Work will win when wishy washy wishing won't

Kim,

I am so sorry that your IT band gave you so many problems today. Is your pain in your hip area or your knee? Last year I had so many problems that I hardly ran at all the whole month of September and still had an awesome marathon at SG. The taper WILL help. If your pain is in your knee, please tell me. I have some tricks that may help. You will be fine!! Just watch.

Oh Teena! You are my hero! I want to hear things like that! Yes, it is the side of my knee that hurts. Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated! Is that enough exclamation points?!!

I am SOOOO so sorry about your IT band. Would you consider going in to see Dr. Brady? He's the one Michelle, Josse and I go to. He really is a gifted healer and miracle worker :) If you could go in and see him ASAP, you might be really surprised at what can happen. It really couldn't hurt. I am quite sure if I had gone in and seen him as soon as my calf pulled I would have only missed 3-4 days of training and not nearly a month. His # is 374-8588. He does do insurance stuff too. He was so nice and really good. He's one of Doc's that the BYU athletes go to.

When you say the side of your knee, are you talking about the outside of your knee? That is exactly what took me out last year. My knee would seem to do fine for about 5 -6 miles and then progressively get worse and worse. About one month before SG on a long run it completely locked up at 11 1/2 miles. Had to track down a runner with a cell phone and call my hubby to come pick me up in tears!! It was awful. Could hardly walk, stairs were impossible. If this sounds like you we need to hook up. I could meet you some were and give you some "pre-wrap" (take a look at the Spanish Fork pictures and see if you can find the picture of me running through the finish - look at my knees). I will have to explain to you how I came across this. For me, it was completely 100% inspired, Ryan (my hubby) laughs at me because I call it my "Jesus Wrap." I'll explain later. The wraps keep my band from moving so much and hence limits the inflammation that caused the knee pain. We should atleast give it a try if it sounds similar. Also, there's a yoga DVD that only takes about 17 minutes that is AWESOME to stretch that band out!! Talk to me. Sorry this is so lengthy.

Kim,

hang in there, My IT band in every marathon I have run starts to bother me around mile 18, I was able to finish. Thw weird thing is it only bugs in the marathons and not the training. You will be fine with rest and the tapper.

Teena,

Tom and I noticed your knee wrap when we were looking at the pictures the other day. I would love to get with you! My cell number is 592 8081. Will you give me a call when you have a minute?

Curtis,

How is the wife and kids? Did they get home safe? Thanks for the encouragement!

Yep!! I will call you this afternoon. Got to go ice and run a few errands. Seriously, this might help. It certainly could not hurt. I'm sending you lots of positive vibes. Stay positive!!! Talk soon!! :)

Kim - You always have such a great attitude! You will do great in SG. The work is done and now it is rest time. This will help you feel so much better. It also sounds like Teena can be a lot of help, that is great!

Kim don't worry, we'll get you iced, rested, massaged, knee-wrapped, and whatever else we need to do to get you to the start in tip-top condition and ready to have a super 1st marathon.

You've gotten in a bunch of runs in the 16-18 mile range and one twenty miler, not to mention a great mileage base of daily 5-10 mile weekday runs. You are trained and ready, no need to fret about a getting 18 instead of 22 today.

Hey other than the race, the hardest part is now officially DONE, time for a nice taper and a bit of R&R.

RICE, RICE and more RICE! IT bands are tricky and tempermental. I wish you the best and hope that it comes around in time for the marathon.

Hang in there Kim, stay with the ice and just be patient and you will be okay. We will have you in our prayers Kiddo, so have some faith and stay with it:-)

Boy, Kim, the...what's the right word?...despair?...downheartedness?...in your original post reminded me of Tom at/after the WBR. It made me sad. I remember 5 years (or so) ago when my doctor told me I would have to give up sports (basketball at the time). I'm not ashamed to say I went home and cried. I then got a second opinion. Since then I've played lots of pain-free basketball, started running again, logged thousands of miles, and run 7 marathons, including Boston.

I don't have any IT band experience. I'm glad Teena was able to restore the spirit of hope in the cheerful fighter we're all used to. Many runners have a "thorn in their side", or more than one, to keep things from becoming boring or too easy. I've got a short leg, bum knee, and weak ankles (and old age). It just adds to the challenge. I think the training setbacks are the most difficult part of this endurance sport. Hang in there. Don't throw in the towel just yet. This too shall pass.

Kim - I feel your pain (literally and figuratively). Lots of good advice and support out there. Two of us in our running group deal with knee pain - so far it hasn't stopped us but last week on our 18 miles my friend was ready to cry and stop. Good luck to us all and may we survive and finish STRONG (even if strong is walking across the finish line).

