Thread about Running
- Thread starter TarHeelNation11
- Start date
I’ve done 20+ miles in my time, and at 6’4” that’s a biomechanical feat in its own right, but I don’t partake any longer.
You could do it self-supported. Unless you eat a ton of food during runs, just take a Sawyer filter and know where the long spots between water access are. We did it in March and had ok weather, but it did rain on us. We saw very few people along the trail while we were out there.
This sucks. I'm sorry it has occurred for you.
Possibly you can talk to a decent sports medicine physical therapist. That has been my best bet for injuries.
It seems from what UNC Boy has posted and linked, and from what I've read and experienced - finding ways to lengthen (stretch out) the IT band and strengthen muscles around the joints it connects are best ….. (and maybe rest or different exercises, crosstrain to possibly take the stress off of the pain area).
I've had issues with my left leg from my left piriformis / glute to my left IT band for as long as I can remember. My form and range of motion and weakness on my left upper leg flat out sucks compared to my right leg.
I try to do stretching focusing on my left upper leg, glutes, hip, every day. It seems to help. A key one for IT band is to stretch:
standing so your leg that has issues, and your upper body on that side, have a sort of a convex, outward facing posture. You can do this by having all your weight on the problem leg, and leaning curved against a wall. Its hard to get to (stretch) your hip connection, where your IT connects / starts.
I've also done quite a bit of strength training recently. Squats, lunges especially. Slow, heavy weight, low reps.
I've worked in deep pool "running" wearing a water belt, and have started biking, and even trying to learn how to swim. I also work in elliptical machine to take pounding off my legs a couple days a week. It has helped. I felt so shelled after my last marathon about a month ago I realized something really needs to change. I haven't run one road mile since then, but have to have stayed in shape for a half marathon next weekend. I have two more full 2020 marathons (Tokyo March and Boston April) that I need to be healthy to train for and run.
But - going to a good PT would be best advice I think. They can recommend alternatives / complements to road running that are best for you. Best of luck in recovering.
Strengthening your hips is usually key for alleviating IT band problems. But strengthening quads, glutes and hamstrings will help too. Runners tend to develop some imbalances that strength training can help with
so i already incorporate strength training three days a week...just compound movements; overhead press, incline bench press, deadlift, barbell rows, chin-ups, squats.
i think this problem has occurred partly because i run on concave streets when i do flat training...from everything i’ve read, its even wise to change directions on a track so as to not cause itbs.
i will do as suggested, along with cbd topicals, and see how it goes.
thanks for all the tips!!
i think this problem has occurred partly because i run on concave streets when i do flat training...from everything i’ve read, its even wise to change directions on a track so as to not cause itbs.
i will do as suggested, along with cbd topicals, and see how it goes.
thanks for all the tips!!
BTW thanks @uncboy10 for posting what you did on foam roller. I have foam rolled some for my IT band and glute issues in the past but I HATE it. F'ing tedious at best and painful at worst. And that roller sits at home and guilts me for not using it more. But I never knew it wasn't recommended for IT band issues. I just seem to feel so much better via brief (quick, many repetitive) stretches very focused on the target area (muscle or connective tissue)
changing track directions is a good idea, especially just to change up the impact on joints (especially hips and knees) if you are going around fairly sharp corners on a short track, especially a short (say, indoor) track.
Changing sides of the road you run on, as you mention above, is good, too, though I basically always run on the left side of the road if there is any car traffic, so you are running toward oncoming cars, and can get over - at least see them coming, even if they don't see you.
Take up rowing or mountain biking?
I honestly have no idea. PF is a PITA though. Maybe try different shoes
Have you tried not running?
@TarHeelMark -That stuff is all good. Rolling a frozen bottle under your impacted foot is helpful. I've run through PF a couple times. Not smart. It takes a long time to go away - holds on like a MFer.
