Remedy

I. am. lovin’. this. thing!

OK, maybe not the roller itself or the accompanying “felling” that comes when using it; but I am loving the benefits I’m seeing from using it regularly on my IT band.  This morning’s session, particularly the run, was a shocker!

I was skeptical at first, but bought it anyway.  After using this baby for the last two weeks, I am sold!  This week, I am back to continuous running – after a 6-week period of exclusively doing a run/walk/run regimen – and back at a pre-injury pace too.  [knock wood]

I’ve started rolling the IT band in both legs just to make sure I’m evenly stretched and am also starting to roll the other muscles in my legs as well.  I roll before each training session, after it, and several times during the day while I’m at home – about 30 seconds to a minute be leg.  Basically, I’m a rollin’ fool!

I think revising my training program has helped as well: still remaining active, but cross-training by replacing a few run sessions with cycling ones.  Coincidentally, Competitor.com posted a great article on the benefits of cross-training for runners yesterday.  I’m not a gym-goer, so I’m counting cycling as my cross.  I’m still tweaking the program, but this is what I am leaning toward:

• Mon: Bike – 1 hour
• Tues: Run – 4 to 6 miles
• Wed: Bike – 1 hour
• Thurs: Run – 7 to 10 miles
• Fri: Brick – 1 hour
• Sat: Rest (and pancakes!)
• Sun: 2+ hour long run

Revised training program or not, I think the foam roller is playing a big part in remedying my IT band syndrome…

WooHoo!

Training Journal – 7/26/13:

• Current plan: Mix of running and cycling
• Today’s session: 60 Minute BRick
• Comments:
  • BIKE: 8.3 miles @ 17.3 mph avg TIME: 28:52
  • TRANSITION: 3:35 min
  • RUN: 4.25 miles @ 7:49 avg pace. TIME: 33:13
    
  • TOTALS: Distance: 12.55 miles, Time: 1:05:40