Out of desperation I went and got a cortisone shot for ITB 2.5 weeks out from IMNZ. The doctor advised against doing any more LSD runs as he said he more I do the more the shot will begin to break down and lessen it’s effectiveness. Thing is I haven’t done a heap of running in this prep and feel like I am underdone.
So far I have managed 3 decent long runs, 2x30.5km runs on the flats at 4:19/km pace and 4:25/km pace and last Thurs a 32km hilly run at 4:31/km pace. I’ve also done quite a bif of speed work (this plan loved 400m intervals) peaking with 18x400’s on 1:20 (3:20/km pace) with 1:40 active recovery. I’m not sure whether this is indicative that I have sufficient endurance and sufficient speed. I am aiming to run sub 3hr 20 but wouldn’t be shattered if it was still in the 3:20’s.
Anyway I was considering doing another long run this Sunday (30k aiming for 4:10-4:15/km pace). My questions are:
This close to the race what are people’s thoughts in fine tuning the run fitness? Should I go for one more long run or as the doc suggested just do shorter (say up to 60-80min) tempo runs with some longer intervals? I don’t want to lose what little fitness I have managed to build over the last 2 weeks.
Anyone with cortisone experience/knowledge know of how quickly it wears off. The doc did say see how this one goes and if required I could come back in for a top up. Note he injected it right on the bony protrusion and not further up the leg in the band itself.
If you get 2-3 weeks out of a cortisone shot your lucky…if the injury is not healed. Just me, but I would err on the side of caution and stay on the bike or in the pool as much as possible.
Bummer about your ITBS. I had that for most of last year and it sucked. I can’t help you with the cortizone, but maybe can help you get better.
You have a soft tissue injury. You need to figure out WHY you have this problem and work on fixing it rather than trying to get the quick fix. You (like most triathletes) could have a major strength imbalance between your hamstrings and quads, with your ITB caught in the middle. Maybe do some one leg hamstring curls and one legged quad extensions. You may discover some weakness between your legs this way.
The other cure is yoga. DO IT. It fixes you like magic.
I think you need a new doctor. He should have prescribed a vigorous stretching plan, rather than give you a cortizone shot. I suffered through ITBS for a summer and the florida half. stretching is the only thing that will make it go away and massages will help. Your IT band has tightened up and you need to release it.
Yes I know I need to get to the root of the problem. THing is there really doesn’t seem like time to reduce the imbalances before the race. Podiatry appt the other day (to check existing orthotics) showed (on slow motin video) a slight rock across the hips so there is something there that requires work. I’m off to see a sports physio tomorrow to check where the imbalances may lay and get some exercises to try.
I used to do yoga regularly a few year back and don’t recall getting injured at all. Did my first bit (DVD) the other day and was hurting all over. I will get back into that for sure.
Doc did say that it appeared a minor flare up (never got to the excruciating pain level).
Crowrunner - point taken, will keep it in mind but gee it’s hard to consider not running. If people pipe in and say I won’t gain anything significant then I might be swayed more easily.
Keith - interesting link. Not sure how relevant it is to ITB but I have had right knee tracking issues in the past so it is useful nonetheless.
With all due respect to the doctor, I called him and told him I wanted one. IMHO there’s very little that stretching can do in such a short period of time. I have been getting deep tissue massage (5 sessions in last 3 weeks) to release glutes, tfl and itb. There’s only so much the itb will stretch in any case given it’s not a muscle.
There’s inflammation in the connective tissue. That takes time to settle. I don’t have a great deal of time and want to run pain free (or minimised). It is the short term solution for a race that I want to nail (I’m not doing this one for ‘just another finish’). I am fully aware that stretching etc is the long term solution (in addition to correcting muscle imbalances) but that doesn’t happen in a short space of time.
From my experience with athletes and cortisone injections -don’t run on it for at least a week. Better to go into IM slightly underdone, than not being able to run at all - it is a loong walk! I think if you run on it within 5 days of the injection you risk damaging it - as you wont feel any pain (the aesthetic will mask it). Look to maintain fitness that you have rather than try to squeeze the last little bit out of the body. Just stick with the shorter easy runs. Some change in pace is good for ITB (eg descending reps or fartlek running), but dont go crazy.
If it makes you feel better I tweaked my calf just before Tauranga half IM, and have only just started running again in the last week. 2 weeks to go from zero the marathon fit! IM is going to hurt!
No Tony it doesn’t make me feel any better, I feel worse, with my usual despair plus a little for you! Hopefully we won’t be high fiving each other as we hobble past holding our legs with the other hand! Best of luck out there.
Give the single leg work at the gym a shot. I figured out where my ITB problems were coming from when I did single leg extensions where my left leg was fine, but my right leg hurt like hell at the very top of the extension. It’s a long story about what I think happened to lead to the quad problem, but very soon after I found the sore muscle, I gently strengthened it and the ITBS went away FAST.
What’s done is done - now you just need to make the best of the situation you have! Be positive and dont do anything stupid! relax and recover - it will be better than pulling up lame as you try to run out of transition…
Go with what Tony says… Bugger all you can do right now to improve the fitness, plenty you can do to damage yourself. Like Tony i pulled a calf muscle 8 weeks out from IM (few years ago now) and did 6 weeks of aqua running, including the long runs, ended up running well. Keep the spirits up by doing some good swim sets, it will keep you feeling sharp and reduce the "worry’ you are no doubt feeling.
Ah shit I’m screwed then Nick, I don’t have anything resembling good swim sets! May as well say I have ITBS in both arms and between the ears when it comes to the pool!
Might do some short, sharp bike group rides (never triggers it on the bike) and trawl for ‘shrimp’ at the pool for the next few days then try a few fartlek type runs as others have suggested.
I did not have the ITB issue before IMWA but I did develop a severe case of shin splints (I could hardly walk it hurt so bad) 5 weeks before the race. It took me three weeks to recover and then all I had were the last two weeks before the race itself. With the last two weeks being light (taper) training weeks, I did not push it. With that being said, I went into IMWA feeling very unprepared for the run. A friend told me to just take it easy and walk each aid station so I would not risk long term damage. I did this and actually had a good run. At the finish, I felt like I could have run a few more miles if asked. The point is that you have been dealt a setback and you should not risk permanent long term problems for the sake of this race. Do short runs, fartleks, etc…but not anything that will exacerbate the ITB (if you can help it). Also, trust in your training before this started. That and the adrenaline of race day will take you a long way.