A couple other things I did - that really help a lot - are a soft (Strassberg?) sock with bands that hold your foot at a 90 degree angle when you are in bed, sleeping. I've even gone to a hard plastic boot (like one would wear with an ankle sprain) to hold my foot at that right angle in bed. PF is largely caused by the tissue under your foot from midfoot (arch) to heel / achilles contracting by being at less than a 90 degree angle. Anyway - having that area "stretched out right" for 8+ hours a night without you having to think about it - is super helpful. It can take a bit of time getting used to sleeping with a boot on your foot.
I got so tired of running with / through PF and how painful it was - that I bought a book I heard about called Chi Running. Danny Dreyer is the guy - he has a whole business an industry on it. Videos, seminars, camps, etc.
Anyway - if you follow it, it helps you transform from being a heel striker (which most amateur runners are) to a midfoot striker - via focus on (180) steps per minute (and using a small metronome to get in this rhythm), running with your weight in front of / on top of your feet (instead of "pulling" your weight across your feet on each stride....midfoot striking, proper posture, etc.
It took a few months to adopt, but I 100% swear by Chi Running. It takes a ton of impact off of your joints (heels, knees, hips). It may be worth checking out the book. A pretty quick easy read - you don't have to adopt it all, just whatever works for you. They do address PF specifically in the book too -
....but they say (and I believe) that most injuries are caused, and most inefficient use of energy when running is caused - by over striding (strides too long, too few per minute, landing in front of your body, vs. directly underneath) and by the severe impacts (6x your body weight) on your heels, during each step for heel strikers.
cc: @gteeitup
That's the problem... I DO NOT RUN. it flared up on me from trying to get in more walking at lunch, etc.
Foolish me.
Well, I ride some trails .. but there are also some nice greenways in my area, both paved and hard pack. I ride those but I'm not a road biker.
Cycling doesn't bother my PF, but even just walking the dog around the block right now can flare it up. It's a royal PITA.
Haha I’m just messing with you.
I wish I knew something that might help. PF is an obnoxious injury because it can stick around so long. You could break your leg and have a shorter recovery than some people face with PF.
I wore the hard boot last year for about a month. And I've got the soft boot for sleeping. I've tried cortisone shots. Got the Brooks shoes, etc. Went to see a highly recommended podiatrist, hoping that I had spurs, so at least it would be something they could remove. Hell, I even tried some ultrasonic-type treatment (a friend told me it helped them, but it didn't do much for me).
What sucks about the PF for me is that I'm not a runner. I'm naturally a pronator, and I probably wore too many flat shoes, flip-flops, etc. over the years that it finally got me and now I can't make it go away - at least not completely. To be honest, it is quite a bit better now than where I was 12 months ago. But it doesn't take much to flare it up.
I thought about getting some of those blades like Oscar Pistorius, but since that dude went crazy and killed his hot girlfriend, I figured it might not be a good look.
I am running in the Tokyo Marathon two weeks from this Sunday (Mar. 1).
Fortunately Tokyo and all of Japan have avoided the Coronavirus threat for the most part so far, and the marathon is still on as originally scheduled. Flights from China to Japan have been mostly locked down since early on when the virus was detected. People from China who have registered for the race are being forbidden to run in the race this year. They are automatically deferred to next year.
I'm pretty excited because for me this will be my completion of the 6th of 6 Abbott World Major Marathons (Boston, Chicago, NYC, Berlin, London, Tokyo). It has taken me about 2.5 years to run the cycle. Some like London and Tokyo are really hard to get into....amateurs can't time qualify. There are just over 6,000 people in the world who have completed all 6 majors. You get a pretty cool big medal and official recognition and a party after completion of the 6th major.
Has anyone here been to Tokyo? My wife and son and I are there for about a week including race day. We are going with a tour group (Marathon Tours) so they have activities planned for a couple days. We seem to have enough things to do right in Tokyo, but am curious if you know of any "don't miss" things to see.
After Tokyo, I run Boston again in 7 weeks, which will be my third Boston. Then I am backing off on road races, and planning for an ultra trail race (50K, 31 miles) this fall.
