IT band – My Journey to Kili and Back

Training – Jun/20 – No progress and holiday mode

2 heinäkuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

The only good part about June was that I was on holiday. We had fun with the kids camping by lakeside. Weather was perfect until we got a quick thunderstorm but the tent stayed dry inside so nothing to worry! It was almost midsummer so there was daylight practically through the night which is a bit weird when sleeping outside always. Feature image is from the campsite beach after midnight. We went to an amusement and a water park which both were practically empty as they had just opened up after corona. I also managed to catch up some sun and this sudden heatwawe felt so warm! I really enjoyed the short holiday, but training front has been as quiet, or even more quiet, than previous months (if that is even possible??)

Week 23 total is easy, complete zero! I do not know when has been the last time in my life that this has happened, but yes absolutely no exercise whatsoever. Week 24 so second week of June I did a bit more and then it backfired again and my knee started hurting so week 25 was easier again. Thought I would give it a try again week 26 and of course it backfired again after the long walk so back to square one every single time I try to do something.

So thought I would do upper body training instead and have gotten familiar on the muscles I need concentrate on with this ”runner’s knee” problem thinking I will do those then on my spare time and upper body at the gym and maybe, maybe one day the pain will not come back again…

I can assure you I am very frustrated, but try to not think about it too much. I see people running and walking passing by my house every day as it’s a very popular route for exercise and I look at them with envy thinking maybe I can do that one day again, but push the thought aside and try not to think about the fact that

I have not been able to run for four months now!

It makes me sad, but like I said I try not to think about it too much. Did I say I try not to think about it!!!

Truth is, it’s hard. Really hard when you are used to exercising and now cannot do anything practically. I did get referral to MRI and result is the same old ”runners knee”. So nothing broken and no surgery needed, but it does not seem to heal either. Orthopaedist gave referral to physiotherapy and now I’m trying to figure out who or how to pay for it as the insurance as such does not cover it unless it’s after a surgery which I was told I do not need.

Training plan

Whatever the cause or outcome I am tired of fighting against this injury and have been thinking that maybe I am not meant to run anymore. Simple as that. So no plans, no huge enthusiastic goals. Just waiting.

Total June

14 activities, 9 h of training
6 km running, 18 km walking, 11 km cycling 3 h gym and 1 h pilates

Week 23

0 = Nada = Niente = Nil = Nothing

Week 24

3 Walks = 6 km –> 3,25 km, 1,66 km and 1.38 km
1 Run 2,8 km
1 Cycle ride 5,6 km

Week 25

1 Walk 3,8 km
1 Gym training 1h 25min

Week 26

1 Walk 6,36 km
1 Pilates class
1 Gym training 35 min

Training

Training – W16-19/2020 Absolute stand still

12 toukokuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

I haven’t been able to train at all for the past weeks. I was sure that ”listen to your body and let it heal” would work, but it dd not seem to do the trick. I took it really easy for a few weeks and then went for a short walk with my daughter to the forest after which my left leg was in pain again. So went to the doctor to get a diagnosis and surprise, surprise it was ”Runner’s knee” so exactly that inflammation of the IT band as I thought in my last training post from W15/2020. I was prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs (Again!! Got them in Jan 2020 too, not my favourite pills) to get rid of the inflammation and if that does not help then come back.

So ate the pills as prescribed. These also had side effects such as higher heart rate, higher blood pressure and really weird general feeling so took them only that minimum 7 days and now have not been taking them for four days. Not sure though if they helped, as out of the blue suddenly three days ago I got the same strange numb feeling on my left leg without ANY walking even, so I am puzzled.

On a 5 k slow picnic hike with my daughter
to test if I can walk / jog a few weeks ago

The doctor also mentioned there could be some other underlying issues like nerve entrapment, but the pain seemed to be exactly where it would be for the Runner’s knee issue. So have been doing loads of foam rolling and stretching as suggested and noticed that my glute muscles are actually pretty sore and not just my calves. Maybe it’s just a general ”whole leg nerve entrapment” and I am paying the price for not having stretched enough after training.

So again. My own fault probably.

