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Daisy’s half marathon training – new year, old ITB issues

03 January, 2015

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So it’s the end of week six and this week and last, have been pretty bad. I ran my planned 9km at the end of week 5 and during the last half mile I had excruciating pain on the outside of my left knee in that all too familiar place. It came on very quickly and escalated even quicker. It’s like a mixture of stabbing and burning in a very concentrated area.

I felt so deflated. So close to 10km and which was planned for the following weekend (end of week 6). I nearly got a taxi home as I could barely walk. I had to accompany my boyfriend to his work Christmas party that night and much to my dismay it was up four flights of steps and I couldn’t bend my knee without wanting to cry. I hobbled there, ate 6 pieces of pizza (seemed like the only thing to do) and hobbled home feeling incredibly sorry for myself.

I had imagined heading home to Yorkshire, last week, and majestically scaling snow covered hills in the beautiful dales and sharing the idyllic winter scene pictures with you. But, alas, I could not do it. The half marathon is now looking very unlikely…

Injuries are so frustrating. I’ve done everything I have been advised to. I have seen a physio, changed my trainers after receiving a gait analysis, I have reduced my pace, completed strengthening and conditioning exercises specifically designed to activate my glutes and strengthen my hips, I have foam rolled daily, I have run on trails as much as possible to reduce the impact of always running on roads, I have returned to a walk/run programme, increased my distance very steadily and slowly… what else can I do? I am a perpetual beginner and never getting to that golden 10km! (I stopped even thinking about 10 miles).

However, I will not quit. That is the only thing I know for sure. I may not run the half marathon (yet!) but I will not quit. I contacted the Honest Fitness guys and I have been given an alternative workout plan to reduce impact on my knee (ITBand). I have been advised to change my three ‘runs’ per week and instead complete a long cross-trainer workout, a bike interval workout and a cross-trainer interval workout.

I attempted this last week but it hurt too much so I stopped. Last week became one of rest. Much to my frustration and, let’s be honest, rage. So instead, I furiously ate in true Christmas slob style. Yes, I am ashamed.

This week I will attempt the above-amended ‘low impact’ training again. I am off to the gym to complete a TRX strength and conditioning workout and 40 minutes on the cross-trainer this morning. I will also complete a series of glute activation exercises, which I will do in addition to my current plan for eight weeks.

So it with a heavy heart (and heavy body, thanks to all the mince pies and not training) that I start week 7 of my half marathon training programme. This is where distance was supposed to start increasing but my body is not quite ready yet.

But I am hopeful and, I am bloody determined not matter what happens I am, and will continue running every moment that I can.