My legs have never been this tight for so long in to a run!
I went out to run 5 miles and for 3.5 or 4 miles, my legs were so tight I couldn't run faster than an 11 minute mile pace (with no walk breaks). My legs just wouldn't open up to my normal stride. I was taking small steps to avoid injury.
To cope with the issue, I slowed down and concentrated on breathing and relaxing to try to loosen my IT bands, hip flexors, and upper glute/lower back, especially on the right side. I even stopped a couple of times to try stretching, lunges, high leg and kick butt drills, and to massage my cramping IT band, but nothing helped until it finally loosened on its own a little before mile 4. On a more positive note, slowing down and concentrating on breathing and such made the run not seem so far or so difficult from an endurance point of view. My "wind" held out just fine and I didn't feel like I was pushing my aerobic endurance.
It was rainy most of the day and the forecast promises more of the same all week. I was able to flex my work schedule to find time between storm cells today, thank goodness. I ran 5 miles in 53:17 with splits at 11:06, 10:57, 10:58, 10:27, and 9:43.
Working through the adversity was tough, but I felt like a fairly hearty runner out there in the rain and in "almost pain" but getting in the run anyway. And I did it without causing actual injury. I know . . . that's probably all luck, right there. Continuing to run after a mile or so when I knew I wasn't loosening up was probably not the best runner decision, especially just 11 days before the Poco Loco half marathon. I've put in far too many miles to have a silly decision like that derail my 3 events in 3 weeks running bonanza. Glad I got away with it today.
My 3-in-3 bonanza includes a half marathon on April 30 (Poco Loco in Boston), a half marathon on May 7 (Columbus Capital City Half), and the Komen Race for the Cure 5K on May 14. It's probably crazy to do two half marathons in a row. I wish I could flip-flop the May 7 and May 14 races so the 5K is between the half marathons. Oh well, I'm going to give it a try anyway. Hope my luck continues to hold out. Knock on wood.
Hey Kelly.....hang in there, I know it is tough. The runs you have coming up....just try to treat like a set of training runs rather than racing....concentrate on relaxing, breathing, stretching....everything that keeps thoughts away from the distance. Oh...I had no wood to knock on, so I knocked on my head, heard the usual hollow sound, and wished you luck...: - )
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