Last Wednesday (2/26) I did my strength workout with M. I can tell I'm improving on this stuff so it's exciting. Thursday I did a 3 mile run. The knee hurt somewhat, but not as bad as in the past. I think the knee strap is helping.

Friday I didn't do anything training related, although resting is probably helpful for the knee. Saturday (yesterday) M and I did a 3.4 mile hike to Angels Rest. It was an amazing hike because the higher elevations of the mountain still had snow! My knee felt okay until the steep downhill parts of the hike. Totally worth it though:














Today I did a 4 - 4.5 mile run. The weather is beautiful and I couldn't pass it up! My knee killed at certain times of this run. I found that if I relax my hips and abs, and just let my hips twist as they naturally do when I walk, there is less knee pain. stretching when I got back helped a lot too. :)

I will conquer this

Next attempt at being able to run with a lame knee problem: buying a brace thing. M and I looked at a bunch of differnt supports and braces. We decided that maybe the problem is not my IT band after all. This was based on a chart we saw at a sports store that described pain up the outside upper leg. Most of my pain has been right around the knee and down into my shin and calf more than upwards. So we went ahead and bought a knee strap that goes under my kneecap. Perhaps my pain is most in the knee cap and tendons, or something etc.

Tried it out today. As soon as I put it on my knee felt stronger and this seemed like a good sign. So I went for a run. Ran/walked about 2.5 miles. I always feel good for about the first mile, and then the pain kicks again. About the same this time, but now the pain is in different places in my leg. Ironically I felt pain on the outside of my upper leg. And now there's pain in the back of my knee too. Wondering if I should get one of those full knee supports that works on everything.

Icing my knee now and then heading to dinner with M where I will discuss my latest type of pain and decide what to try next.

Luckily this knee strap was only $7 at Walmart and the full knee supports are about $10-$12.

On another note I realized today that there are not many weeks left until the 10K and only two more in addition to that before the half... Lord help me!

crazy

So I ran again on Monday. Just a short route. Knee still hurting. I'm sad. It still hurts today, just when I walk. I'm going to go to the sports store to get a strap they make for knee pain. Maybe that will help. M looked at some stretches and stuff online and said he was going to add to my routine some things that will help.

It's strange but somehow I'm not so freaked out about the races in April. Like for some reason I think I'm just gonna be able to run 13 miles even though right now I can't run any.

Someone tell me I'm crazy...

sad face

I should change the name of the blog to "Just Kidding, I'm Not Running". That would be because my knee pain became unbearable. I believe it's my IT Band and everything I see online says to rest. LAME.

I actually miss running and when I see people on the street, I'm jealous. C says I'm a real runner b/c real runners hate being told to rest. I've also looked up some stretches and other ways to help the pain. Hopefully by next week I can start some runs. Work my way back up slowly.

I hope...

H-M TD 10 & 11

Tuesday was a rest day and good thing because I was at work for almost 12 hours.

Today was run 2 or cross. I ended up cross-training at the gym with M. Rode the bike again, this time for 20 min at a more intense level. Felt good. Ready for the 3 mile run and strength training tomorrow. M's gonna do the strengthening with me again. I'd never get thru those damn wall sits and planks without him doing them with me :P