TNT BK Practice, March 21, 2009

I have, temporarily at least (but hopefully permanently) triumphed over my IT band.

I ran 16 miles today, from Prospect Park to Coney Island, along the boardwalk and back to my apartment. It felt GREAT, even the part on the way back along Ocean Parkway where you start wondering if 26 letters of the alphabet were really necessary, and envying the Italians because they don't have Y, W or J in regular usage.

My knee didn't give me any problems, nothing twinged or pinged or popped. I felt strong. I'm relieved that all the stretching and icing and rolling and Aleve has actually done me some good, and even more relieved that I stuck to the plan even though nothing feels sillier than rolling out your leg on a giant piece of styrofoam every morning while watching the Rail & Road Report on NY1.

Victory over the IT is mine! (In other news, I am not a crook.)

TNT Practice, March 14, 2009

That's hot, right?

I'm injured. IT band syndrome. Lots of knee pain. This was my first attempt at running in a few weeks (I'm choosing not to count last week, when I ran halfway up the Manhattan Bridge before feeling like I'd been shot through the knee, then limped back home).

Today I attempted more of a run-walk thing, since TNT BK was doing a cutback week in Prospect Park. The downhills hurt more than the uphills, and I chose to walk anything remotely hilly. I did run a few flat stretches and was feeling pretty great for a while there. Mostly it was just nice to get some exercise.

I went to physical therapy this week, where I discovered that my IT band syndrome is related largely to...tight glutes. Yes, that's right, I'm literally a tight-ass. My hamstrings are also super tight. So I'm on a grueling regimen of stretching and foam-rolling, plus icing and Aleve to reduce the inflammation. I am refusing to let myself think I won't be on that course in Nashville, because I WILL, dammit.

But in the meantime, my IT band can totally suck it.