your hip, keeping the palm facing backward as long as possible before accelerating into your recovery phase.
• Paddle Feedback: 
• A very common error is letting go of the water early or lifting the hand upward too soon. 
• If you stop pushing before your hip, the sudden loss of pressure will cause the paddle to flop against your palm.

Drills to Try with Agility Paddles

• Single-Arm Freestyle (Non-breathing arm holding a kickboard): 
• Swim freestyle using only the arm wearing the paddle. 
• This allows you to look directly at your hand entry and catch phase without the distraction of breathing, ensuring the paddle stays perfectly locked to your hand.
• Catch-Up Drill: 
• Leave one arm extended fully forward until the pulling arm completes its entire cycle and touches the forward hand. 
• This ensures you maintain a high, stable catch position at the front of the stroke before initiating the pull.

Daily Reprieve

 09/20/26 1) Grateful or Hateful 2) Right Sized  

Swim Dryland

The pull phase is crucial for swimming fast. The pull constitutes 85-90% of direct propulsion during full swimming

best swim dryland exercises 

The pull phase is crucial for swimming fast The pull constitutes 85-90% of direct propulsion during full swimming at home with adjustable dumbbells

• To build a stronger pulling phase at home using adjustable dumbbells, focus on dumbbell exercises that target your lats, upper back, and shoulder stability.
• Best Dumbbell Pull Exercises for Swimmers
• Single-Arm Supported Row: 
• Place one knee and your same-side hand or forearm on a chair or bench. 
• Hold an adjustable dumbbell in your free hand, brace your core, and pull the weight back toward your hip rather than straight up. 
• This mimics the underwater pulling motion and targets your lats. 
• Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.
• Bent-Over Two-Arm Row: 
• Hinge forward at your hips with a flat back, holding a dumbbell in each hand. 
• Pull both weights up toward your lower ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top. 
• This builds upper-back strength needed for the catch and early pull phase. 
• Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
• Dumbbell Pullover: 
• Lie flat on your back on the floor or a bench holding a single moderately heavy dumbbell with both hands overhead. 
• Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weight behind your head until you feel a stretch in your lats, then pull it back over your chest. 
• This directly strengthens the lat engagement required for propulsion. 
• Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
• Single-Arm Dumbbell Rehearsal Swings: 
• Stand in a staggered stance and hinge forward slightly. 
• Hold a light adjustable dumbbell and mimic the freestyle underwater pull path—from the high elbow catch, sweeping back to your hip, and recovering. 
• Keep movements controlled to build neuromuscular memory. 
• Perform 3 sets of 15 reps per arm.
• Core & Stability Additions
• Plank Pull-Throughs: 
• Get into a push-up position with one dumbbell placed just outside one hand. 
• Reach under your body with the opposite hand, grab the dumbbell, and drag it across to the other side while keeping your hips completely still. 
• Perform 3 sets of 10 drags per side to build the rotational core stability needed in the water.

weight bench and dumbbells

Adding a weight bench unlocks optimal range of motion and angles to target your latissimus dorsi and core, directly translating to a more explosive underwater pull phase.

Bench & Dumbbell Routine for Propulsion

• Incline Bench Rows: 
• Set your bench to a 30 to 45-degree incline. 
• Lie chest-down on the bench, letting your arms hang straight down with your adjustable dumbbells. 
• Pull the weights up toward your hips, keeping your elbows tight. 
• Supporting your chest completely isolates your lats and upper back, preventing cheating and mimicking the body position of swimming flat in the water. 
• Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
• Decline or Flat Bench Pullovers: 
• Lie on your back on a flat bench with your head close to the edge. 
• Hold one dumbbell with both hands directly over your chest. 
• Lower the weight slowly behind your head until your arms are parallel to the floor, then engage your lats to pull it back up. 
• The bench allows for a deeper stretch and longer range of motion than the floor, hitting the exact muscles used during your high-elbow catch. 
• Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
• Bench Dumbbell I-T-Y Raises: 
• Lie chest-down on a flat or low incline bench with very light dumbbells. 
• Raise your arms straight ahead (forming an "I"), then out to the sides ("T"), and finally at a 45-degree angle ("Y"). 
• This targets the lower trapezius and rotator cuff, protecting your shoulders from injury during high-volume yardage. 
• Perform 2 sets of 8 reps per position.
• Single-Arm Bench Rows with Kickback: 
• Place one knee and one hand on the flat bench for support. 
• Row the dumbbell to your hip, and at the peak of the row, extend your arm straight back to engage the tricep. 
• This finishes the final 10-15% of your underwater pull stroke where you push past your hip. 
• Perform 3 sets of 10 reps per side.

