Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
ASICS Super Six: Alex (Sub-4:00)
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Fingers crossed Alex. Your whole lifestyle makes me tired reading all the activities! Just back from my long run - 18m for me today - my bum was sore as a sore thing after 14m. But my best long run of the year so far in terms of pace and how I felt at the end. Just had scrambled eggs on toast...yum.
Watford Half for me next Sunday - anyone else doing it??
Just back from cycling to and from powerplate and ballet. Without wanting to jinx anything, I have had no knee pain today, for the first time in a long time. I was bending my knee over and over again on my bike, did some jogging and dynamic lunges on the powerplate, and did plenty of plies and lunges in ballet.
Possible reasons: Runners World Physio Sarah advised me to foam roller a different bit of my leg last night, and had me doing a couple of additional stretches. And I had needles in my ITB yesterday. Or ummm just luck and I'm about to collapse going down the stairs? In any case I will be diligently stretching and rolling on the new bit (the 'tensor fascia lata') this evening.
Right, I'm off to pick up groceries for tomorrow's training session in Birmingham. Wholemeal malted chocolate cookies and Mars Bar Slice (an Aussie cake stall favourite) are on the menu...
Alex couldn't complete the run at birmingham, which wasn't a shame as she was going well, but got some good treatment and remedies and hopefully will have a better week next week but can tell more about it later.
Things I learnt today that are going to eradicate this knee pain forever:
1. It's not much use foam rolling the ITB as it doesn't really 'give' much. Best to roll the TFL, the fleshy part just above. This will be rolled tonight for the usual, militant, 10 minutes, and every night from now on.
2. My TFL is tight as my apparently strong glutes (!) have been shortening it while trying to overcompensate for the twist in my hips. My hips are uneven! My right leg is significantly longer than my left! I had a 'heel life' placed in my left shoe to even things out and immediately felt relief from the pain. Immediately. Amaze!
3. The imbalance in my hips has tightened up the left side of my back. Physio Sarah worked on my back and loosened it up significantly. I will ask my physio to work on this further during our two sessions this week. Coach Steve is also going to recommend a time-honoured osteo to check out whether there's any way of sorting out the imbalance without just resorting to 'lifts' in my shoes.
In short, I feel a little like Sarkozy, only I probably cook better.
And am feeling positive about the above, even though totally devo by not being able to finish today's long run.
How were your long runs this weekend you lucky injury-free sub-4:00ers?
I had a great 18 miler, part road, part trail and a bit of mud! I'm trying the random gels I get in goody bags on every long run. Last weeks chocolate Hammer gel was wonderful, like melted Dairy Milk nom nom. This week was a revolting one I picked up in France that tasted like brewers yeast and cheap orange squash (even though it was cola flavour) yurgh.
Sorry to hear about your knee, keep on with the rollering!
Thanks Jill - and well done on Sunday's run!
I've never even tried a gel - I'm a sports jelly bean girl - but melted chocolate sounds amazing. Amazing. I will look out for some.
In knee news, I TFL rollered last night, cycled in to work this morning and spun for 30 minutes at lunchtime, all in my Sarkozy shoes (not the rollering). Off to my physio now to ask for special attention on my lower back and to impart physio Sarah and podiatrist Clifton's pearls of wisdom!
More ballet and powerplate tonight... Could we please re-start that anti-ITB chant?
It's the weak-gluted, lop-sided one here. I ran today with a "lift" in my right shoe and, miraculously, no ITB problems either. I'm sold. Made an appointment with a local Pod.
I hope you caught the train ok. I felt bad that you had to make a dash for it.
Hi George!
No worries about the train - we made it just in time and treated ourseives to first class (only £10 more!) for the tea and biscuits. Thank you for the lift! Good to hear you ran ITB-free today. How bad has the pain been previously?
In other news my physio stuck pins in my TFL today and gave my back a good work out. Feeling a bit bruised now, but determined to get on the treadmill for a light jog tomorrow eve with no pain.
*Praying determinedly to the god of running*
Like USB says, we all seemed to be getting the same advice so I was a bit sceptical, but after today, I am convinced that there's at least an element of truth in it for me. No problems at all on the run (10 * 2 min hill reps) and only a residual amount afterwards, and that was just with a ready-made orthotic.
I'm really glad I got the chance to be there yesterday. Not just for the cookies and goody bag!
George - I'm so pleased your run went well with the new orthotic. I'm tentatively trying an initial 10 minutes on the treadmill this evening with heel lift firmly in place to see how running feels.
Steve - last night (after 30 minutes spinning at lunchtime) I did half an hour of powerplate, then 'cardio ballet' which involved a bit of jumping, and finally spent the usual 10 minutes on the TFL / ITB before bed. Today so far I've done 30 minutes of spinning as a warm up for this evening's much-anticipated run. I am so so keen to be able to run again - I'm almost bursting. Just 10 minutes, as you suggested, then a little more if I'm not in pain. Fingers crossed!
Ruth - my general nutrition woe is that I'm an all or nothing girl. I eat healthily most of the time - super healthily - mainly fruit and veg and yoghurt and oats and fish and nuts - I love nuts. But then I also have the sweetest tooth you'll come across - I absolutely adore cake, biscuits, and pastry. There's very little moderation in my diet and I was hoping you could tell me something shocking or life-changing that will reduce the frequency with which I eat salad with no dressing followed by a large slice of (homemade) cake. Is this really that bad considering overall my energy intake would be the same as eating a more nutritious meal, but with no cake?