TIA for any advice or recommendations.
Fortunately Tokyo and all of Japan have avoided the Coronavirus threat for the most part so far, and the marathon is still on as originally scheduled. Flights from China to Japan have been mostly locked down since early on when the virus was detected. People from China who have registered for the race are being forbidden to run in the race this year. They are automatically deferred to next year.
I'm pretty excited because for me this will be my completion of the 6th of 6 Abbott World Major Marathons (Boston, Chicago, NYC, Berlin, London, Tokyo). It has taken me about 2.5 years to run the cycle. Some like London and Tokyo are really hard to get into....amateurs can't time qualify. There are just over 6,000 people in the world who have completed all 6 majors. You get a pretty cool big medal and official recognition and a party after completion of the 6th major.
Has anyone here been to Tokyo? My wife and son and I are there for about a week including race day. We are going with a tour group (Marathon Tours) so they have activities planned for a couple days. We seem to have enough things to do right in Tokyo, but am curious if you know of any "don't miss" things to see.
After Tokyo, I run Boston again in 7 weeks, which will be my third Boston. Then I am backing off on road races, and planning for an ultra trail race (50K, 31 miles) this fall.
TIA for any advice or recommendations.
@Heelicious thats an amazing feat right there...much luck to you, sir...not trying to bring you down, but the amount of rescheduling of pre-olympic qualifiers over there has been a cluster-f.
not to mention there’s a shortage of hockey sticks in the nhl...guess who makes the league’s most popular sticks...
not to mention there’s a shortage of hockey sticks in the nhl...guess who makes the league’s most popular sticks...
Thanks, @gteeitup !
Yes - a coach I run with, who has done over 100 marathons, who even lived in Japan for a year, tried to sign up as a volunteer for the Tokyo Olympic Marathon, was rejected. Who in the heck are they accepting as a volunteer if not her?
They have moved the Olympic Marathon out of Tokyo where the rest of the games are, to somewhere further north in Japan, in hopes it'd be a bit cooler. OK - but it might make like 6 degrees F difference, and is a logistical athlete transportation and fan viewing nightmare. And it will be much cooler in Tokyo than say Atlanta, LA, Rio De Janiero, Mexico City, etc. Places of past Olympics. Makes no sense to me.
I'll save congratulations until after you finish. Just get there safely and healthy!
I have a friend who is running Boston this year, pushing his 20ish year old son who has Angleman's Syndrome. Only a handful of people are allowed to do this each year. He'll start ahead of the elites so I may get to see him (briefly) on TV when the elites ultimately pass him.
What 50K are you doing?
Thanks WTH! That is so awesome for your friend. As you know any marathon is a ton of effort and work and then the Newton Hills from like 18-22 are really tough late in the race. I can’t imagine pushing someone up them. Best wishes to your friend!
I live in Minneapolis suburb. About two hours north is Duluth which is a beautiful area on Lake Superior. The 50k is called Wild Duluth. There is a 100k also but I am positive that’s way above my ability.
The race is pretty tough and challenging and technical. Lots of rocks, roots, lots of elevation change. I think it is like 3 of 4 stars for challenge rating. (I don’t know - the trail stuff is pretty new to me). I’d be very happy if I could finish in the 7:30 range for 31 miles.
I’m debating on putting down the money to save my spot at Pinhoti 100. It’s just tough to commit 250 bucks to a race that’s 8.5 months away...
Well - Tokyo Marathon was cancelled yesterday (Monday) for all runners except the elites and the elite wheelchair athletes, due to a few more cases of Corona virus found in the last few days in Japan (from some infected cruise ship unload, I think).
Wow what a gut punch. I was still in bed when my wife told me...I started nearly sweating and felt almost sick to my stomach. It is just so much time, effort, and money you put into it. And training in Minnesota means a lot of cold, dark, snowy, icy, windy miles. All for nothing at this point.
