Internal conflict

[morningstar]

Do you ever wonder if you know anything about fitness from your own head and experiences? Sometimes I spout so much about high protein, carbs, cardio, HiiT, high reps, low reps, hypertrophy, endurance, no colonics, no fasts, blah blah blah ad nauseum, that I forget that none of this is from my own head - this is all stuff that I've read. I sometimes feel that I have lost the knack for listening to my own body because I'm so busy listening to the "experts".

I have IT Band Syndrome. It sucks. I'm in physiotherapy for it. It makes running painful. I love running. Ever since I fell in love with running, I've had injury after injury. My physiotherapist tells me to keep running. And I say to myself, I love running, I love being a "runner". But I am starting to wonder, am I cut out to be a runner? Maybe I'm always getting injured because this isn't right for me.

Today I danced for 90 minutes and incorporated plyo. I had a ball and burned 1000 calories. And felt guilty, because I chose to do that instead of running. I've been doing that a lot- dancing instead of running. I have signed up for 6 races next year, and paid for them, and if I back out, I don't think I get my money back. I love that feeling of strength, of moving my body through the universe by my own power. All other exercise feels to me like a substitute for running. And yet, I LOVE dancing and feel so energized and sexy as hell doing it, even as I burn an amazing number of calories. But I feel like I SHOULD be running; my first race is at the beginning of April and if I don't run I won't be ready.

I am so conflicted. Running is to me so much more than exercise; it's a definition of who I am. I am at a crossroads and could really use the insight of my lovely Catheite friends.

 

[Stebby]

Morningstar, I have IT Band Syndrome too and I've had tremendous benefit from rolling my IT bands with a foam roller (most painful thing in the world but it works) and regular visits to an athletic therapist to "release" my IT bands (wait, this is the most painful thing in the world - the foam roller comes second). I have to be very diligent about this, but if I do it I can live my normal life.

Do you do / have you ever done the foam rolling? What is your physiotherapist doing to, I mean for, you? I am not a "real" runner like you - it's just one of my cardio workouts and I've only been in 2 races in my life - but as long as I do my rolling I can keep doing it.


Stebby

 

[morningstar]

Morningstar, I have IT Band Syndrome too and I've had tremendous benefit from rolling my IT bands with a foam roller (most painful thing in the world but it works) and regular visits to an athletic therapist to "release" my IT bands (wait, this is the most painful thing in the world - the foam roller comes second). I have to be very diligent about this, but if I do it I can live my normal life.

Do you do / have you ever done the foam rolling? What is your physiotherapist doing to, I mean for, you? I am not a "real" runner like you - it's just one of my cardio workouts and I've only been in 2 races in my life - but as long as I do my rolling I can keep doing it.


Stebby

Hey Stebby,

I do foam rollering every day, and the physiotherapist does that brutal thing where she does the "release" and I basically would rather give birth than go through it. Release, my ass!

 

[ellesan]

I don't have any answers, I'm right there with you! I also have ITB and love to run. I have not been diligent with my stretching/foam rolling lately, so I know that would help...but still. I hate it when I'm psyched to do a run and after one mile the pain is so bad I have to stop. It is so frustrating when I'm running easily (cardio wise) and then the pain kicks in and I have to stop.

I also paid for two races last year that I didn't attend because of ITB and other health problems. This year I'm going to wait 2 weeks before the races and see where my knee is at. I could always walk....but SO not the same.

 

[jansherman]

Morningstar, it sounds like you should do both running and dancing. Run as much as you can with your IT band problem, and dance the rest of the time. I loved running for years, then totally went away from it for awhile. I got into lifting, kettlebells, kickboxing - anything but running. I convinced myself that I was healthier, looked better...since I'd stopped running so much. And I truly didn't miss it.

Recently I started again and am training for a marathon. It's like I've come home again. My body looks the way I want it to look again, and I've realized that to some extent running does and has defined me. I know exactly how you feel in that area. I have a knee issue, some IT band problems, misc. little things that impair my running from time to time, but I know now, after leaving it behind for awhile, that I'm happiest when I'm running.

 

[RapidBreath]

Awwww MStar!!!!!

Last fall I had to give up pretty much everything when I was fighting my IBS for about four months (mind blowing pain) and I'm still in recovery mode. Its tough. If the running is not working for you, can you bring it down to a walk? Could you work a longer version of the C to 5k? There is nothing wrong with dancing instead. I danced throughout my teens. Its great exercise.

I guess what I'm saying is, do what feels right and don't worry about the identity.

 

[jonahnah]

Hi Morningstar,

Have you worked w/ a running coach before? They can often determine what it is about HOW you run (your gait, foot strike pattern, foot/leg anatomy, type of shoe, distances, tempo etc. ) that causes your injuries.

Before you give up running, which you said is a huge part of your identity, see if a different kind of expert can help you run pain free.

It's hard to self diagnose these things, BTW and looking at books/pictures online isn't the same as having someone watch YOU run.

HTH and good luck!