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Question about Race Day IT Band Issues
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 2014-06-15 7:25 AM |
 5 |  Subject: Question about Race Day IT Band IssuesHi all, Some brief history: I am currently 6 weeks into a half IM training program. I have a history of IT Band issues, which I pretty much worked through during about 4 months of PT. I do a lot of strength training, as that seemed to be my main problem. Once my legs were tired, my form would go downhill and then the knees would hurt. Anyways, I'm up to biking 35 miles and running 9 miles (on separate days). Last weekend I did the long bike on Saturday and the long run on Sunday and felt okay. Now, here's my problem. Yesterday I did a sprint triathlon, 600m/13mi/4mi. Should be "easy", right? Each distance is well below what I've been doing in training. When I got to the run portion, I was feeling fine until about 2.5 miles in...and then my left knee started feeling the twinges/tightening up of IT band! What am I doing wrong here?? Why can I do each event separately for long distances, but can barely finish a 4 mile run after a 13 mile bike? Maybe I'm going too hard on the bike on race day, and my legs are tired? This has happened at the last two sprints I did, so I tried to go easier on the bike this time. I am so frustrated. Any advice would be wonderful. I guess I'll try to beef up my strength training some more and maybe try doing my short bike and short run on the same day...? I am just so tired of dealing with this IT band stuff. I'd really like to be able to get through the run portion without an issue! |
| 2014-06-16 1:42 PM in reply to: mtnbrooke7 |
New user 1351    Austin, Texas | Subject: RE: Question about Race Day IT Band Issues Hey Brooke, You mentioned that you did some PT for your IT bands. What kind of PT did you do? Any foam roller stuff? I've been plagued by IT band crap since I started running in high school, and it's led to knee pain off and on over the years because the IT band can get so tight that it pulls my knee cap to the side. What finally helped for me was the foam roller, and the following 3 stretches.
These really helped loosen up my IT bands around the hip area, and by doing so relieved my knee pain. It can come back occasionally if I do a hard track workout, so I'm guessing that racing may be causing your IT issues to flare up as well. When you stretch, how long do you hold a stretch for? Shoot for at least 20-30 seconds, and even do it a couple times. I understand your frustration. Hope it all goes away so you can enjoy a lifetime of healthy legs
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| 2014-06-18 9:24 AM in reply to: trijamie |
| 5 | Subject: RE: Question about Race Day IT Band Issues Thanks for the advice! In PT, they found that my IT band was actually not very tight...so they focused more on strength exercises. I haven't been using my foam roller as much lately, so I need to make that a priority. I guess I've just been trying to go harder than my muscles can handle on the bike. It is my weakest of the three events, and it seems to be taking forever to build those muscles. It just surprises me that I wouldn't even be able to do those short distances together, when I can do triple the distances if I separate cycling and running by even a day. Strange. My left hip does feel like it needs some active release or something. It constantly feels sort of cramped up. I have been doing the stretches you mentioned, but I should probably hold them for longer. I have another sprint this Sunday. I guess I'll try to go super easy on the bike and see if that changes anything. |
| 2014-06-29 10:58 PM in reply to: mtnbrooke7 |
New user 1351 Austin, Texas | Subject: RE: Question about Race Day IT Band Issues Originally posted by mtnbrooke7 Thanks for the advice! In PT, they found that my IT band was actually not very tight...so they focused more on strength exercises. I haven't been using my foam roller as much lately, so I need to make that a priority. I guess I've just been trying to go harder than my muscles can handle on the bike. It is my weakest of the three events, and it seems to be taking forever to build those muscles. It just surprises me that I wouldn't even be able to do those short distances together, when I can do triple the distances if I separate cycling and running by even a day. Strange. My left hip does feel like it needs some active release or something. It constantly feels sort of cramped up. I have been doing the stretches you mentioned, but I should probably hold them for longer. I have another sprint this Sunday. I guess I'll try to go super easy on the bike and see if that changes anything.
Any luck on your most recent sprint? |
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