Week 13 of an 18 week plan probably isn't the most appropriate time to make changes to your training routine, but when you are sitting in a doctor's office explaining the pain you are feeling in your left IT band and your doctor says you are probably "heading toward a serious injury" you have two choices. (1) quit and wallow in the disappointment that you are about a month away from the finish line
(2) make some changes and pray that you don't hurt yourself more and cross that finish line
So I went with number 2, hoping against all hope something I did was going to make a difference, and get me through these last few weeks of training. It was no secret that I have been painfully struggling through my longer runs. Hitting walls at mile 14 that included pain and then run/walking through the rest.
This past week, I cut back on my runs -- only two during the week -- and decided to go the Hanson Brothers route of long runs. This meant breaking my long run into two days. I don't know if I fully buy into this method yet, but I had pain free runs this weekend....so who knows.
Monday: yoga/rest day
Had a panel down in Miami so not a ton of time to workout today, did a 20 minute yoga sequence to stretch myself out.
Tuesday: 5 miles
Went to the doctor earlier in the morning, and was told to be careful and start doing this weird shin rotation stretch before I run. I apparently have no hip rotation, which is causing my ITB pain. My evening run was not great, and I felt like there was a sharp stabbing pain in my left leg.
Wednesday: run failure -- 2.5 miles
Attempted a treadmill hill interval run with the goal of hitting 5 miles. My legs just couldn't take it, and I called it quits. Vowed to see if new shoes would make a difference.
Thursday: yoga
Given my 19 mile run looming ahead of me, I decided to forgo day three of running. I did yoga and STILL had leg pain.
Friday: rest day
Services, resting, carbo loading...the normal drill. Got new running shoes....the Brooks Raveena. We shall see.
Saturday: 15 miles
Honestly, it was so humid out. I really did plan to get those additional 3 miles in. But by the time it was 9:30am the sun was blaring and I thought I was going to pass out from heat stroke. I am already getting up at 5:00AM to run on Saturday, I just don't know how I can physically get up any earlier. Hence the push to the Hanson Brothers training program.
Sunday: 5 miles
Legs were still pretty tired, but no pain. Ran in my new shoes, and I felt like I wasn't pronating as much as I was with the Asics.