Kim, I hope the best for you, ditto Tom, you have done the training. I do have a good stretch for the IT band the a physical therapist showed me. If you are interested let me know.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

I am so sorry to hear about your IT band problem. I totally know how you feel. My IT band problem started after my first marathon and I struggled with it for over 15 months, it was horrible! I got to the point where I couldnt run 1-2 miles without it killing me. I did everything imaginable- took months off, went to physical therapy for 6 months, had 3 steroid injections. I thought it would never go away, eventually mine finally got better- I still get a flare up here and there but it is so much better. My suggestions are to take it easy, if you feel it coming on- stop immediately, I know this is hard to do, but it helps. If you have a "running stick" roll your leg from the top of your hip all the way past your knee. I also reccomend strengthening your glutes and quads by doing leg extensions. If all else fails and it is still bothering you the week or two before St. George you could get a steriod injection. These are a quick fix- I had a few the weeks before my half marathons last year and they helped quite a bit, but again it is a "quick fix". I work for a sports medicine doctor who is great and could do this for you. He is the BYU team physician and also has ran marathons and has done Iron Mans- so he understands how important it is to be able to race, especially after you have trained so hard. Let me know if you have any questions or want some stretches to do.

Well, I had a great run today. But my wife would describe her run pretty much the same as yours. Flip the knee from left to right... make the mileage about 13 and its sounding familiar. I gotta get you two hooked up.

Hey Pinkie,

When I saw a comment from you I thought it was my little girl's blankie! Her favorite blankie's name is Pinkie. ha ha!

Thank you for all of the help and advice! I am happy there are so many people willing to help me out on this. I have to say, I was pretty bummed out this morning, but I am feeling more hopeful as the day goes on. If I am hurting as time draws near I will definitely talk to you about your doctor friend!

Hey Koby, you added your comment while I was commenting. Has your wife had this problem before? It sure is a tricky thing to get figured out! I hope she is doing OK. Tell her to check out all of this advice.

I'll go check out your blog to see how your run went today.

Kim- After my bike wreck last week my knee swelled and my hip felt out of wack. It has now grown into an IT band problem(and fancy that on the left too). It gave me much trouble on my 20.5 miler this am. But since it wasn't much intense downhill it didn't get to the intensity of yours but it is currently throbbing from my left hip to my left side of my left knee to the bottom of my foot. RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) will be good. And I think I will call Dr. Brady as the good advice posted above suggests. I am bummed like you. I thought I was injury free and then one fall on a bike and I get off alignment. So I think the advice to see a specialist is great and to get the foam role that goes under your hip suggested above. We will both have to tone it down together. But we can do it. Our bodies probably need a break. And they deserve it. ICE BABY ICE BABY. And the band thing helps too that goes around the knee and of course the stretches. Let me know what more you find out. I had this problem in 2001. It is bringing back such fond memories (not). We just got to get re-aligned.

Oh man! I think you've got a great plan in place, Kim. A little extra TLC these last few weeks is good--especially for a first time marathoner. And I STRONGLY think it will not be your last. You are amazing! And don't forget...there will be the magic of race day to help you along.

I ran a 1:43 at Hobble creek. This will be my 4th marathon so I feel pretty prepared for the last 6 miles which as I am sure you have heard can be a killer sometimes. Are you running with the 3:40 pace group or are you still trying to decide?

Britta,

At this point I'm not quite sure what I'll do. I think I'm just going to wait until game and see what my body has in store for me. I doubt that I would go with a pace group though. I will have split times to watch and pace myself. If my knee holds up I would like to go somewhere in the 3:40-3:50 range. We'll see.

I'd take "to finish" over "to get off couch" any day. Rest up and take care.

I guess my problem really is a piformoris muscle problem. Stems from the hip and takes over the sciatic nerve from the inflammation of this muscle. It follows the nerve down my thigh to the side of my knee to my foot. I found good stretches for both IT band and piformis muscle on the internet. Hang in there. Does it feel better today? After stretches the pain went away for me. Then it came back so got to keep working at it. Good luck. JULIE.

Teena,

Thank you so much! Your friend stopped by with the pre wrap, (and the Jr. Mints....thanks! :))! I am so excited to try it out! I said I was going to take Monday off, but maybe I should go one or two slow miles and try this stuff out. I'm not sure. I'll see how tomorrow feels. I am feeling good while walking. I hope I didn't go too far once the pain started.

I sure appreciate all of the help and encouragement you are all giving me! Thanks to all of you and good luck to those of you fighting your own injuries!

Kim,

I usually never run over 16 miles getting ready for a marathon. You have allready done that. Get that leg ready for SG and you'll be fine. A few Ibprofin and some ice and some rest always helps.

Sounds like everyone has had IT issues count me in. THe foam Rollers did wonders for me. That and a little PT and weight lifting and stretches. It never bothers me anymore unless I count phantom pains.

If you get any awesome advice for achilles tendonitits let me know. My right one is in knots. Good luck in St George.