Runworks
Welcome, Guest      Blog      Forums      Calculator
     Log in  


Some links below may be affiliate links. BMOW may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these.

As an Amazon Associate BMOW earns from qualifying purchases.
 
Return to topic list
 
<< Shamrock Shuffle 8K Race Report Where do I find races?? >>
 St. Louis Half Marathon Race report and injury update
Bricks
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
Chicago
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 222
St. Louis Half Marathon Race report and injury update Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:37 am 
Well, this race couldn't have been more poorly timed with my banged up and worn down body, but I shut a 9m run down at 6 on thursday with my hamstring still feeling like mush and hints of my IT band throbbing....so i also took off completely friday and saturday.

At the start of the race, I was nervous as I kept hearing runners clammor about complaining of the lack of port o johns (which they had with the lines literally in the middle of the starting area- it was a total mess) and the hilly course that lie in front of us, the first i'd heard of said hills.

It was indeed a hilly course and the temperatures got up into the 70's, but none of this was of concern to me at the time. My fitness level was ready for both, I just wanted my leg to stop hurting.

I plodded along, splits all over the place. Some were sub 7, some where plus 8, no two alike. I had fast miles on up hills and i had slow miles on downhills and the other way around. the split markers could have been off, but i think it was mostly a factor of how much my leg would let me do at any given time in the race.

It seemed like a slow field or the elements got to people. i ran a 1:39:53, good enough for a 3-4 minute PR and 159th overall out of 4436. I was 20th in my division (287 total) and the 140th male.

My hamstring somehow is back to 85% or so and on the mend, but my IT band is another story. It is dead. I had ITBS in my other leg last summer and every mile of it sucked. Back then I was just trudging out miles with finishing a marathon the only goal, but now i have more time related goals and am not sure the best method to adjust my training.

I will no doubt eliminate the shorter slower recovery runs and make those easy days off days. But beyond that, I'm noth sure if I should a) run all my miles slow and try to keep the volume up, or b) focus more on speed right now and keep the miles from piling up too much or simply c) just go ahead as planned (minus some days) and do some speed work and some distance, just less of each... anybody have any experience with this? I have till May 30th for my marathon.
Rickshaw
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
San Francisco, CA
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 1157
Re: St. Louis Half Marathon Race report and injury update Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:41 pm 
Hey Bricks, congratulations on the half marathon! 1:39 is a great time, especially if you weren't even feeling 100% and the course was hilly. Nicely done!

Sorry to year about your ITBS, that really stinks. I used to have a lot of problems with that myself a few years ago. Eventually I added some IT-specific stretches to my routine, and the ITBS gradually went away and hasn't come back since. It may have been because of the stretches, or maybe just because I got stronger and more fit overall.

I'm certainly no expert on training, but if I were you I would probably focus on maintaining your quality sessions, and take the day off when you would otherwise have done an easy run. That way you significantly reduce the amount of mileage you're putting on your IT band, without affecting the quality of your training too much. My reasoning is that the IT band gets inflamed from accumulated mileage, not from running fast vs. slow.
Bricks
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
Chicago
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 222
Re: St. Louis Half Marathon Race report and injury update Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 7:22 am 
thanks rickshaw

i think that makes a lot of sense and that's pretty much my plan, basically to get as good a run as possible in, day off, good run, day off, etc.

i did physical therapy for it last year and it cleared up eventually and hasn't returned in that leg. i've already started to hit the old foam roll and have played the anti-inflamatory/ice game to get a head start on evertyhing.

it was pretty painful for much of my run last night, but loosened up late in the run and feels tender but much better today. i'm taking today off and hope it stays simmered down, then get a good run in tomorrow, off, then some decent mileage saturday. it was supposed to be my first 20 miler, but i'll have to play it a bit by ear...
mfox

South Orange, New Jersey
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 367
Re: St. Louis Half Marathon Race report and injury update Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 7:50 pm 
SInce you say you had ITBS in your other leg and received physical therapy for it I have to assume you were given a regiment of exercises to help it heal. Did any of it involve laying on your side on top of something like a tennis ball and rolling you leg over the ball along the length of the ITB? I've read about this sort of treatment being very successful for keeping the ITB loose. Though I've never had issues with ITBS I have used this method on my calf muscle(s) to help my Plantar Faciitus heal.

Check out Trigger Point Technologies. They sell several products for apply deep muscle message to injuries. I came across this compnay at last years NYC Marathon Expo. Since I was sufferent from Plantar Fasciitis I had the owner demonstrate it on me. I was partly convinced but mostly desperate and so I bought their "Starter Set." It has actually helped a lot! Take a look at their web site to see what they're talking about. You may want to try using something like a tennis ball first (the ball they sell is a bit more firm)to see if it has any affect on your ITB before you invest in their product. Be sure to check out their info on ITBS under the "Injuries" menu.

I found it very uncomfortable to do this on my calf muscles (for Plantar Fasciitus) the first 3-4 sessions (10-15 minutes). But it quickly became more comfortable to apply the technique the more I did it. So, don't give up right away if you find it uncomfortable at first.

Good Luck on treating your ITBS! And, especially, good luck on your marathon!
Bricks
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
Chicago
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 222
Re: St. Louis Half Marathon Race report and injury update Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:43 pm 
thanks mfox,

yeah, i've started a lot of the stuff i did on physical therapy already and think it's helping a little bit. i'm going to start it up again on tuesday officially. i feel loose right now, but am anxious to see how my run goes tonight.

i do something like that, but with a foam roll, not a tennis ball. i also just had a triathalete friend of mine just mention something about trigger point to me the other day. i am anxious to look into it.

i tell you what, i am one cranky s.o.b. right now. i was pacing around my apartement last night doing everything i could to keep myself from lacing up and heading out the door. i woke up with a headache today and am even crankier. is there witdrawal symptoms from running?

thanks again! right now i just want to finish out as much training as possible and hopefully PR then worry about the BQ buisiness in the fall.
View posts:     


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1
 

Copyright © 2014 Runworks. All rights reserved.   Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group

Questions or Comments  Privacy Policy