1 Week to go

A week today I will hopefully be nearing the finish line in Central Park NY.
For those interested here is the course description and the elevation profile. I notice it's all hills and more hills!

http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/training/coursepreview.php
http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/entrantinfo/elevation.pdf

It's a 10:10am start, they are 5 hours behind UK time.

This week I trained on Wednesday and Thursday, running 3 and 5 miles. Wednesday was thoroughly miserable. I got out of the car after being in traffic jams for 5 hours. I got changed and went straight out. It was pitch black, very cold and throwing it down with rain. Not a very nice session at all. The roads were flooded and I was running up to my ankles in water at times. I looked like a drowned rat when I got back.

Thursday I can't recall the weather, but it was certainly better. Both sessions I completed at pace, and without any pain. I was wearing the Pattstap both times, however 5 miles is hardly marathon distance is it!

On Friday afternoon I travelled to my uncles in Sheffield for some chiropractic treatment. My pelvis is badly tilted upwards to the right, and rotated backwards on the same side. All of my back muscles were very tight on the right and were pulling my pelvis in that direction. This was the root cause of my ITB, all down to my back. My uncle assessed me and said I was a "walking disaster". As a result I had a couple of hours worth of treatment. I had Chiropractic adjustments, a lengthy soft tissues massage on my back and also right leg/knee/calf, and finally 40 minutes on one of the machines that passes electric current through the muscles. He also demonstrated how my leg leg will not stretch very far backwards becuase of this. As a result I'm almost dragging it along, and hence it has wasted muscle and is not giving me as much forward momentum and power. He suggested some exercises to help with that.

My Unlce suggested I stay over that evening and repeated the treatment in the morning, which I did. He also gave me a larger heel insert for my shoes as he said my current one was not sufficient. I travelled home and went to see my orthotic maker. They agreed with my uncles assessment and are modifying my orthic from a 4mm to an 8mm lift in the left foot. I won't be using the new orthotic for the marathon of course, I will be using a copy of the originals that I have in my work shoes.

I wish I would have gone to see my uncle eight weeks ago when this happened. He would have given the me right diagnosis and set me on the path to recovery sooner. I have been getting sports massage for the last 8 weeks which has certainly aleviated my ITB symptoms, but not treated the cause. I am going to see him again later on Tuesday for a final session. He thinks that even these few sessions will make a big difference.

Today, Sunday I did my last longish run. In the plan was to cap it at an hour. I decided I would try and do almost an hour no matter what. I ran an undulating route, primarily descending for the first half of then all uphill for the last half. I ran what I think was my quickest ever 7 miles, averaging 7:44 per mile. Of course 7 miles is a long way off 26.2, but the treatment at the weekend has certainly helped and I felt smoother and more relaxed when running.

So maybe i'll get fortunate and not be too bothered my the ITB. 7 miles is too few to tell, but the ITB gave me no problems. I also wore the pattstrap as well. Next Sunday, the race day it will have been 7 weeks exactly since the injury struck on that attempt to do my first 18 miler. I only managed 15 that day, and of course have done very little since then. So, my endurance will really be questioned next week, but rather that than my ITB. Today is the last time I am going to dwell on my lack of 18-20 mile training runs.

Today was a confidence booster. I ran fast, much faster than the pace I will set off at in the marathon, which will be 9 minute miles.

I had no knee pain at all, not even a niggle.

Despite everything I am going to try hard to finish in under 4 and a half hours. It's quite a big ask, but if I remain injury free on the day, I'll be able to give it my best shot.

Not sure I'll be posting again before next week. I assume the hotel has internet access, The Crowne Plaza on Broadway (staggering distance from the finish line!). If it does I'll post my results next week.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.