it is NOT nice to meet you.
saturday morning i had a small window to get my run done in since the girls had a vet appt at 10am… this means i would have had to start my run about 6:30am to have enough time to get back, get ready and get to the vet. i ate my pasta and went to bed like a good girl friday night, set the alarm and planned on waking up. well that didn’t happen 
after a week+ of struggling with a good night’s sleep, i finally slept like a rock on friday night and i just couldn’t tear my body away from the bed. i had 2 backup plans just incase (if i have a backup plan usually means i will end up doing it… i need to NOT give myself backup plans hehe): #1 was run after the vet appt – weather permitting, and #2 was run on sunday morning. we finally made it home from the vet appt at almost noon and it was at least 85 degrees out and climbing. the weather was not permitting in my books, so i decided to do my run sunday morning.
when i was training for SFM i always had someone there during my long runs, whether it was my TTES team, chris or my 2 runner friends, there was always someone there – an accountability factor. i always did my runs on saturdays because there were people waiting for me or people waiting for me to pick them up, so i never game them a second thought. i always ended up running by myself but there was always someone there before and after. the passed 3 weeks i have been completely on my own. the running part isn’t any different, i am used to running on my own and enjoy that part, but the rest of it – deciding where to run, what time to run, etc is all up to me. it’s been a bit of a challenge sometimes since i don’t HAVE to get up and sometimes my desire to sleep takes over. so from now on i really need to get back on track, waking up saturday mornings, not giving myself options or backup plans and just going. i am happy when i go, i love to start my weekend off with a long run, and i love having sunday as a rest day. a good thing is i still always get my runs in, but i would just rather be back to a very consistent schedule and not giving into myself. so now that i have written that and made it public i will be holding myself accountable to all of you and myself
ok onto the run sunday morning…
i got up about 7 after another great night of sleep (yay!!) and immediately got into my morning long run routine. i had planned on going to SF to change the scenery up a bit but i started to change my mind and just decided to stick closer to home. i headed over to the same spot i have done my last 2 weekend runs on, except i parked further up the trail so i would have a little different scenery and not the same mile markers which is always a mental trick i like to play on myself. it started off cool, around 60-63 degrees and was very nice. the sun was out but the air was cool and i just let myself run. 16 has always been a challenging number for me mentally since i have had my best and my worst “mental runs” at this distance. i could tell i was starting off slower than the last couple weeks and that was fine with me, i didn’t want to kill myself over pace, i have really been enjoying running by feel the last couple weekends. i was feeling pretty good up until around mile 12 when i started to feel some weird pains in my IT band. i have known a few people to have problems with this area and my one friend always refers to her knee. i knew where it (ITB) was but i never understood the connection between the IT band and the knee until today. my knee was hurting and also down the side of my hamstring. it did not feel good. i stopped to fill up my bottles (it was also getting warm) and i stretched it out a bit and just continued on slowly. it wasn’t feeling good but it wasn’t excruciating either. the heat started getting to me a bit but i just kept charging through telling myself less than 3 miles to go, less than 2 miles to go, etc… and eventually i was at the end! 16 miles done i was very happy to be done even though i think its the slowest 16 mile run i have done and definitely much slower than the last two runs, its actually right on track for where my long runs should be. my car said 85 degrees when i got in it, so it had definitely warmed up.
16.0 miles/2:23:32/8:58 avg pace
i immediately did some stretching then stopped on my way home to pick up some bags of ice. today was the perfect first real ice bath day. i got home and started filling the bath tub up with cold water, put on a swimsuit and sweatshirt then got in. i dumbed 3 bags of ice in and just tried to focus on anything but the cold water… eating a luna bar did help! it actually wasn’t as bad as i had thought, and will definitely be using it again for my long runs because it made my legs feel good after. chris and i then went and got my favorite post run meal: veggie egg white omelet with a side of fruit and wheat toast – definitely hit the spot.
the knee is feeling ok now, a little tight. i am going to look up some more stretches (let me know if you have any good ones!) and am icing it again right now. i don’t want to take anything too lightly since this is only week 2 and its just going to get harder. hopefully its just a one day weird thing but i will be paying attention to you mr. ITB. i do not welcome your company.
since i didn’t run saturday i got ALL my chores and errands done which leaves me with the rest of sunday to relax! i just rented run fatboy run so i am looking forward to watching that once football games are over.
week 2 ended with 40.20 miles
I’m having a similar IT band issue. The foam roller seems to be pretty popular for this. You roll your IT band area on the roller – you can probably find some instructions online. Also, after I run, I try to do that stretch where you cross one foot in front of the other and then lean over and touch the ground – it always gives that area a good stretch.
