Injured

Today did not start out like the typical Monday morning at our home.  Every Monday we wake up, eat, and I go for a run.  It is not only the best way to start off my day, but is a great start to my week.  Running is something that I cannot do without in my life.  Like water and food. running is one of the staples that I need to live.  It provides me with sanity and overall health, and is my time for just me.

Last Tuesday I had a great run.  I ran six miles, pain free, however as soon as I stopped running, my knee locked up, and I could not walk.  I hobbled into the house and decided that I should take a few days off to rest my knee.  It was a hard decision to make because I am in the middle of training, but I know that resting an injury is the best thing you can do.

Saturday I got up early and went for my long run.  The first three miles were great, and then all of the sudden my knee started to buckle and I had the most intense pain.  I felt like I could not take another step, but tried to run through it.  It occasionally went away, but when it came back it was even worse.  I kept running.  The worst part was that I was having a great run.  I felt like I could run forever, except the fact that my knee was in the worst pain I had felt.  I stopped at 11 miles and decided that I would walk the last mile to try to give my knee a really good cool down.  That was a huge mistake.  The minute I stopped running, my knee got even worse and I could not walk.  I stretched, rested, and began to hobble home.  Each step was sheer pain.  It took me 20 minutes to get home.

I got home and freaked out.  How could this happen just 2 weeks away from a huge race.  I have been training for this half marathon since January.  I have trained so faithfully, and had the race been just last week, I would have kicked butt.  I went online to figure out what was going on.  I discovered that I had something called Iliotibial Band Syndrome.  Basically, the tendin or band that runs down the outside of you knee can become swollen from overuse and each time you bend your knee the band rubs across your bone.  What I read was not re-assuring.  It first said...STOP RUNNING.  Well, for me that is not an option.  So, now I am taking two weeks off from running.  Then I will run my race.  After that I will take two months off from running, and then train for my marathon on a treadmill since that seems to be the best running surface for my body.  Hopefully, I will be able to get through all of this, finish my marathon, and then I can cut my mileage way back and just run for exercise.  Wish me luck!