Core Transition Power

• Bench Russian Twists (Feet Elevated): 
• Sit on the edge of the bench, lean back at a 45-degree angle, and lift your feet off the floor. 
• Hold a light dumbbell and rotate it side to side. 
• This builds the foundational oblique strength required to drive power from your hip rotation straight into your arm pull.

5-50 pounds adjustable

With a 5 to 50 lbs adjustable dumbbell set and a weight bench, you have the exact toolset needed to build competitive pulling power. 

Since the pull phase constitutes 85–90% of your swimming propulsion, you want to use the lower end of your weight range (5–20 lbs) for structural health and high-elbow mechanics, and the higher end (25–50 lbs) to build raw lat strength.

Here is a structured, scannable weekly workout template designed specifically to maximize your swimming propulsion at home.

Swimming Propulsion & Pull Phase Workout

Perform this routine 2 to 3 times per week on non-consecutive days. 

Focus on explosive pull movements and controlled, slow returns.

Key Execution Tips for Swimmers

• The Intentional Lat Squeeze: 
• On both the Incline Row and the Pullover, initiate the movement by driving your elbows down toward your hips. 
• Do not just pull with your biceps; swimming power comes from the large muscles of your back.
• Don't Rush the Return: 
• Take 2 to 3 seconds to lower the weight back down on every single rep. 
• This eccentric control mirrors the tension your muscles experience while resisting water drag.
• Keep Shoulders Safe: 
• For the I-T-Y raises, never go heavy. 
• A 5 or 10 lbs setting is more than enough to target the small stabilizer muscles that keep your shoulders healthy through thousands of swimming strokes.

distance

For distance swimming (400m+), your dryland training needs to shift toward muscular endurance, aerobic capacity, and fatigue resistance. 

While sprint swimming relies on high-load, explosive power, distance swimming requires your lats, shoulders, and core to maintain crisp, high-propulsion mechanics for hundreds of consecutive strokes without breaking down.

To train your body to hold a powerful pull over long distances, you will use your 5–50 lbs dumbbells for higher-rep ranges and shorter rest periods, simulating the metabolic demand of a long race.

Distance Swimming Pull Workout (Endurance Focus)

Perform this routine 2 times per week. 

Keep your rest times strictly between 30 to 45 seconds between sets to train your muscles to clear lactic acid efficiently.

Advanced Progression: 

• The "Distance Engine" Complex
• Once the standard routine feels manageable, try adding this continuous circuit at the end of your workout to test your endurance. 
• Do not rest until all three exercises are complete:
• 12 Flat Bench Pullovers (Immediate transition to...)
• 15 Incline Bench Rows (Immediate transition to...)
• 60 Seconds Bench Plank Hold
• Rest 90 seconds. 
• Repeat for 3 total rounds.
• Key Distance Principles
• Precision Over Weight: As fatigue sets in during high-rep sets, your body will want to cheat by shrugging your shoulders. 
• Keep your shoulders pulled down away from your ears to protect your rotator cuffs.
• Core-to-Stroke Connection: 
• In distance swimming, an unstable core creates massive water drag. 
• Treat the Plank Pull-Throughs as a primary movement—keeping your hips locked teaches your body to keep a tight, hydrodynamic line even when your arms are burning.

Swim Snorkel

These are results for does a swim snorkel make sense to improve my technique

• Yes, a swim snorkel makes a lot of sense to improve your technique because it lets you keep your face in the water while breathing, removing the distraction of turning your head. 

• How a Snorkel Improves Technique
• Fixes head position: Keeps your head still, aligned with your spine, and looking straight down at the bottom of the pool, which naturally lifts your hips. 
• Evens out your stroke: Allows you to focus on a balanced pull and catch on both sides without rushing or altering your form to grab a breath. 
• Builds body awareness: Frees up your focus so you can notice hand placement, rotation, and core balance. 
• Enhances kick sets: Lets you do kick drills with a flat, streamlined body position instead of straining your neck with a traditional kickboard. 

• Potential Drawbacks
• Does not teach natural breathing: Relying on a snorkel too much won't help you learn the timing and rhythm of a real swimming breath.
• Water intake: You have to practice clearing water out of the top with a sharp exhale, and some water can still occasionally leak in.
• Dependency: Swimmers can become too comfortable with continuous airflow and struggle when they take it off. 