This evening, I foam rolled for 5 minutes, then walked on the treadmill for 2 minutes, then started jogging at 5:45 pace, made it to 10 minutes without pain, so kept going until I reached 30 minutes! 5 whole kilometres! With no knee pain!
It was extremely tempting to just keep running and running, but I thought it best not to push my luck and will now rest (only a strengthening gym class tomorrow) until Thursday. More foam rolling tonight and a cycle home.
WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!
that's great news - now what caused the improvement is it rest, the rolling, or the insert in the shoes or all three?!
well done on showing restraint - test it more on Thursday.
Possible reasons for improvement:
- shoe insert;
- foam rolling focusing on TFL rather than ITB;
- physio working on my lower back;
- physio sticking needles in and around my TFL.
Whatever it is, I am going to continue with all four.
Next run: 6 miles on Thursday - how does that sounds Steve?
Just back from 5 miles outside in the glorious sunshine.
I started to feel my knee about half way around, then by three quarters I was in a bit of pain (although definitely not as much as on Sunday), but by the end it had eased off. Spent some time foam rolling afterwards and have now taken nurofen for any inflammation.
Now I'm not really sure what to think...
And on that note, no pain when walking now (contrary to previously).
Physio tomorrow morning, so I will ask for more work on my back and more needling in preparation for Sunday!
Today's pace was good - I started slow (6:35/km) then increased to marathon pace (5:45/km). Everything felt wonderful aside from the knee.
you could still have the cake but just a small piece!
Having salad/vegetables with fish/meat with some wholegrain rice is going to have a better nutrition profile than salad fish/meat and cake. However I can't tell you anything life changing which is going to make it easier for you but if you do replace cake for a proper meal (and many people do) then I do think this will effect you reaching your true potential in running as the cake could be displacing you getting sufficient carbs & other vitamins/minerals from these carbs (although will be carbs in the cake but mixed with often a lot of fat although the fact you make these yourself you could reduce the fat content?).Hi all
Sry the knee still isn't 100% Alex. Keep on rolling etc is all that can be done. I'm in a similar situation at the min. Have only done 1 x 5 miler since my half mara 2 weeks ago cos of the ITB. It has eased off now and I've been to vaious gym classes in the meanwhile - it's just not the same. Waiting for some new trainers to arrive - apparently I've had the wrong ones - stability instead of neutral. The insoles I have are to correct a very slight roll inwards on my right leg....the stability trainers alongside this is over compensating and also "correcting" something that isn't a problem in my left leg!!! oh and my hip flexors are too tight.
Strange....I've had stability trainers for over 3 years and successfully did FLM in 2009 in them too without any knee pain whatsoever.
"What do we want?" "Pain Free ITB" "When do we want it?"
Holymoly - although I'd never wish ITB pain anyone, it's good to know I'm not alone. Very pleased yours is easing off now. Rest does seem to be the solution - although I've never done so much cross training in my life!
I ran again tonight, as suggested by Coach Steve - 45 minutes starting at an easy pace and gradually speeding up as I warmed up. I had no pain until 39 minutes at which point I slowed down again and cooled down. Then an hour of yoga which was a nice stretch. Am now pooped after doing about 10 powerplate / spin / pump / ballet / strengthening classes this week (on top of 3 runs so far). 20km bike ride, powerplate and ballet class tomorrow, and then a first attempt at running long on Sunday. I'm going to follow a bus route home so I can hop on and head home if the pain starts to set in. Obviously the intention is to run the whole way though.
Asics physio Sarah has been most encouraging and said that with a little bit of patience over the next week, I'll be back on track in no time.
I CANNOT WAIT.
Have a good weekend all.
Alex - great to hear there's some progress in the right direction at least. I was just wondering if all of the other activity you do could hinder a full recovery? Or is it only running that gives you the problem? I know you asked a question about powerplating earlier on, and I think Steve said it was very variable between people. Was just looking at your post of last night about the 300 classes (or so) that you've done this week, and it did make me wonder if you might be spreading yourself too thinly?
Happy to get back into my box, but interested in what you/Steve/others think?
Watford tomorrow. It's cold and windy outside....am very apprehensive - but it will be the first race test for me since starting this 3 runs a week plan 5 weeks ago. I don't feel like I've run enough. We'll see.
Good luck tomorrow USB - and hope you have a good run tomorrow Alex even if it's not in Watford!
I'm just back from a morning of activity. 20km on my new road bike (very fast, especially as it's red, which everyone knows is faster), then powerplate and ballet.
When I took my first week off, I absolutely stopped everything - I didn't even cycle the 3 miles to work. Didn't seem to make much of a difference, so since then I've been concentrating on alternative work outs that raise the heart rate and strengthen the bits that take the strain off my ITB (eg. butt) but that don't involve impact. A friend said that cycling worked wonders for her ITB, and since I've been back on the class circuit this week I've not noticed an increase in ITB pain. Guess it makes me feel better about not being out there pounding the pavements too.
I would also be interested to see what other people think about different non-running alternatives during recovery though!
Right, off to the supermarket for ingredients for chocolate fruit cake and rocky road.
I would be concerned if Alex was training flat out in running terms and doing lots of other activities too but am presuming the activities are supplementing the reduced running!
However many runners train twice a day and most of the classes etc take far less out of a runner than running so it is possible to combine it without necessarily compromising the running
I have all the ingredients to make this healthy flapjack recipe, but just haven't got round to it yet! It's Agave nectar rather than syrup so is low GI, so are the oats and dried fruit. Yum yum.
See you tomorrow lady! And USB and Pete. Aiming to get there for 9ish to pick up number etc then head to RW tent to see the pacers (Jason, who was running with me last weekend will be there), so look out for me! xox