Wow, that is an impressive running career! Sad to hear that your knee is bothering you @bluebayou! Strengthening glutes and core is helpful for the knee problems. Easy runs here and there and avoiding hard pavement could be helpful, too.
Just poked around another forum. Someone there said… Best defense against covid etc. is keeping your heart healthy by regular exercise and healthy eating. 
It will soon be too hot here to walk outside. We have gotten to the low 80’s the past couple of days. I can probably make it walking outside through the spring, though a lot of June, July, August and early September will be too hot unless I go in the middle of the night.
I live in a town home complex. We do have a small, secure gym for resident use only. I have been there just a couple of time. There are a couple of tread mills, elliptical machine, and a weight machine. It is air conditioned.
I guess I find using these machines boring. There is no tv over there to watch while walking on the treadmill. No other people outside in their yards to wave at. No barking dogs to laugh at. No birds to watch flying around. I will have my phone and ear buds and can listen to music or an audio book.
Does anyone have any other tips on how to stay motivated for three month to use boring machines for 30ish minutes a day?
Way back in the dark ages, there was a ‘study’ that found that runners had less flu than non-runners. If I recall, the theory was that runners artificially increase their internal temperature for up to an hour and thus creates flu-like reactions internally triggering positive immuno. But back then, science barely knew how to spell immunology. lol
Hate treadmills. On super hot days, I just try to wake and get moving at 5 am. And drink plenty of water.
Welcome, @bluebayou Great running history! Unfortunately, as we get older we are even more prone to breaking down. Agree with @BunsenBurner that glutes and core will help with the knees, as will a good PT. I’ve been pretty lucky with knees until my current stress fracture. I’ve been more prone to high hamstring and hip things, because my glutes are pretty week and don’t seem to “fire”. I lived in Chicago for 5 years in my 20s. I began my running career there in 1976.
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Do you have a laptop? Tablet? just get a cheap kindle fire, if there is no WIFI you can download shows to watch. Save up ANY TV to watch while on the treadmill. I had a rule of no TV or similar unless I was on the trainer bike, treadmill or rower. The rower is very difficult for me to stay the course, the bike is easy (easy to keep a decent effort for at least an hour) and the treadmill is in the middle. You should use all the options and set up a routine, 20 mins on the treadmill, 20 mins elliptical, 20 mins weights and stretches, something like that. Basically this takes using the big human brain to find a way. You want to find a way to realize that exercise makes you feel better, period, becuase it does. Once you acknowledge that, you will embrace it.
The other thing is that heat is trainable unless you are old (I see loads of over 60s on my route in 80/90 degrees or more) or very sensitive to it. I wouldn’t walk but cycling is OK. Not pretty at a stop light but it is what it is LOL. Like many things, it has a mental aspect. Planning hydration takes a lot of the fear out of it.
I think podcasts are great for the gym. Currently listening to Dolly Parton’s America which is made by the same guy who does Radiolab. On the elliptical I often read on my Kindle, but I can’t really read if I go at all fast. I try do at least a few intervals, and have to put down anything I’m trying to read for that.
Happy to report that I had issues that seemed like carpal tunnel off and on for much of last fall. Wasn’t bothered by most of the gym work, but I had to give up totally on pushups. I wear a brace whenever I get a twinge now - but I’ve gone back to doing pushups. Only up to five, but they make me feel young. 
Welcome! Building up the muscles around knee, assuming your knee is healthy and sound. So, squats, step ups, glute ham raises (requires scaling for most using resistance bands), hammy curls, etc.
@jym626 Loved skiing years ago, but then I got tired of buying new equipment (yup, that was me) and driving 4-5 hours to Tahoe. I always said skiing was the most fun sport.
Yes, every 1/4 or 1/2 mile you get off the treadmill and do other movements such as burpees, overhead or bench presses, planks, pushups, dumbbell deadlifts, both legs or single leg, etc. You can scale up or down all exercises to your level of expertise.
Speaking of breaking down as we age, I think I may have escaped my intercostal strain without too much down time. I was worried. I just heard on the radio today that a baseball player for the Oakland A’s is out indefinitely with the same problem.
This evening for me was front squats, “inverted presses,” barbell rows, 15 minutes on the treadmill, glute ham raises, and some power cleans. I’m not going 100% yet, but getting there. Maybe tomorrow, but I may stay a bit lighter on Saturday, take a rest day Sunday and go back to 100% effort on Monday.
Regarding knees. If you are close to bone on bone like I am, then you probably need to be careful with squats and lunges. Burpees and anything that involves jumping I would avoid. A good trainer that is aware of your issues can recommend exercises or strengthening techniques that can help you. Step ups can also cause problems. I’ve found taping my knees with KT tape to be effective for my patellofemoral and bone on bone. Better than knee braces. Hip strengthening is effective as MOWC stated. I take glucosamine and CBD oil. Look into cortisone, synvisc and PRP injections. I feel my knee problems have “stabilized” allowing me to get 30 miles a week in. Lot of it is track work. I find that interval running (speedwork) is easier on my legs (more biomechanically correct) than long runs where I can get sloppy. Stay off the roads and no downhill running!
@abasket I’m so sorry for the loss of your pup. Losing pets is so hard
@bajamm the only time I am on the mill without people watching/TV (I.e. gym) is at a hotel. But even in a gym, I couldn’t stay on it without varying the speed/incline every few minutes. That makes the time go by much faster - in addition to having music or something to listen to. I’d also suck it up and go outside at oh dark thirty a few times/week. (I run/workout at 4:30am) but I also loathe the heat, so you have my sympathy!!!
