I was culled by a sequence of ailments rather than one single game-ender.. every time I decide to target a race, something breaks down..

sorry to hear of the arthritis.. my wife has arthritis in her back related to scoliosis, and the prescription is exercise..
running probably doesn't make it any worse, and might even help. best of luck and keep running..

1-2 on a scale to 10?

Poor Bebe....

You better stop running now!

Heh heh. Unfortunately, while 1-2/10 at rest is eminently tolerable, 3-4 is annoying enough that it will bother you all the time, and 5-6 is definitely considering surgery time. I'm just trying to stay 1-2/10 as long as possible.

Unfortunately, if I find the sore spot on my lateral ankle and push directly on it with my finger, it's like 7-8/10. Luckily for me so far, running does not seem to hit that area at all, but it's only a matter of time...

Well, being between 3-6 is the norm for me...dealing with RA. So excuse me if I think you are whining.

To be constructive, I can recommend going on a anti-inflammatory diet and cutting out dairy, poultry and processed foods.

Yes, it makes a difference.

Your PT nailed it, don’t take it with a grain of salt. It is a heaping spoonful of truth! Joint derangements are far more common in causing pain and reducing function than actual arthritis. Rapid sustainable gains are real. Is your PT McKenzie credentialed?

Yeah, I honestly have little to complain about compared to rheumatoid arthritis!