Sounds like a good candidate for functional fitness improvement.. .not necessarily bricks etc... i.e. gain the strength to allow you to hold form BEFORE you add the fatigue of the bike on to the run... otherwise you are training to have your form drop off and inflame the knee... like a castle on sand....
I have similar functional drop off late in the run, so similar challenges... mine stem from being hit by a car though.. still its frustrating as all hell..

Best of luck

I agree, more functional training: hips, low back, quads, hamstrings, plus foam rolling. Also, there are brick workouts where you alternate running and biking (usually on a trainer) up to a dozen times to acclimate the legs to run off the bike.
Walking a few minutes off the bike may also help.

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Dr Jay
http://www.Tri-Pod.net

Sorry to hear that...
Sounds like you are on the right track with strengthening the supporting muscle groups.... And your volume of running sounds good... But with all theses strengthening exercises are you keeping good form... I do similar exercises to strengthening up those muscle groups and I know that sometimes I end up not doing them properly if I don't concentrate...
As mentioned I think using a foam roller to massage out the ITBs is really helpful (at least once a week), depending on mileage... Also some high intensity running is important and most definitely would have helped to condition your ITBs...
Have you had a proper bike fit? That may also benefit you...

All the best

I've been doing functional training over the last three weeks. I already can tell it's made massive improvement on my ability to perform in workouts, my ability to recover, and just about everything. 2-3 times a week for about 40 ish minutes. I do about 6 stretches and 6 exercises and then foam role. It's good stuff.

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The Home of Advanced Running
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Have you been doing tempo or speed work. Maybe your form is a little different when running at race speed

I believe this is what I am going through right now.

Although i have only worked up to running 3 race miles...it seems I only start to feel the twinge/tingle when i am really pushing it via training and during the end of 3 mile events.

We have been experimenting with one legged squatting, resistance band lateral walks, and one legged jump rope. Works really well. 2-3 times per week. A bit more info here: http://strong-running.blogspot.com/...ral-walk-to-fix.html

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Simplify, Train, Live

^^^. IF you slow run pace is getting into shuffle territory, then you not practicing running, your practicing shuffling. So when you do your races, you have the same injury you always get when you used to "run" all the time at that pace. SO you never solved the original issue....just that your mechanics at the slower run pace don't aggravate the injury.

I don't really have a clear solution. You need to alter your mechanics and/or change shoes/type to resolve your problem.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

That's pretty much what I got out of a couple thousand dollars at Methodist physical therapy.

A lot of my leg muscles were weakened after a completely ruptured achilles. My phisical therapist pretty much prescribed me tons of one legged squats (pistol squats). One legged jump rope..or hopping on one foot. And strengthening hip abductor muscles.

although my problem has decreased dramatically, to get to the next level...I plan to increase the frequency of the excercises....and add in speed work.

I used to have same problem at mile 11 every time. Been using a foam roller and I feel great ( when I slack off it hurts again)

 
The more I think of it the more obvious it is and I agree with the previous posts about functional strength as well as some bike/run intervals to simulate.

ps big fan of your blog. Pretty fun to watch you and scott iott race it out. I wonder if he knows about your blog!

I have been working with endurance athletes (especially Ironman triathletes) for over 20 years and I've developed a long list of self-treatments for pains throughout the body. The logic is simple, and the treatment I describe below has helped so many athletes that the odds are high that they will help you too.

The missing piece of IT band issues is that fact that that tendon originates on your tensor fascia lata (TFL) muscle, which is located directly on the outside of your hip, where the side-seam and pocket of your pants is located. When the TFL muscle is in spasm it is pulling on the ITB, causing it to feel tight, and putting a strain on the insertion point on your outer knee.

Think of this analogy: if you pull your hair at the end, your hair get taut and your head moves in the direction of the pull. If you pull it really hard, your hair is very tight and your head not only hurts, but you can't move it in the opposite direction. But you don't need to massage your scalp, you don't need to take pain meds, or have brain surgery, and exercising any of the muscles that surround the point of pain isn't going to help either. The only thing that is going to work is to let go of your hair.

It's the same thing with muscles everywhere in your body. The muscle merges into a tendon, which crosses over a joint, and inserts into the bone. When the muscle contracts it pulls on the tendon (making it appear tight) and it pulls on the opposite bone, which causes the joint to move. However, if the muscle is in spasm (knots) and you try to move the joint in the opposite direction, the tight muscle pulls on the tendon, and the insertion point at the joint, and you have pain at the insertion point.

In the case of the ITB, the tensor fascia lata muscle is pulling on the ITB every time you take a step (even when you're strolling, never mind when you are running). This repetitive movement ultimately causes the TFL to go into spasm and you feel it in your outer knee. Plus, if you feel along the outside of your thigh muscle you will feel the tight tendon - making you think you have a tight ITB. And you do have a tight ITB, but only because the TFL is pulling on it.

Bottom line, you need to release the spasms in your tensor fascia lata muscle. You can do this by putting a tennis ball or a lacrosse ball (not a baseball, it's too hard) directly onto the muscle and then either lean into a wall, or lie down on the floor. It's going to hurt a lot, so I suggest you start by standing, and then work your way into lying on the floor. You will also benefit by turning your body slightly so you move a bit toward the front of your body, and then a bit toward the back of your body. You'll likely find spasms all over the area, each one of them is having an impact on your ITB.

Wishing you well,
Julie

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Don't let pain cause a DNF! YOU are your own Best Therapist! Visit http://www.FlexibleAthlete.com and http://www.Julstro.com to learn logical solutions to repetitive strain injuries and how to stretch safely.