By now you are probably tired of reading about issues surrounding my IT band and I don’t blame you! I’m tired of dealing with it but the whole journey of feeling the most frustrating pain ever, dealing with it, treating it, and now finally feeling as though I’m going to get through it is hard not to write about. It seems like a strange addiction to be constantly reading about other people’s experience with ITBS, but it’s comforting to know I’m not alone and I hope that what I write brings information, comfort, and hope to others as well.
Despite the excruciating experience of my recent deep tissue sports massage, I truly think it helped. It also showed me where I need to focus with the foam roller and I have to believe more concentrated rolling is also making difference. Why do I believe change is actually happening? Because this morning I did a slow and steady 20-minute jog around a quaint and peaceful neighborhood in North Carolina and felt no pain. Zero, zilch, nada. It was exhilarating and I think I smiled the whole time. I wasn’t out for distance, time, or speed, but just to see how it would feel. The last time I ran was on the treadmill and I pushed an 8-minute mile just to see if I could. Though I did it, I felt the familiar twinges of pain around my left knee. This time though, I felt totally normal!
Well, not totally normal because it was obvious to me that I really haven’t run in a while. I had to force myself to run slow, though I was so excited to be running that I really did want to sprint down the streets. It was obvious from my breathing that I have taken nearly a month off from running. For some reason, it doesn’t really bum me out that I can’t jump right back in to where I left off. Knowing that I want to run for my lifetime, I know it’s important to start back easy and very slowly build my mileage back up. To me, this is a very fresh start. It’s an opportunity to get to know running from the beginning and to do as much as possible as correctly as I can.
Hello running, I’m Natalie. Nice to meet you.