How Knee Trouble Turned Me Into a Cyclist for Life

Last Updated: November 2025

Quick Take: Running destroyed my knees by my early 20s — two surgeries, bone-on-bone pain, and decades of struggling. Switching to cycling saved my mobility, restored my fitness, and eventually helped me recover from a full knee replacement. At 70 years old, I’m still riding strong.

Nike Waffle Trainers and early running shoes—and how knee damage led me to cycling

The Running Boom, the Wrong Shoes, and the Beginning of Trouble

In the 1970s, long-distance running exploded in popularity. I was a teenager, inspired by Frank Shorter’s 1972 Olympic marathon victory, and running quickly became my identity. Back then, if you were a runner, you remember the Nike Waffle Trainer — one of the first shoes built for distance runners.

But those early shoes didn’t have real support. No shock absorption. No arch structure. No stability control. Just foam and rubber between your foot and the road. We didn’t know it at the time, but those miles were slowly grinding away my knees.

The First Signs of Something Seriously Wrong

By my late teens, my knees were already sounding the alarm. Before most of my friends had even thought about joint pain, I was on an operating table for open knee surgery. Arthroscopy didn’t exist yet for the damage I had.

I returned to running — because that’s what runners do. But the pain came back stronger.

A surgeon later told me the tiny bit of cartilage left was acting like sandpaper, wearing the joint down every time I laced up my shoes. Another surgery followed, this one arthroscopic. And then came the hard truth:

“You probably shouldn’t run anymore.”

Letting Go of Running — and Finding Something Better

It took a while to accept it, but eventually the pain forced me to stop running. That’s when I turned to cycling. At first it was simply a replacement — a way to stay active without agony. But within a year, it became more than that. Cycling became my freedom, my peace, my new identity.

By my mid-40s, the knee was bone-on-bone. An orthopedic surgeon in Lubbock told me I’d need a total knee replacement eventually — but to wait as long as possible. So I rode. I rode through pain. I tried acupuncture. I tried everything.

Finally, at 58 years old, I couldn’t take the pain anymore.

The Day Everything Changed

The morning after my knee replacement, I woke up and realized something shocking: the deep, grinding pain was simply… gone.

Five months later, I completed 234 miles at the 24 Hours in the Canyon ride. A month after that, I rode from Lubbock to Albuquerque.

Since then, I’ve ridden over 44,000 miles, finished multi-day tours, climbed mountains, fought West Texas winds, and lived a life on two wheels that I never could’ve lived on foot.

Cycling gave me my life back — and gave my new knee a real job.

Lessons Learned (Worth Passing On)

Shoes are better today. Surgeries are less invasive. But injuries still happen. The best lesson I learned? Listen to your body early.

I may never run again — and that’s okay. Cycling is now my joy, my challenge, and my lifelong sport. Eleven years later, my knee replacement is still strong.

You can’t always choose what happens to your body — but you can choose how you respond.
And my response will always involve two wheels and an open road.

🛠 Knee-Friendly Cycling Gear That Helped Me Keep Riding

• Ergonomic Bike Saddles
• Suspension Seatposts
• Knee Compression Sleeves
• Step-Through Hybrid Bikes for Seniors
• Wide Platform Pedals (better knee alignment)
• Turmeric + Ginger Anti-Inflammatory Supplements

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