Saturday morning, I completed my 20-mile run. It was cold (low 40's) and windy, but sunny. What's worse than having IT band issues in one knee? Having IT band issues in BOTH knees. I don't know why or where this is coming from. I'm running in new shoes and we are running using the Galloway method, which gives your muscles recovery time during these long runs. But, I guess if you put enough mileage on your legs, they will start to yell at you eventually. Part of my post-run ritual is laying on the floor and extending my legs up along a wall for about 15 minutes. This allows the lactic acid to drain out from your legs. It gets uncomfortable after about 10 minutes, but really works.
James has started joining me in my post-run leg lifts. He lays near me on the carpet and lifts his legs up like, "Okay mom. I guess this is what we do now." It was too cute to not grab the camera!
After my recovery drink and nice long shower, it was time for some outdoor play before naptime. I usually get home just as James is eating lunch on Saturday. Then, when he goes down for naptime, so do I. So do I. 
Uh-oh. Here comes trouble!
I'm a lurker, but I am a runner who has also had terrible IT band problems. I wanted to pass on the secret to my successful healing... a big red foam roller. Lying on my side on it and rolling gets the knots (which shorten the IT band and cause it to rub) out of the muscle. It hurts something fierce, but the results are almost instantaneous... the following run is typically painless, and it usually cures it (until I overdo again!).
ReplyDeleteGood luck... hope it helps!