Anyway – great job on the 16 miler! It’s so hard to motivate myself to get the long runs done when I’m going solo as well.
I had problems with my IT band in high school do to a leg length difference. Its not noticible but my IT band noticed the difference.
I used this velcro strap i picked up at a drug store. It worked great. If it keeps giving you fits, give it a shot!
what a good run, regardless of the pain in your knee! im sorry your are struggling with injuries, i am too, and it SUCKS! at least we can still run at this point
great run – despite the IT band showing up. I havent personally had issues with it, but know people that have and I just hope yours is Ok!
I totally feel you with having other people there waiting for you. Half the times I have run, I wouldnt have gone if I was going alone – I need friends and/or family there, so I know I have to do it! I also need a race looming in the distance, so I know that I cant slack off.
Ahh yes… sometimes sleeping in Saturday morning can be a real treat! Glad to hear you had back up plans… it’s much better than no back up plan, thus, no workout. Way to go on the run! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
I have had mild IT band issues in the past. I have found that lots of stretching has always helped.
Nice job on your 16 miler. I think if you mentally have it in your head that you are going to get up and run no matter what it helps. Also, just pushing yourself out the door will help get the ball rolling too. However, there are those days when your body needs a day to rest and sometimes it may be best to move the long run due to weather issues. The most important part is getting the runs in.
Great job on getting yourself out there! I haven’t had a long run in 2 weeks!!!
Nice long run…and great mileage for the week, too! Tell that IT band to knock it off! Stupid knees. I’ve about had it with mine, too.
Yikes! I’ve never had any knee/IT issues but like everyone has already suggested . . break out that roller, baby! Taht thing is good for everything
Props for your good run, despite the ITB pain!
your post run meal is so healthy!i’m feeling like a pig now for mine: baked apple with whipped cream and pistachio brittle, eggs benedict and home fries. oink oink!
You put on a swimsuit!?! The fun of an ice bath is letting your “fun parts” hit the water first and enjoying that moment for all it’s worth!!
Anyway, good luck with that damn IT!
great mileage for the week! I hope your IT band feels better soon!
I have heard that It band can be a buger. I hope the advice peeps gave helps and it recovers quickly. Enjoy Run Fatboy Run!
If I were you, I’d start popping the anit-inflammatories now.
Any runs over 12 is a hard one for me. Great job on your 16 miler today! Especially with your IT band acting up… Ice bath? Yikes. Glad it’s feeling better, though!
NICE job on the 16 miles! Whew – that's fast
I'm with Audrey & Marcy – my ITB can't get enough roller-lovin'.
Sorry bout the band. A lot of my friends have that problem.
I LOVE to take a cup of coffee in with my ice bath–helps dull the cold!
Very nice. I’m such a chicken–I found a friend to run with me and did my 18 with company.
Sorry to hear about the ITB. Ice that baby a lot. Do you have a foam roller? Works the tendon better than any stretch I’ve found.
It’s so hard when you can backout if you don’t have anyone to meet. Good thing you had the backup plans though – I do the same thing. And you got it in and it was good! nice job! I feel like you are already ahead of the game for the marathon training.
Great job on the 16. Good luck taming the pesky ITB. You are doing all the right things (ice, stretch, roll, etc).
UGH – I hate the IT band. I haven’t felt any pain from it in over a year… but JUST this weekend, I felt it. And you know what I linked it to? The fact that I haven’t done any leg/hip strengthening exercises in weeks… I’ve read that you need to strengthen your legs and hips to help support it. Also, check your shoes… pronation and arches are linked to IT band syndrome so make sure you have adequate shoes for your “gate”
IT band issues suck. As you know I’ve had the same problem since SFM as well, which is kind of annoying. It goes away for a while, and then comes back unexpectedly.
I think you’re doing a good job with it, all the stretching and icing. Most important thing is good recovery after a long run.
Good luck with it. Will be tracking your progress.
I have to agree with the foam roller comments…
I had ITB issues in my last marathon season.
MissAllycat says “Foam Roll That B!tch!”
Great run! I’ve never tried an ice bath, but I used to do the whole ice – hot routine using big buckets for my ankle. The ice part was so painful I can’t even imagine sitting down in a whole tub of it!!! You are hardcore, and I bet this routine will get you feeling better fast. Good luck! Also, I can’t seem to get any straight answers from IT…
I hope the IT band was a fluke pain! I’m like you…If I’ve already planned back-up runs for early morning wakings I will almost always reset my alarm when it goes off. Immense guilt always follows.