@bluebayou welcome! I had meniscus surgery 2+ years ago. I’ll echo the others about building up leg muscles that support the knee and focus on glutes, hip flexors, hips, etc. But in a nutshell,you need to focus on your own body’s quirks and imbalances, especially anything that’s significantly asymmetrical.
I’ve had a good couple of days. Yesterday was really strong overall. Today, not quite as strong, but I was pleased. 4 miles outside, then 6 miles on the treadmill broken into 20 min peppy easy, 5x2 min harder/2 min easier, then short c/d to the end in 43:15. Then a 60 min hip opening yoga podcast and then I played with arm balances. Worked on doing push-ups in crow. I can do all of 2-2.5 before losing balance. But it’s fun. Work in progress…
And funny- last night we ate out with my in-laws since older S is home on break. Younger S’ break isn’t until next week, but he said a childhood friend (at another school) was picking him up and they were going to spend the weekend at UVA. So we are eating dinner and I look up and see childhood friend grinning at me. I was all confused. Happy to see him. I’ve known him well since he was 3, but where was S? So I’m trying to be nice and finally ask “where’s S?” And the whole time S was standing RIGHT NEXT to him. I didn’t even recognize my own son. Mother of the year. I’ll never live that one down… They spent the night at friend’s house and will head up to UVA today
Yesterday was ice, and prescription anti-inflammatory nicked from H.
It seems to be a strained front deltoid. I could not hold or lift the empty bar yesterday for a press. It has a bruised sensation.
My notes from Tuesday say something hurts a little in right shoulder. I was pressing 68# for triples & doubles and there were some grinders in there.
I’m trying not to think about how long I’ll be out or how much I’ll detrain in the meantime.
I’m scheduled for squats & deadlifts today, but I think I’ll skip and rest it.
Yesterday I gently stretched it by pressing a wood dowel.
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+1 for squats to strengthen knees & hips & glutes.
I started with goblet squats & transitioned to low bar back squats.
Knee sleeves help when squatting for warmth & compression.
Good tutorials online where you’ll notice knees go out (not forward), tracking the foot (about 30 degrees).
Instead of squats, which could be rough on the knees if not done properly, consider other exercises like planks, hip bridges, and wall sits.
@sushiritto - I used to own my own ski equipment, but DH convinced me, after the last set of skis/boots/poles got too old, to just rent. We usually ski only 1-2X per season (for usually 3-6 days each trip) as we don’t live near the slopes, so we have to drag the equipment with us, which is a pain with extra/oversized luggage on the planes, etc. DS#1 and his wife have their own equipment, so when we ski with them we sure fill a rental car with luggage, ski equipment, food (we usually hit the market on the way to the slopes), etc, and with rentals DH and I get to try out the latest skis, boots, etc.
As for knees, as those are my weak point too. For skiing I usually work on strengthening my quads in advance of the trip and wear knee sleeve/braces for support. Seems to work fine.
As for the restricted eating/intermittent fasting diet, I decided to take a break while on this trip, as I prefer to have a light breakfast before hitting the slopes (and the room has a kitchenette so we have had eggs, with a side of cheese or fruit in the morning) with a goal of just maintaining the thus far 9 lb weight loss. Will go back to IF when I get home.
Went over to the clubhouse just to get some movement. 35 minutes on the elliptical and .5 (point 5) miles walking on the treadmill. Lifted a few heavy things. Feels better than doing nothing. Will get ready to watch the Olympic Trials Marathon. A lot of my Oiselle teammates are in Atlanta cheering for the Oiselle women pros and spectating. They got to do a casual run with Kara Goucher today. I wish I could have gone.
My brother was very ill for many years before his lung transplant, and he adopted ancient American Eskimo dogs.
He had a soft spot for the breed, and felt a kinship for creatures in poor health needing some love & care in their final months & years.
We would tease him about adopting dogs “nobody wanted” but we also thought it was very sweet of him.
Now that he has new lungs and can walk more than 10 feet, he adopted a much younger dog this last time around.
@bajamm I live in a hot climate, too, and have to game the weather to get out. Some of my ideas have been mentioned, but I’d say get out early or late to be outside. Do you swim? I started swimming with a group when we moved here because I couldn’t run outside as much as I wanted with the heat. Indoor group cycling in the AC? That’s another favorite for the summer. The studio will blast the AC to keep us cool.
I am okay with the indoor machines. I had to use them when the kids were young to be able to run, so I adapted. My favorite strategies include playing with the speed/incline buttons to make it interesting, watching some TV show (like a date with the machine to watch news or a specific program), meeting a friend, who can suffer alongside me. Music, of course. If it is a busy gym, I’ll find a place to people watch while I run. For thirty minutes, I can endure it.
Thanks for all the knee tips folks – just everything I hate. Stretching? What’s that? hahahaha
But since somehow I’ve lost my youth legs and 70+ mile weeks, I guess I’ll have to go to Plan B. Starting doing squats with TRX and slow lunges during PT and that really improve leg flexibility.
@Midwest67 I hope you aren’t sidelined for too long. It’s always so hard to figure out what happened and what to do!
That’s great about your brother and the Eskimo dogs. Our current two are relatively young- probably 10 and 7 or so. We do get seniors that have some life left. These two at least can go down the steps into our back yard. We spent a lot of money on the type fence required by our HOA when we were first working on adopting through the Golden rescue organization, and then wound up with a series of dogs that couldn’t get down the steps into the yard!
Men’s marathon just started. I’m watching.