• Best Way to Use It
• Use the snorkel for part of your warm-up or during specific technique drills.
• Alternate between swimming with the snorkel and swimming without it to transfer that new head alignment into your normal stroke.
• Consider pairing it with a nose clip if you struggle with water entering your nose while using it. 

freestyle and better balance

• To improve your freestyle balance using a swim snorkel, the primary goal is to establish a flat, horizontal profile in the water and eliminate the side-to-side fishtailing that often happens when you turn your head to breathe.
• Because you want to focus on a stable core and even rotation without relying on the Total Immersion style, the snorkel serves as a tool to help you press your chest, engage your core, and find a natural rhythm.

Drills for Better Balance with a Snorkel

• The "Press the T" Drill: Float face down with the snorkel, arms extended. 
• Focus on gently pressing your sternum (the chest) down into the water. 
• This acts as a fulcrum, naturally lifting your hips and legs to the surface without forcing you to kick harder.
• 6-Count Rotation Drill: Swim at a very easy pace with the snorkel on. 
• Take 6 kicks on your belly, then smoothly rotate your entire body (hips and shoulders together) 45 degrees to the left side for 6 kicks, then back to the center, then to the right. 
• The snorkel keeps your head locked on the black line while your body rotates around your spine like a spit roast, teaching you to balance on your side.
• Single-Arm Freestyle: Keep one arm extended straight ahead and swim using only the other arm, wearing your snorkel. 
• This forces the moving side to generate clean rotation while the stable arm and core maintain a straight line. 
• Swap arms every 25 or 50 meters.
• Paddle Balance Drill: Place a hand paddle on top of your head while wearing the snorkel. 
• Swim regular freestyle. If your head moves, shakes, or your balance is off, the paddle will fall off. 
• This forces perfect head stability.

Balancing the Stroke

• When using the snorkel for these drills, try a 50/50 progression. 
• Do a 50-meter drill with the snorkel to lock in the feeling of a high, balanced body position. 
• Immediately follow it with a 50-meter normal freestyle swim without the snorkel, focusing on keeping that exact same chest-pressed, hip-high balance when you take your regular breaths.

Back to Basics PT and Strength Training

URL: https://uwhealthsm.medbridgego.com/ < get the app!

Access Code: DZLYFWPL

Daily 

• Single Leg Bridge with Opposite Knee to Chest - 
• Frequency
• 1 x daily - 7 x weekly 
• 1 sets - 5 reps 
• 60 secs time
• Single Leg Bridge with Opposite Arm Press - 
• 1 x daily - 7 x weekly - 
• 2 sets - 15 reps - 
• 60 secs time
• Half Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch with Chair - 
• 1 x daily - 7 x weekly - 
• 1 sets - 10 reps - 
• 2-3 sec hold - 60 secs time
• Half Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch with Sidebend - 
• 1 x daily - 7 x weekly - 
• 1 sets - 10 reps - 
• 1-2 sec hold - 60 secs time

Every Other Day

• Seated Heel Raise - 
• 1 x daily - 4 x weekly - 
• 3 sets - 10 reps - 
• 60 secs time
• SINGLE LEG RDL - 
• 1 x daily - 3-4 x weekly - 
• 2-3 sets - 8-10 reps - 
• 60 secs time
• Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat - 
• 1 x daily - 3-4 x weekly - 
• 2-3 sets - 8-10 reps - 
• 60 secs time

Here are the four best dumbbell exercises to strengthen your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves while maximizing joint stability.

1. Goblet Squat (Quads & Glutes)

• How it works: Holding a single dumbbell vertically against your chest naturally improves your posture and deepens your squat depth. This shifts load onto your quadriceps and glutes while reducing lower back strain.
• Form cues: 
• Hold the dumbbell close to your chest. 
• Keep your torso upright, push your knees outward, and lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. 
• Push through your heels to return to standing.

2. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (Hamstrings & Glutes)

• How it works: This hip-hinge movement builds raw functional power in the posterior chain. It specifically targets the hamstrings and glutes under tension, which is excellent for building resilience against repetitive impact.
• Form cues: 
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. 
• Keep a slight, fixed bend in your knees, push your hips straight back, and shave the weights down your legs. 
• Lower until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, then squeeze your glutes to stand.

3. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat (Quads, Glutes, & Hamstrings)

• How it works: Unilateral (single-leg) exercises are unmatched for eliminating strength imbalances between your legs. This movement heavily engages the quads and glutes while forcing your stabilizing muscles to fire, protecting your knees and hips.
• Form cues: 
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand and place one foot behind you on a sturdy bench or chair. 
• Step your front foot out and lower your back knee toward the floor. 
• Keep your front knee tracked directly over your toes, then drive straight up.

4. Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise (Calves)

• How it works: Holding dumbbells adds essential resistance to build the lower-leg strength needed for power and shock absorption.
• Form cues: 
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand on the edge of a step or weight plate with your heels hanging off. 
• Raise up onto your toes as high as possible, squeeze your calves at the top, and lower your heels slowly below the step level for a full stretch.

10 Mile Run; OK 6 Mile Run 4 mile Run / Walk

Ouch. The good news my VO2 max went back to 44. We'll see if this is temporary. 
I had hoped to stay around 10 minute miles
1 9.57
2 6.45
3 9.57
4 10.04
5 10.38
6 10.38

And at mile six it all came crashing down

7 12.10

8 12.54

9 13.27

10 16.03

I walked through the aid stations miles 1-6 and converted to knee pain management miles 7-10

Five hours of pickleball yesterday didn't help.

I shared with Gemini 66 yo male running vo2 max 44 pain knee pain overcomes me at about mile 6

At 66 years old, your VO2 max of 44 is exceptional—putting you in the top tier of cardiovascular fitness for your age group. Your heart and lungs have the aerobic capacity to sustain long distances, but your knee's structural tolerance is currently hitting a hard ceiling at mile 6.

When knee pain strikes at a highly predictable mileage marker, it is a classic sign of an overuse or biomechanical tracking issue rather than a sudden structural tear. As your muscles fatigue during the run, your running mechanics subtly shift, overloading specific tissues in the joint.

Where exactly you feel the pain provides the best clue to what is failing at mile 6

Deep Joint Line or Inner Knee: At 66, a deep ache, stiffness, or localized inner-knee pain could indicate early osteoarthritis or a degenerative meniscus irritation. Running is excellent for joint health, but if the shock-absorbing cartilage has thinned over time, repetitive impact beyond a certain mileage threshold can cause significant inflammation.

How to Modify Your Training Right Now

Because your aerobic fitness (VO2 max) is so high, it is easy to accidentally outrun what your joints can handle. Try these immediate adjustments:

• Implement a Hard Ceiling: Stop your long runs at 5 to 5.5 miles for the next 2 to 3 weeks. Pushing through the pain at mile 6 will only worsen inflammation and prolong your recovery.
• Increase Your Stride Cadence: Try increasing your step count by 5% to 10% while maintaining the same pace. Shorter, quicker steps reduce the vertical impact force and stress placed on your knees with every single stride.
• Incorporate Hip and Glute Strengthening: Devote 2 days a week to targeted strength work. Exercises like side-plank clamshells, single-leg glute bridges, and lateral band walks keep your pelvis stable and prevent your knee from collapsing inward under fatigue.
• Evaluate Your Footwear: Ensure your running shoes have life left in them. If they have logged more than 300–500 miles, the cushioning may be degraded, forcing your knees to absorb the excess impact.

inner knee deep dull ache

A deep, dull ache along the inner knee (medial joint line) that predictably triggers after 6 miles strongly points toward medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA) or a degenerative medial meniscus issue.

At 66, your elite cardiovascular engine (VO2 max of 44) allows you to effortlessly run deep into workouts. However, after an hour or more of repetitive impact, the thinned shock-absorbing cartilage or meniscus on the inner side of your knee becomes overloaded, resulting in that deep, deep ache.

Why It Hits Exactly at Mile 6

• Mechanical Fatigue: As you approach mile 6, the stabilizing muscles around your hip and ankle begin to fatigue.
• The "Varus" Shift: This muscle fatigue often causes the knee to bow slightly outward or collapse inward, shifting the brunt of your body weight directly onto the inner compartment of the joint.
• Inflammatory Threshold: The repetitive micro-trauma of thousands of strides builds up quietly until it crosses an inflammatory threshold at mile 6, forcing you to stop.

