Week in review Sept. 28-Oct. 4: Stretch, strengthen, and sit on my butt

Stretch, strengthen, repeat.

There’s not much to report this week, since I took the entire seven days off running to try to let my IT band heal.

I did do my pre-hab (although should I be calling it rehab now?) hip-strengthening moves three times, and did some yoga and stretching three times. I was only partially a lazy bum.

I also got a sports-specific massage Saturday, during which the therapist annihilated my calves and hamstrings in addition to working on my IT band. Seriously, I was laying on the table yelling “Ow! Ow! Ow!” and he just told me to pipe down, that he was barely touching me, and to breathe through it. That’s why I pay him the big bucks, I guess!

I want to try doing SOME movement this week – maybe a few bike trainer rides – but am a little hesitant to try running again quite yet. From what I can tell via Dr. Google, an IT band strain may take weeks or months to settle down. Ugh.

This past week by the numbers:

Pre-hab: Hip-strengthening exercises three times, for about a half hour each, for 1:30 total. This includes resistance band moves, clam shells, foam rolling, etc. I want to work in more glute exercises this coming week.

Yoga: Three sessions of self-guided poses for 1:05 total. I focused on hips and hamstrings.

Total: Six sessions for 2:35.

I’m pretty bummed to be dealing with this less than two weeks from what was supposed to be my A marathon. But I’m not sure what else I can do at this point besides strengthen, rest, and hope that the high mileage I put in earlier this summer is still in my legs, somewhere.