Yup, Still Hurts

Test run....more like test limp! For those of you just tuning in, Wednesday night was my first run after 10 days of rest, and it hurt like a BLEEEEEEEEEP!! The whole rest and anti-inflammatories didn't work, apparently. But when I talked to doc Thursday morning, I told him there was no way I was taking anymore time off. My coach had already dropped the D-word (as in "Drop down to the half") and the W-word (as in "you may have to Walk-run"), and those did not agree with my competitive spirit (I may have thrown a little temper tantrum in my head when she said it), so I decided I have to train like nothing's wrong for the rest of the season. Doc says that we will do some magical ultra-sound therapy on my IT band where it hurts (look at me, I'm like an athlete or something, with my PT [physical therapy, for all of you couch potatoes out there] and my IT and my ultra-sounds and steroid creams!), but I can run while we do it. So, of course, I had to ask the ultimate question.

"Let's say it doesn't get any better and I just train and run the race anyway. What's the WORST thing that could happen?"

"Ummmmm...I guess it could rupture, but I've never even heard of that happening before, so....it'll probably just take longer to heal when you finally let it."

Sounds good to me! I'll gamble that I won't be the first to ever rupture my IT band through overuse. And isn't pain funny? As soon as I knew that the pain didn't mean anything, it had no power over me. I was just able to ignore it and keep on going. Of course, Saturday on the 16 MILE RUN!! I couldn't even feel my knee because my entire body was in revolt, having not run at all for almost a month. I had no idea that one's feet were able to cramp up like that! I do not recommend 0-16 at once, but needs must.

One thing that may actually have lessened the pain is I finally caved and got the dreaded foam roller. If you've never seen one, it's just a hard foam cylinder. Looks innocuous enough. Lay on it on your back and roll back and forth and it seems fairly innocent...like a nice little massage. Put it under your IT band and roll back and forth real slow like, and you feel like someone is sticking a knife up into your heart through your leg....excruciating!! But after, all pain in my knee is relieved...til I run again. I highly recommend this form of torture for anyone having knee pain from a suspected tight IT.

Oh, and here's a time update for those of you wanting to come see me finish...definitely go to brunch first! 4 hrs and 5 min for 14 miles (I couldn't even finish the last 2, and felt bad for the coaches and mentors who weren't allowed to go eat until I was done). I may not even officially finish. They shut the race down at 6 hours...so I can keep running all I want, but I won't technically exist anymore! You may actually be able to go eat lunch before cheering me on.

And, of course, go to my website and donate...cancer still exists, after all.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/txg/houston10/aclack

Love you all for your support, thanks for everything!!