Immediate Management Strategies

To keep running safely without accelerating joint wear, you must actively shift the mechanical load away from the inner knee:

• Switch to a Walk-Run Strategy: Do not wait for the ache to appear. Try a strict interval of running for 9 minutes and walking for 1 minute from the very start of your run. The brief walking resets your posture, clears metabolic waste, and postpones muscle fatigue.
• Strengthen the Knee Stabilizers: Focus heavily on the vastus medialis obliquus (VMO)—the teardrop-shaped quad muscle just above the inner knee. Terminal knee extensions with a resistance band and straight leg raises will help the quad absorb impact so the bone and cartilage don't have to.
• Consider a Medial Unloader Orthotic: Talk to a specialist about a lateral wedge insoles. These are slightly thicker on the outside edge of the heel, which subtly alters your leg alignment to physically "unload" stress from the inner knee compartment.
• Avoid Camber and Hard Surfaces: Run on flat, predictable surfaces. Avoid concrete sidewalks or the sloped shoulders of asphalt roads, which artificially force one knee to take more medial load. Prefer level dirt paths or high-quality tracks.

Recommended Next Step: Medical Evaluation

Because this involves a deep joint ache, you should get an objective view of what is happening inside the capsule.

• See an Orthopedic Specialist or Physical Therapist: They can perform manual loading tests on the meniscus and check your alignment.
• Request a Weight-Bearing X-ray: Standard X-rays taken while standing are the gold standard for checking if there is narrowing of the inner joint space (osteoarthritis). An MRI may be ordered if a meniscus tear is suspected.

80027 Here are the top-rated sports medicine clinics and physical therapists in the 80027 (Louisville/Superior) area. Since you have a highly conditioned cardiovascular system but a clear biomechanical limit at mile 6, these specific clinics are chosen for their expertise in running gait analysis, sports performance, and non-surgical joint care.

Medicare Part B covers outpatient orthopedic evaluations and physical therapy if they are deemed medically necessary to treat an injury, chronic illness, or functional decline (like your inner knee pain).

However, because Medicare requires strict medical necessity, how the local clinics bill their services differs dramatically. Since your cardiovascular engine is operating at an elite tier (VO2 max 44), choosing a clinic that accepts your insurance and effectively treats endurance athletes is key. 

Clinic-by-Clinic Medicare Coverage in 80027

Here is exactly how Medicare applies to the top local clinics previously recommended:

Orthopedic Centers of Colorado (Superior) — Fully Covered

• Medicare Status: In-Network / Accepts Medicare Assignment.
• What is Covered: Your initial evaluation with a sports medicine specialist (like Dr. Efren Caballes), standing weight-bearing X-rays to check the joint line, and subsequent outpatient physical therapy sessions.
• What You Pay: Once you meet your annual Part B deductible, Medicare covers 80% of the approved cost, and your supplemental insurance (or you) covers the remaining 20%.

How to Proceed: Start here if you want an objective medical diagnosis (X-ray/MRI) of your inner knee cartilage or meniscus before moving forward.

Recommended Medicare Action Strategy

To get the best of both worlds—fully covered diagnostic tests and high-level running care—use this hybrid strategy:

• Get the Diagnosis (Fully Covered): Book an appointment with Orthopedic Centers of Colorado - Superior. Ask for a standing, weight-bearing X-ray of the knee. This will tell you instantly if your inner knee ache is coming from "bone-on-bone" medial joint space narrowing (osteoarthritis) or a meniscus issue.
• Request Medically Necessary PT: If they find joint narrowing or meniscus strain, have their physician write a referral for physical therapy focused on "gait training, VMO muscle recruitment, and lower extremity mechanics".
• Do Your PT at OCC (Fully Covered): Complete your physical therapy sessions at OCC's dedicated rehabilitation facility in Superior. Because the therapy treats a diagnosed condition to restore your baseline function (running without pain), Medicare will cover the sessions.

These are results for medial unloader orthotic covered by medicare?

Medicare 2026 Knee Brace Update: New Osteoarthritis Coverage ...Yes, Medicare Part B covers medial unloader knee braces when a physician orders them to treat osteoarthritis pain and functional impairment. 

Coverage Requirements

• Medical Necessity: Your doctor must provide a written order showing the brace is necessary to treat your knee osteoarthritis symptoms and help you function. 

Policy Update: Medicare updated its rules so that joint instability or laxity is no longer strictly required to qualify for coverage; pain and functional limitation from osteoarthritis are now valid reasons. 

Ambulatory Status: You must be able to move around (ambulatory) for the brace to help improve your mobility. 

Costs and Suppliers

• Part B Deductible & Coinsurance: After you meet your Part B deductible, Medicare typically pays 80% of the approved amount, and you pay the remaining 20% (unless you have secondary insurance like a Medigap plan).
• Supplier Network: Make sure your provider or medical equipment supplier is enrolled in Medicare and accepts assignment.