Treadmill progression run. Started at 7mph (8:30min/mile) and went up 0.1 every half mile. Last mile at 8.5-9mph (around half marathon pace/10K pace). First treadmill run that I felt no butt pull, no hamstring twinge and NO LEG LOCK. Very exciting. Stretching /rolling regime (in addition to what I normally do) is working. Involves: - Very LIGHT standing hamstring stretch
- Moderate hip flexor and groin stretches; these are tight and I need to go gradually with them to avoid pulling something;
- Deep IT band and quad stretches;
- LOTS of tennis ball to upper glut area; almost none to piriformis. Although the pain/pulling felt mid-butt, I think it was my upper glut that was the problem.
- LOTS of foam roller to the hamstrings, quads and IT band.
Also concentrated on form on this run, which had become a complete disaster on the treadmill. For example: - Cadence/overstriding.
Counted my steps and they were shockingly much longer than the
recommending 180 per min (more like aroun160). Shortened my stride and
quickened my turnover. Really felt the difference when I put the speed
up.
- Moving my hip flexors. They were really tight from sitting
at a desk all day, which I think forced my hamstring/glut to work harder
than they should have. Stretching released them to move with my leg more.
- Slight lean forward. I tend to lean back on the
treadmill on an incline which helps me to overstride and land in front
of my body.
Im feeling very little in hamstring and nothing in my mid-butt now, despite this being a pretty hard run. Upper glut and hip flexors feeling tight, but I know what to do with them now. LESSON: identify the painful area, but don't necessarily look there to find the problem. Tightness in one area can pull something somewhere else, that was otherwise working fine. Analyze the problem area from (literally) all angles, and you will address the root cause, rather than trying to treat the symptoms.
| 