But what can you do but try your best and hope that soon I will be able to go to the gym and hopefully start running slowly again. I could really use some advise if anyone has suffered of the IT band inflammation how long it took to get better and how slowly should you start training again and what gym exercises would be good?

Good news is that it seems to help. Foam rolling that is. I did go for a 9 k bike ride with my daughter yesterday and my leg did not hurt after it, but I did feel that I had done something so hoping that this was the first step to recovery finally.

BTW thanks to Covid-19 I have not been walking even to the metro and to office so my steps on average have been pathetic, not to speak of my amount of training. I was actually shocked to see how few steps I have been taking lately without the every day normal routines. I know that for some this situation has been the trigger for them to exercise and walk even more here in Finland ( we have been able to go out all the time). It is easy to notice this trend on the path next our front door, it’s more like highway nowadays! I am not one of them though and it’s getting on my nerves I can tell.

I truly hope that there won’t be yet another setback and I would be back to square one with my left leg again! Despite of everything I am feeling slightly more positive than a few days ago. I still think that healing shouldn’t be rushed, so trying to find a little more patience again for the week ahead from somewhere…

For some Covid-19 may have increased the amount of training and steps but not for me!

Training total for the past month

So to the exiciting part… drum rolls…. Training totals for the week… they would be so pathetic and non existent that this time I am adding monthly totals. Let’s call this the Corona month 🙂

1 walk 2,5 kilometers
1 circuit training 43 minutes
1 hike 5 kilometers
2 times cycling, one 3,25 kilometers and another 9 kilometers

Training plan

Now I understand that I need to start easy so my training plan must reflect that. If it looks like my leg is on the mend I will plan something around that thought. Good part is that gyms are open also so I will be able to go there also if needed for specific moves.

Happy training everyone,

Singing, Training

Training – W15/2020 Easter holiday and a bit of gardening

18 huhtikuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

Since my leg started hurting AGAIN after quite an easy walk in my opinion It was clear I should not do any kind of training either. With Easter holiday coming up on the weekend I was a bit sad. Mostly because it would have been nice to go somewhere with the kids for example for a forest hike or something, but clearly I needed to let the leg rest a bit and avoid sideways movement.

Did a few walks and some gardening on the weekend as it was really lovely and sunny weather. We managed to do some great progress on the front yard cutting an old bush and spreading some fresh new bark cover. I suppose you could call that exercise too and at least I got outdoors.

The sad part is that this time we walked for 6,3 kilometers on Easter Sunday and that was too much also. I practically completely lost feeling to my left leg and could not put any weight on it after we got home. I felt absolutely nothing when walking, but this started when we got home.

Following the pattern, symptoms and when the leg gets aggravated finally gave me a clue on what to look for, so yes I googled my symptoms and figured out I have most probably IT band inflammation which is a common problem for serious athlete runners (so I am an athlete now?? 🙂 ). Good news is, it does heal, but tends to be a continuous problem after it. All my symptoms tick all the boxes for this exact condition. It is caused by running on uneven surfaces (the forest, tick), bad shoes (I know I need both new running and trail running shoes, tick) and going uphill and downhill (the forest and the stairs, tick).

So what now? I need to take it EVEN EASIER if that is possible. Not sure how. Then slowly back to running. First short distances and build it from there. Not sure when I can go back to the forest which makes me extremely sad, but there is nothing else I can do but wait now. Last thing I need is a broken knee with which I could never run again with. Better just to listen to your body and let it heal.

So concentrating even more on singing, piano and gardening. Luckily the weather is really beautiful and spring is a bit ahead of time. Days are longer, birds are singing and leaf buds are visible on the bushes and trees. I think I can make it.

Total

Three walks; one 2,7 kilometers, one 4,9 kilometers and one 6,3 kilometers

Training plan

No physical training what so ever. I will train my vocal chords, but those are the only muscles I am allowed to train for a week now!

See our Virtual choir project which was one of my ”training” project. See if you can spot me among the 1120 singers. Ok, ok I made it easier for you and linked to the spot where you will most likely spot me 😉