Ok, before I even start the conversation about training through injury I need to address the point of my wife, her training, her writing and the inspiration she has been to me as a runner!
At the start of this whole adventure of becoming healthier as a couple my wife decided that in order to do this the only option was to start running as she couldn't stand the idea of going to a gym, uuuuuummmmmm did you just say running? My wife hated running and was admittedly someone who never found themselves a strong runner or to have the stamina to run distance so this shocked the hell out of me! In true fashion of my wife's personality she settled in and started to do research on training for beginners and the adventure began! I told her in the beginning of our training that if she wanted to run I would be beside her every step of the way (little did I know this would lead to half marathons!). We started out with run/walk intervals that would be like 30 seconds of running at a time and I would hear things like "I will never be able to run for 5 mins straight!" Well, as you know, we passed that mark, and so on and so on. The dedication that she has shown during this training process has been nothing short of inspirational, it is the reason why I am running and it is what pushes me to continue running. I have always been somewhat athletic but this accomplishment is something I can only credit to her and her dedication alone!
There came a point when all the running was starting to wear on her and it was becoming a bit more of a chore, she was feeling like she was not getting the results she wanted, she hit a bump in the road! Some people might stop, quit, or make excuses and fade off to the glory and comfort of the couch....not my wife, she hunkered in and found inspiration from other sources like running forums, blogs and any information she could get her hands on in true Mel fashion! This not only kept her running, but it also lead to the blog that she writes to document her (our) journey, trials, highs, lows and all the little entertaining things that happen that she so perfectly captures with her words! To be honest I am nervous to be writing on her blog as she has such a perfect way of capturing the moments of each journey, not to mention her ability to decipher each and every colour and name of every existing piece of Lululemon clothing! I have shorts and tees from Lulu, my wife has something like.....racer back sports top in pink bubblegum peach with forest moss green highlights! It's always funny when we go into the Lululemon store and staff ask if she needs any help with getting to know the products! :)
Ok, on to the topic of running with or thru an injury!
I have been very fortunate with running and being injury free, until recently! Up till this point I have finished runs and at worst had some sore or tight muscles, but not anymore. Recently I came back from a bad run and was not happy, so next run I set out to have a great run.........didn't happen, I came home with a tight hip and a very sore knee at the side so I did what my wife would do, research!!!! I came to the conclusion that I might be having IT Band issues so I started to try and find a way to correct it....we have a race in weeks dammit!!! I started following the recommendation of taking anti inflammatory, using the foam roller, icing, stretching and trying to get extra rest. All of these things helped a bit but then I would try and run again a few days later and the pain would come back in the first few kms. How was I ever going to be able to run a half when I can hardly finish a several kms without hobbling home after to barely be able to walk up or down stairs! This trend continued over and over until I went to see someone from Physio where I was advised I was doing the right things but doing them slightly wrong, I was working hard on the area of the IT Band when I should have been working on the muscles attached to it, a very common mistake! So feeling that I was doing a great job I went off for another run with Mel and halfway thru I am right back to hobbling, DAMMIT!!!!! I am beyond frustrated and I have no idea what to do, Mel is running by herself, finishing runs that I can't finish and all I want to do is scream! All this training is spiralling downhill and I have no expectations for race day. Then I find a YouTube video on IT Band band stretches and I try them out using a belt, they almost make me cry they are so focused on the area that is giving me all the grief but it is a good kinda almost crying as it immediately gives me a more mobile and relaxed leg. I followed these 2-3 times a day for three days then set out for a run with my wife. Our goal was 9km but we ended up hitting the pavement for 20 km! My legs are tired and sore but not from IT Band issues, just tired and sore!
Next up, race day!
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