solar squirrel

First of all - thank you so much for posting comments (and talking to me in person) about my ITB issues.  I am so grateful that I have so many wonderful supportive friends who know what it’s like dealilng with a running injury.

Now the good news!!!!!!!
Today I had my weekly PT session with Courtney - who by the way is super awesome and also a runner.  I told her about how I was discouraged by the pain that occurred after only 1.45 miles.  She immidiately asked me if I had to go to work after this.  I hesitated but said yes.  (I mean I don’t HAVE to go to work, but I was planning on it!).  Then I realized why she asked - she wanted me to run and she wanted to be sure that I was ok getting sweaty.  Duh - Of course I’m ok with it!!!!  I want to figure out what my problem is!!!

So she has me on the treadmill with 0 incline and I set it to 6.9 mph (this is about 9 min pace I guess - very easy).  She told me to focus on my gait and think about my heel striking before my toe.  She also put a mirror in front of me so that I could see my form.  Initially I was running all wonky and she pointed this out to me and told me to relax and focus on heel-toe foot strike and also not to OVER think it.  (She’s right - good lord my form is awful…)  So I fixed my form and maintained my running - she kept checking up on me every few min. and told me to let her know when/if I felt pain.  Right at a little over 2 miles I started to feel it coming on.  I told her and asked her if she wanted me to stop running.  She told me to focus on my alignment and to keep running until the pain got to the point that I had to stop.  So I did.  I slowed down my pace a little bit, and I focused on my form.  And wouldn’t you know it - the pain stayed the same.  It didn’t get any worse.  I was able to pick my pace back up to the original 6.9 mph without the pain worsening.  I would say it was about a 5 on a scale from 1-10.  But it stayed at 5.  Actually, it might have gone down to a 4 as I kept running.  (Or I could have just gotten used to it…).  Regardless, I was able to keep running.  She told me to keep running until the pain got too bad or until I hit 4 miles.  I got to 4 miles.  I couldn’t believe it.  Before now the pain is either too unbearable for me to keep running - or I’m too scared that I’m going to do damage so I stop and walk.  I think this might officially be day 1 of recovery.

Ok.  had to write a quick post to tell everyone the news.  My knee feels weird at the moment - but I think it’s because of the freakin’ foam roller (torture device) and this other torture device that felt like electric shock therapy.  I’ll post more about those later.