As mentioned in my previous blog, it was first iliotibial band syndrome, also known as ITB syndrome. I was out for what would have been a 35km long run but 13km along my knee seized up and I hobbled back home. Once I knew what it was I handled it reasonably well. Once the symptoms disappeared I felt comfortable and had one of my biggest weeks of mileage, 92km in a week at the start of June.
Was this too much too soon? Maybe. By the end of that week, a mild issue I've had at some stage every year came to the fore, something similar to shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome or MTSS to be more precise). I say "similar to" in that shin splints should really stop one from running eventually, whereas whatever I am experiencing does seem to go away with more training and some exercises and care. The description of the symptoms are the same: a sore spot half way up on the inward side of my shin, tender to press, most sensitive or painful at the start of the run, often fading once warmed up. I've had it every year and it often faded as I got stronger, whereas shin splints according to most of the online literature requires rest to recover, often up to 2 months. Persisting in training while having shin splints is linked to stress fractures of the tibia. Every time I have this issue I'm paranoid about giving myself a stress fracture; but almost always as soon as I got worried, the sensation ceased to appear during my runs usually after doing particular strengthening exercises.
This time round I got into the strengthening exercises quickly, cut back my mileage and days of training to 5 days a week instead of 6, and as of the last few days, my feeling of shin splints has eased away completely when running, although it is still sore to touch. Am I free of it again to resume my training? I hope so. These niggles have taken 6 weeks of my training without really advancing me in terms of my fitness, I feel.
There are 9 more weeks till North Shore Marathon. My apparent base of running is still strong. I just need some consistency, then key workouts to focus it all in on these events. Next Sunday is a hilly 10km race at Sanders Reserve; four weeks away is a race that I'm hoping to race fast, the Waiatarua 10km race, followed three weeks by the Millwater Half. This period before the marathon is very busy with training and races. Fingers crossed I can keep it all together.
Was this too much too soon? Maybe. By the end of that week, a mild issue I've had at some stage every year came to the fore, something similar to shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome or MTSS to be more precise). I say "similar to" in that shin splints should really stop one from running eventually, whereas whatever I am experiencing does seem to go away with more training and some exercises and care. The description of the symptoms are the same: a sore spot half way up on the inward side of my shin, tender to press, most sensitive or painful at the start of the run, often fading once warmed up. I've had it every year and it often faded as I got stronger, whereas shin splints according to most of the online literature requires rest to recover, often up to 2 months. Persisting in training while having shin splints is linked to stress fractures of the tibia. Every time I have this issue I'm paranoid about giving myself a stress fracture; but almost always as soon as I got worried, the sensation ceased to appear during my runs usually after doing particular strengthening exercises.
This time round I got into the strengthening exercises quickly, cut back my mileage and days of training to 5 days a week instead of 6, and as of the last few days, my feeling of shin splints has eased away completely when running, although it is still sore to touch. Am I free of it again to resume my training? I hope so. These niggles have taken 6 weeks of my training without really advancing me in terms of my fitness, I feel.
There are 9 more weeks till North Shore Marathon. My apparent base of running is still strong. I just need some consistency, then key workouts to focus it all in on these events. Next Sunday is a hilly 10km race at Sanders Reserve; four weeks away is a race that I'm hoping to race fast, the Waiatarua 10km race, followed three weeks by the Millwater Half. This period before the marathon is very busy with training and races. Fingers crossed I can keep it all together.
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