Stretch

That's been this weeks main activity, stretching.

I did an hour in the gym on Tuesday; a resistance circuit, followed by half an hours cardio on the cross trainer and stair climber.

I was working away on Wednesday, and on Thursday decided to see if I was capable of running. I picked a short route (just over 2 miles). The route was virtually all road, even paths, nothing that could upset my ITB. I also ran it at a fairly quick pace, to help stretch out my ITB and ensure I was putting my legs through a full range of movement, and not just an off-road shuffle that I guess I do most of my training at these days. I stopped to stretch about half way round. I spent a good few minutes really concentrating on my ITB. After that I continued, and despite a few little niggles, finished without any knee pain. Good news!

I did my usual gym session on Friday, pretty much all resistance and free weights work.

Today, Sunday, I was in two mins as to whether to do another short run, or slightly longer walk. In the end I settled for running with my girlfriend and her father across fields near Stone, Staffs.



A ran with them, but also took a few opportunities to run ahead and stretch out my legs, almost doing an interval session. I stretched out my ITB at every stile we climbed over. Although my knee did niggle a little, it was not too bad. It was only a 4 mile off-road (and fairly muddy!) route, but it was enough given my current condition.

I forgot to mention I brought my Patt Strap out of retirement. It's basically a foam band that you strap around your leg above the knee. You apply it fairly tight, and it pulls the IT band in and prevents it rubbing against the knee as badly. It saw me through the New York marathon last year, so I'm happy to use it again whilst my ITB recovers.

I'll be running again this week all being well. Gym on Tuesday running on Wednesday and Thursday, Gym Friday, Run Saturday, and.... maybe the 'Spring in Lakeland' LDWA event on Sunday. I have entered as a runner, but I'm obviously not going to jump up to a 22 mile 5500ft of ascent hill run with this injury. As long as this week goes well, I'll probably enter as a walker. I'll use my trekking poles, so I won't be dawdling along. If however, I don't feel like my knee will stand up to it, I won't do it. I can't afford another set-back. I need to stay on the road to recovery and start building up those miles again. La Trans Aq, the event I have entered in June is just 3 months away. That is frighteningly close, not many training sessions to build up the miles. I know I can't leap back into the middle of my program, and must build up slowly, otherwise this ITB issue will never go away.

I've kept up my sit-up routine this week. I do the routine most nights. I'm up to 30 of each type each time, as well as my many times a day ITB stretching. In fact, I think i'll do some more stretching before bed! Speak to you next week.