I pivoted to enter a marathon in Atlanta the same weekend. A bunch of us from Minneapolis are going to cheer on a couple coaches / athletes who are running in the Olympic Trials there. So it will be fun, the best of an unfortunate situation. I still will have an entry guaranteed to run in Tokyo 2021, provided they have that race as scheduled. Just lots of stuff for lots of runners to haggle through to get money returned for race entry fees, etc. A true cluster.... but maybe its better safe than sorry.
It's not about me, and there are so many people who have such worse real-life issues and challenges than me. Many never get to run in one World Major Marathon, Boston, etc....let alone all 6.
That being said, this year so far has been an unpleasant one (kick in the nuts over and over, frankly)….
1) this nightmare Heels hoops season (my favorite sport / team by far) - a nightmare that seemingly will not end
2) all the training for Tokyo - then the cancel - what a discouraging letdown
3) corporate life, career, jobs, corp politics, performance reviews, promotions, etc..... suck if you're in that world long enough.
Here's hoping something good comes out of 2020. I won't say things couldn't be worse, because obviously they could. I still have health and many other blessings for me, my family, friends, etc. - for which I am very grateful.
I heard about the cancellation. That sucks, sorry to hear it's a PITA for you, but good to see that you're making the best of the situation.
Do it. What better incentive to train than registering now and having that money ?
Some races have generous refund policies. I had to cancel one in California last August and they let me defer to this year with no hassles.
Wild Duluth sounds cool. I'm sure you'll have a blast.
My friend doing Boston had to qualify pushing his son at his regular qualifying time, so for him (55 y/o) he had to run a 3:35, I guess. His son is probably about 5'7" and 120-130 pounds.
Sorry about Tokyo. Hopefully, Atlanta will be fun. Won't replace Tokyo, but it does help make a little lemonade out of lemons.
never been on a run when it’s under 35 degrees...my next race is tomorrow and it’s supposed to be 27 at the gun...have tights, skullcap, gloves, moisture wicking shirts, sleeveless hoodie, buff for cold weather runs, etc, but not sure if that’s too much or what combo works best.
i hate being cold worse than i hate humidity....help me out all you race pros.
eta: it’s literally taken 2 months to fully recover from itbs...that’s freakin miserable to go through.
i hate being cold worse than i hate humidity....help me out all you race pros.
eta: it’s literally taken 2 months to fully recover from itbs...that’s freakin miserable to go through.
What distance are you running? If it’s a short race where you’ll be pushing pretty hard then you’ll probably need less than you think. Gloves and a solid base layer are the most important items IMO. And then just have an extra jacket and sweatpants for after the race.
Also, I’d recommend substantially increasing your time spent warming up.
I've got one tomorrow too. They say dress for ten degrees warmer than it actually is. Everyone is different so I can't offer much advice. At least (I don't think) it won't be windy. My race involves trails and technical areas where I'll be going slower and won't generate the body heat I might ordinarily. I've got a medium weight, wicking long sleeve shirt that will keep me warm and I may take a very lightweight windbreaker for over it. I almost always just wear shorts and will have gloves (or mitten gloves if its really cold) and a headband as fully covering my head overheats me. I'll probably be wearing my pack also, which helps keep my back warm.
Good luck!
Definitely this. I can get chilled pretty quickly after a run in the cold if I sweat any. Sometimes I don't realize its set in until later. Fortunately, I have heated seats for the drive home. That's about the only time I ever use them.
it’s the gov cup here in cola.
just a 5k...was going to try the half, but my injury concerns made me dial it back.
thanks for tips...good luck to you @WhatTheHeel?
just a 5k...was going to try the half, but my injury concerns made me dial it back.
thanks for tips...good luck to you @WhatTheHeel?
you guys were right...gloves are a must, thank goodness i remembered them.
Olympic marathon trials will be starting in about 15 minutes. Maybe we'll get lucky and all of the blood dopers from NOP will miss a turn.
