I joined up with a local group to run, but my IT band cramped up and I had to drop back and walk for most of the last half. Always hard to know what causes that, but I know one thing--I need my walk breaks. They let me alternate what muscle groups I'm using. No more running without walk breaks until I'm totally past this.
Frustrating when I thought I was mostly past this....
4.37 miles, 1:03 (14:24/mile)
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Run #246
Hooray, a medium-ish distance run! It's so nice to be able to do that again. I will say, this run just didn't feel great today. Humid, not enough energy, legs kinda achy for whatever reason. But my IT band did quite well. Tightened a bit but no pain at all. Some runs just aren't that easy, and that's okay.
I did a blog post on my main blog with an update on my barefoot running...well, really, my lack thereof. I've embraced minimalism at this point, and it seems to be the right place for me. The post explains more, and includes a call for all runners to hold hands under a rainbow, unified by drinking Coke. Or something like that.
4.72 miles, 51:42 (10:57/mile)
I did a blog post on my main blog with an update on my barefoot running...well, really, my lack thereof. I've embraced minimalism at this point, and it seems to be the right place for me. The post explains more, and includes a call for all runners to hold hands under a rainbow, unified by drinking Coke. Or something like that.
4.72 miles, 51:42 (10:57/mile)
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Run #245
YIPPEE! My IT band felt normal today--as in, I just really didn't feel it. Not only was it not painful; it wasn't "achy" or "tight" either. I'm SO happy that it is finally feeling normal again after a month and a half of trouble! I think I'll try 5 miles or so this weekend...nothing too long, but long enough to make me feel like I'm getting in a good weekend run. I'm thrilled!
I'd hoped it would be cease being a problem by Run #250. If today is any indication, I didn't have to wait that long! I've noticed the last couple of days that when I roll the area, it's sometimes hard to even find tight spots to roll; it's gotten so loose. And I think the inflammation that was so easily making it sore must have finally healed too. Such a great feeling.
2.91 miles, 30:00 (10:18/mile)
I'd hoped it would be cease being a problem by Run #250. If today is any indication, I didn't have to wait that long! I've noticed the last couple of days that when I roll the area, it's sometimes hard to even find tight spots to roll; it's gotten so loose. And I think the inflammation that was so easily making it sore must have finally healed too. Such a great feeling.
2.91 miles, 30:00 (10:18/mile)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Run #244
This was yesterday (forgot to log it then.) I was happy to be able to do my normal, hilly 5K without my IT band cramping! It was a little tight, but such an improvement. I really AM recovering. (Yay!) And it was beautiful weather--nice to have a break from the heat.
3.1 miles, 31:15 (10:05/mile)
3.1 miles, 31:15 (10:05/mile)
Monday, May 16, 2011
Run #243
I participated in Relay For Life last weekend. I did 10 1/2 miles, and probably 2 1/2 or 3 were running (short spurts, in between all the walking.) My full recap is here.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Run #242
Okay, the weather was pretty miserable--73 degrees, 94% humidity. Not adjusted to that yet this year! But I'll take humidity over pain ANY day, and my IT band felt better than it's felt in a couple of weeks.
The form change (slightly higher knees) plus all the other stuff...reduced mileage, rolling, stretching, strengthening--all seems to be coming together, and I think by next week I'll be back to my normal 5K route, and soon after that, some longer runs again.
A little stiff afterward, but it's just SO improved over where it was. Hip hip hooray!
2.47 miles, 26:07 (10:34/mile)
The form change (slightly higher knees) plus all the other stuff...reduced mileage, rolling, stretching, strengthening--all seems to be coming together, and I think by next week I'll be back to my normal 5K route, and soon after that, some longer runs again.
A little stiff afterward, but it's just SO improved over where it was. Hip hip hooray!
2.47 miles, 26:07 (10:34/mile)
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Run #241
I started with some high-knee drills, and during the run, I focused on lifting my knees just a bit. I feel like my upper legs are working harder, but it somehow takes the stress off my IT band, and it doesn't hurt to run that way--so I'll keep doing it, and it'll get easier. IT band still very slightly achy when I stopped running, but not during. Stretched during every walk break. Healing slowly but surely.
2 miles, 24:11 (12:05/mile)
2 miles, 24:11 (12:05/mile)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Run #240
I ran to Starbucks this morning, and my IT band held up pretty well. It was tightening up near the end, but no actual pain, and stopping to stretch it was helpful!
