Journey to IRONMAN: IT Troubles

Well, I've done it, my first injury.  It's not horrible, but is not awesome either.  I didn't break anything or strain anything, it is a classic injury of overuse and I am sure is one of the many I will face over my journey to IRONMAN.

It happened about four weeks ago.  I ran 19 miles on a Monday and then, tired as I was, met my friend Sarah the following day for another 8 mile run.  I was doing great until about mile 6 of the run when all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in the outside of my right knee.  I babied it and finished the run, but I was most definitely hurting at the end.  If you have ever had IT band troubles you know how sharp the knee and hip pain can be.

 Following that run, every time I took a step, it felt like someone was hammering a poker in my knee (probably an exaggeration, but its a close as I can get).  So I took 4 days off of running.  I continued to swim and cycle because neither of those hurt.  I ran a 3 mile run with very minimal pain and considered myself on the mend.

Last Saturday I did another 19 with my buddy and right at about mile 14 the pain started again.  I was careful and cautious about how I landed, but it hurt and of course, I had to finish the run.  After that, the pain was awful when I ran.  3 days following the distance, I want for a 2 mile run and couldn't even run it all the pain was so stabbing.  So Frustrating.

I decided that rest alone was clearly not going to help me get back to distance.  I have taken it upon myself to visit a chiropractor and a massage therapist for some intensive work and then went out and bought myself a little thing called "The Stick."  We have a foam roller,  which is basically a glorious muscle torture and stretching device, but the stick is a new form of work.  The description of this item is "Its a toothbrush for your muscles."  It hurts SO good.

I have been on constant stick, roller and ice work for the past week.  Thankfully, I am slowly improving, but it is slow.....and frustrating.  I am determined to rehab correctly though because I have marathons and IRONMAN's to do!

Through this little setback I am learning some valuable lessons though.  My dear running friend Sarah said it best, "Bethany, you can't demand so much out of your body without giving back to it occasionally!"

This pursuit demands much and I have got my first taste of the cost of such demands.  IRONMAN is as much about giving to your body as it is taking from it.  Well.....lesson learned.