Bishop Has Learned to Live With the Pain

It’s usually the back that goes first. Sometimes a shoulder or even an elbow. But the last thing Steven Bishop expected to injure when he reached for his suitcase six months ago was the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Bishop was preparing to leave San Francisco International Airport when his suitcase’s handle snagged on a bench as he was lifting and turning. His foot remained planted while the rest of his body kept rotating, resulting in an injury that’s common on football fields, not in airport terminals.

“It wasn’t instant,” said Bishop, 34 and a resident of Fullerton. “But the following day I was in acute pain. Even walking across the street hurt.”

Bishop, who twice qualified for the NCAA Division III finals while running cross-country at Lynchburg College in Virginia, had been slowed by injuries before, but those could be blamed on hazards most runners encounter.

Several years ago, Bishop was rounding a corner in his native South London when he collided with a patron who had just exited a shop. Bishop fell face-first onto the sidewalk and broke his nose.

“I took a chunk of ice off the ground and put it on my face, then kept on running,” he said. “The whole way back people were pointing at me, and when I got home, I realized my face was covered in blood.”

Then there was the time Bishop was running down a sidewalk in Lakewood when his foot got wedged between concrete panels, which had been uprooted by a tree root. This resulted in a deep gash to his shin that required several stitches.

But the knee injury has been the most devastating because Bishop couldn’t run for two months. By the time he received doctor’s approval in late April, his conditioning and stamina had severely deteriorated.

Bishop gradually increased his daily and weekly mileage and resumed racing at last month’s Bastille Day 8K in Newport Beach, where he finished 30th. Bishop then came back last Saturday to win the five-mile race at the Huntington Beach Distance Derby in 26 minutes 49 seconds. Bishop said the victory was surprising because he’s still trying to get back into form.

“I was pleased with my performance, not in terms of being my best, just better than expected,” Bishop said. “I’m back to 50 [training] miles a week, but I would still like to get out to 70.”

Bishop has mapped out a variety of training courses near his home in Fullerton, where he has lived since completing his master’s degree in accounting at Lynchburg. An accounts manager for a security company in Fountain Valley, Bishop also mixes in a track workout at Cal State Fullerton, some weight training and an occasional British stout at his neighborhood pub.

“I like the real heavy bitters,” Bishop said with a laugh. “It’s a special part of my training diet. It doesn’t hinder you and you can’t constantly be sacrificing everything.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

Runners looking to test their endurance in higher altitudes might want to check out the Rim Nordic 5K, Quarter Marathon & Half Marathon this Saturday.

The 5K begins and ends at the Rim Nordic Ski Area base, five miles east of Running Springs, and winds up and down through the San Bernardino National Forest.

The quarter and half marathons traverse cross-country ski trails, single-track bicycle trails and fire roads. Expect an approximate elevation gain of 500 feet from the base area, which sits at 6,775 feet.

For more information, call (909) 867-2600 or access https://www.rimnordic.com

* The Peninsula Dog Park Walk & Run will be Aug. 28 at Point Fermin State Park in San Pedro. The one-mile walk and two-mile run are for people and their dogs. Participants must have their dogs on a leash. There will be live music, refreshments and an exposition with products for people and their pets.

For more information, call (310) 831-2306.

* The Stop Cancer 5K & 10K Run will be Aug. 29 on a flat, fast course that tours the Beverly Hills area. Proceeds from the event benefit the Stop Cancer organization.

For more information, call (310) 828-4123.

RACE FOR THE CURE

The first annual Komen Race for the Cure Night will be Sept. 18 at Edison Field, where the Angels will host the Baltimore Orioles.

Registration will be available at the ballpark for the 5K race, which will be Sept. 26 in Newport Beach. Between innings of the baseball game there will also be breast health information, giveaways and a “hometown hero” ceremony, which will feature a local breast cancer survivor.

Reserved field-level seats will be half-priced for teams, sponsors, supporters, volunteers, breast cancer survivors, friends and families.

For more information, call Bob Ruiz at (714) 940-2128.