I decided to walk home. It actually got pretty achy during the walk, but at the end I switched to grass instead of sidewalks, and it loosened up. I'm going to do as much grass running as I can during my runs as I continue to work through this.
Today's run made me feel like my IT band is improving even though it's a slow improvement. I'm thankful for EVERY mile I can run or walk!
Run: 2.21 miles, 23:09 (10:28/mile)
Walk: 2.29 miles, 44:15 (19:19/mile)
Total: 4.6 miles, 1:07:24 (14:39/mile)
I decided to walk home. It actually got pretty achy during the walk, but at the end I switched to grass instead of sidewalks, and it loosened up. I'm going to do as much grass running as I can during my runs as I continue to work through this.
Today's run made me feel like my IT band is improving even though it's a slow improvement. I'm thankful for EVERY mile I can run or walk!
Run: 2.21 miles, 23:09 (10:28/mile)
Walk: 2.29 miles, 44:15 (19:19/mile)
Total: 4.6 miles, 1:07:24 (14:39/mile)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Run #239
Still trying to get past the IT band stuff. I'm really working hard on getting my legs loose & strong so even though I'm not running much, I'm staying active doing other exercises. When I do run, I'm experimenting with form changes to see what helps. It's frustrating to me that it's taking so long to get past this (had to stop and walk after awhile today) but I'm definitely learning about my body and I'm determined to be stronger in the long run. I'll get that mileage back up eventually!
Hmm, I wonder if it's reasonable to hope that this is worked out by Run #250? I think so. That'll be about 4-5 weeks from now.
At this point I feel like I have so much good advice, and I'm putting it into practice. Targeted strengthening plus whole-body strengthening. Form (minimizing side-to-side motion of hips, etc.) Effective rolling techniques. The one thing I could add back in is physical therapy, where he could do Active Release Technique on me again. But that gets expensive very quickly, so I really want to get past this without PT if I can, even if it takes a little longer. If I seem to plateau for too long, though, I'll probably head back to the doc.
2.57 miles (not sure on time.)
Hmm, I wonder if it's reasonable to hope that this is worked out by Run #250? I think so. That'll be about 4-5 weeks from now.
At this point I feel like I have so much good advice, and I'm putting it into practice. Targeted strengthening plus whole-body strengthening. Form (minimizing side-to-side motion of hips, etc.) Effective rolling techniques. The one thing I could add back in is physical therapy, where he could do Active Release Technique on me again. But that gets expensive very quickly, so I really want to get past this without PT if I can, even if it takes a little longer. If I seem to plateau for too long, though, I'll probably head back to the doc.
2.57 miles (not sure on time.)
Run #238
Oops, forgot to log this run here! It was last Thursday (4/28):
Still taking the conservative approach as I work through the rest of the IT band stuff. I did feel tight today. But I've found a way to slightly alter my gait down stairs that helps. (I'm up and down the stairs at home a lot!) And yesterday I found some tight spots in my quad that weren't getting totally worked out with the foam roller, but I'm getting to them with the massage ball.
I'm definitely doing better, but it may take a little while before I am totally past this and can bring my mileage back up. Today I did 2 minute run/1 minute walk segments, hoping the faster running + extra walking would help the leg. Don't feel like it helped, but considering that the running segments were at a faster-than-usual pace, I think this was good for training. I'll probably do this 2:1 run/walk ratio occasionally for that reason, even though overall it's slower.
2.31 miles, 26 minutes (11:13/mile)
Still taking the conservative approach as I work through the rest of the IT band stuff. I did feel tight today. But I've found a way to slightly alter my gait down stairs that helps. (I'm up and down the stairs at home a lot!) And yesterday I found some tight spots in my quad that weren't getting totally worked out with the foam roller, but I'm getting to them with the massage ball.
I'm definitely doing better, but it may take a little while before I am totally past this and can bring my mileage back up. Today I did 2 minute run/1 minute walk segments, hoping the faster running + extra walking would help the leg. Don't feel like it helped, but considering that the running segments were at a faster-than-usual pace, I think this was good for training. I'll probably do this 2:1 run/walk ratio occasionally for that reason, even though overall it's slower.
2.31 miles, 26 minutes (11:13/mile)
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