Sidelined!

Okay, so I just realized that it has been two months since my last post. That's unacceptable, but there is a reason. I'll explain. Warning, it's depressing, (at least to me), but maybe some of you can sympathize.

My last post explained how I was jumping into a marathon totally unprepared because I was getting free entry and I'm a cheapskate that cannot pass up a deal like that. Well, the race entry fell through, so my weekend running partner, Richard, and I ran over 20 miles that Saturday to commemorate the race. I had been battling some intermittent illiotibial band issues for a couple months at this point due to increasingly long weekend runs, but the issues seemed to come and go without much of a clear pattern. I ran about seven of those 20 miles on that Saturday morning barefoot and felt pretty good at the end despite being completely spent - the kind of tired you feel when you know you are getting good training. It might be important to not that this was the longest distance I had ever run... by far! Prior to this run, I had never gone more than 14 miles in training.

For those that don't know what the heck I'm talking about, this is a sinewy, muscly diagram. (medicinenet.com)

As the next week progressed, I just focused on resting and letting my body heal. On my next run, I could tell all was not well. I got a nasty tightness in one hip/upper-outside thigh, then the other in the same place starting around mile two that didn't go away. I stopped and stretched at a few points which helped a bit but didn't resolve it. After our run, I was concerned even though my legs felt alright. I enjoyed the rest of my Saturday on the couch until I tried to get up. Yeouch! The outside of my thighs and knees were wound tighter than a snare drum and hurt like the dickens! I knew immediately what it was due to my previous ITB bouts, but this was altogether different. The severity was several times that of previous attacks, and I have been basically forced to shut it down since then.

In the weeks following, I have tried to run distances up to five miles. Each one has been shorter than the last, and each one has been interrupted and/or followed by a bout out ITB flare up. I have essentially no choice but to completely stop running for the foreseeable future, and I will work toward rehab, healing and strengthening in the interim. Right now, I plan to spend a lot of time on my bicycle, do lots of squats and lunges, and utilize the heck out of my foam roller.

This photo depicts a very unrealistic foam rolling exercise. Why is it unrealistic, you ask?  Because the lady  is smiling. This hurts like hell!!!!