I know all about the ITB junk. It prevented me from toeing the line at the Chicago Marathon 2 years ago and then kicked back in at the end of a 34 mile trail event this past spring.
STRETCH!! I can not stress this enough. After weeks and weeks of PT and no running I came out of it much smarter about how to train to prevent and how to better stretch.
Foam rolling is a great addition. Have you heard of the Tiger Tail. Works wonders. Also use a rope when stretching. Much more effective.
Good luck!!!!
I'm in PT right now, and one of the *many* things we're focusing on is the IT band. Ice, Ibuprofen, the foam roller & these 2 stretches:
http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/flexibilityexercises/ss/ITBstretches_2.htm
http://www.dcdoctor.com/pages/rightpages_wellnesscenter/homeexercises/back/stretches/exer_back_st_itb.html
I use the Trigger Point therapy kit on my IT band. I talk about it quite a bit on my blog, so you can just go there and look in the Injury category or the Therapy tag.
I also do ice baths. I hate them, but they really do work.
I’m glad you got yuor run in! My training partner just stopped running due to injury, so I’ve been having to go on and start now with really getting myself in the mindset that I need to go on and get up this coming Saturday to go run 18 miles alone. I don’t want to back out. Good idea with posting your plan. It’s funny how blogging can hold you accountable.
I’ve always struggled a bit with IT Band problems. Fortunately, I haven’t had trouble this year (knock on wood) but it’s been pretty awful in the past.
The best website I ever found is http://www.itbs.info. It’s got tons of great info and stretches. There’s also a link somewhere to buy a PattStrap. I ordered one and wear it any time I feel anything flaring up and it seriously helps if you wear it correctly and stretch daily. Hope you won’t need it, but I totally recommend it if you do sometime.
NIce job on getting the run in!
I always recommend the foam roller for the ITB…it hurts like a B, but it works.
I am like the IT band queen! ALl of the above advice was great: foam roller (black, if possible), stretching and strengthening. If you have weak muscles (hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, adductors, abductors, etc) the IT band takes over. It pulls on your knee cap and that’s what causes the pain. Horrible injury! Take care of it–ease off the running and stretch it out while you can. Best of luck!!!
Great job on the LR Aron – way to hang in there. Take care of that ITB problem and yes – ice baths are great for recovery. I actually enjoy them!
Let me know about Run Fatboy Run…I’ve been wanting to see that.
One addition to all the helpful comments that you’ve gotten on the ITB pain: tennis ball. I’ll lie on a tennis ball at various trigger points and that really helps me. It hurts like a mofo — more than the foam roller (which I love — also loooooooove the stick) but it works.
And, I don’t do any stretching until after I’ve used the stick so my muscles and tendons and all that are warmed up.
Didn’t you start blogging like 6 months ago? How are you getting like 33 comments on one post, and it’s not even a race report!?!?! LOL
I agree, foam roller and glucosamine!
Also, I hear you on the accountability stuff…I do the same thing. So maybe, even if we don’t run at the same pace, let’s try and do some runs together…I am the same way, especially when I am not training for a race, but would like to get out and run on a Saturday (I don’t, I’m lazy instead.)
This would also work out if you signed up for Portland!!! (hint hint HINT)
Congrats on getting through the run. I hope the ITB feels better soon! It’s a common injury and you seem to have gotten a lot of advice in the comments above!
Great job on pushing through the run, believe me I know what you mean when its just a bad run. Hope the IT band feels better soon as well.
I would really keep icing, my boyfriend is an athletic trainer, and he always tells me, strech ice, strech ice. It helps so much! Hope you are feeling better soon!
Get a foam roller, watch it carefully. Lots of stretching!! I’ve never had it, but anyone who has has said nip in the bud. Good luck!!
I can totally relate to the problems with getting up and at em on your own. If my husband didn’t drag me out of bed on Saturday morning’s I would never do long runs.
As far as your IT band, I had a issue with mine last year after running my first marathon. Stretch A LOT and get a foam roller. Roll over it VERY slowly. It hurts, but helps. My PT also suggested I wear pants when I run to keep my muscles warmer. At the time I lived in Miami, so I didn’t do it. Lol!
Hope yours was a fluke and goes away fast. Keep stretching!!!
P.S.
Core and hip strengthening exercises! Don’t forget those!