Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Veterans Marathon Training: Week 8

I'm blaming the hills and roads of Oregon.

Blaming them for what, you might ask? I am pegging them for the reason I am experience soreness, tightness and/or pain in my left hip.

I am trying to remember when it began - whether it was after Wednesday's 7-miler or my 6 miles on Thursday - but I know that by that Thursday afternoon, I was grimacing as I walked through the office. It was more uncomfortable when I flexed the hip and abducted the leg, which helped me narrow it down. I didn't think it was the IT band, as I had that trouble before, and it was more medial.  As in my tensor fascia latae. 

Thank you, ACE studying. You are coming in handy for something.

I did some quick Googling and while many of the culprits weren't applicable (lack of resistance training, weak glutes), I had an "ah-ha" moment.

Extrinsic Factors/Causes of TFL-ITBS: Training errors (e.g. excessive mileage, sudden increase in mileage, sudden increase in intensity of training, too much hill work, running on crowned roads). 
I ate hills for breakfast, lunch and dinner during Hood to Coast, and my last leg had some pretty wicked road grades. The memory of running uphill with my left leg up higher than the right is fresh in my mind, and each time I wince I think of powering up the final incline.

Treatment, according to the article is ice, anti-inflammatories, activity modification (boo!), myofascial release (foam rolling) and stretching. I've been doing it all, sort of, and have had some relief. What's odd is that there's no rhyme or reason to when I feel good. I had hella pain Thursday but little to none after Saturday. I was a bit achy on Sunday but ran decent during a Monday half marathon (more on that to come). I walked around after the race just fine but limped after the 4-hour car ride.

This morning has been more of the same - feeling crappy at times and surprised when I feel good. I was wondering whether I'd ever run again when I got out of the car at the grocery and yet was mapping tomorrow's run as I walked around the office.

Of course, I'm still not sure if tomorrow's run will happen. I would probably tell everyone and their best running friend to take a day off but the Type A, "let's get in the miles" part of me doesn't want to lose ground on marathon training.

I know that to get through the training, though, I have to be healthy. And to that I'm committed 110 percent. I will weigh the situation mindfully) in the morning, and I have an appointment with the sports chiropractor on Thursday. She helped me get through Columbus Marathon, and I have faith she can help me now.

 photo jumping_zps6e4ca230.jpg
A lesson to all of you: Not everyone does the leap in mid-air gracefully and you don't have to use a photo in a post for the sake of using a photo.

The week, in training:

Monday: 11-mile bike ride
Tuesday: Piloxing (taught) + Bodypump (taught)
Wednesday: 7.07 miles
Thursday: 6.41 miles + Rip (taught)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 7.25 miles, pace
Sunday: Rest/Walking around Brookfield Zoo
Monday: Oak Brook Half Marathon

Please share any tips or stories. Or feel free to commiserate with me.

8 comments:

  1. I've had good luck with ART for soft tissue running injuries. Your chiropractor might offer it, or have some other helpful therapy. How far out from the marathon are you at this point? If you need to take a week of relative or even total rest from running, it's probably okay. Better to go into race day uninjured and a bit undertrained!

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    1. You are definitely right about going in uninjured and undertrained rather than hurt! I am on deck to do 15 this weekend (followed by 17 and 18) so I'm not really that far. I am actually behind a bit as I misread the schedule (15 should have been Sunday and this upcoming weekend the 13.1). I have two 20-milers in the plan so I'm not totally without luck but I get antsy.

      The chiro I am going to doesn't do ART but she's a super awesome KT taper and was super helpful last year.

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  2. My knee was acting up last week, and I blame the hills/roads of Oregon too. Luckily after a little extra rest later in the week, i was good to go for my long run on Saturday AM. Hope that hip feels better soon!

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  3. I had TFL strain last summer when I was training for MCM on trails because it was so damn hot. My sports chiro made it better but I took to pool running for a few weeks as well. I have some exercises I need to scrape up to share with you.

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    1. Yay for exercises! I would really appreciate it. I have never been officially injured so I feel a bit lost about how to proceed. Aqua running scares the bejeebus out of me.

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  4. Ugh. Sorry you've been hurting. I agree with the above - if you miss this week's long run you'll be fine (especially since it's a step-back week). Better than forcing runs and aggravating it more.

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  5. Love the ACE jargon. I told my mom the medial side of my knee bothers me during lateral movement from time to time (swimming, oddly). She was all, "huh?" LOL

    But dude. Your hip. Ugh, the on and off again pain. No beuno. It sounds like the classic too much too soon of something foreign to you (crazy hills). I hope it goes away asap. But you have time to rest now. Your marathon is still two months away, no?

    I like the pic. People always want a picture in each post. At least, they told me that for my blog :)

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  6. Just found your blog and was going through some of your entries about being pregnant and fit. I'm on the home stretch now (36 weeks) and can't wait to get back to running

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