Unfortunately that is where I sit right now. With two weeks until Kona I had finally put to bet my Achilles Tendinosis, watts were up on the bike, swimming was coming along nicely and I had finished my first 20 mile run of the year (aside from the trudging at IM NYC). Body felt great and I was off to my track workout Tuesday of 10x1k's and then it started, I little tightness in my right knee after killing the workout. Ok, well, I'll stretch, take it easy and not do anything too aggressive and it will work itself out. Nope. Head out on my tempo run later in the week. Get through the warmup and the knee didn't "warm-up" to the idea of running and I find myself walking home, unable to run.Fortunately biking and swimming are not out of the question, but of course, my head is swimming at the idea of a possible marathon walk in Kona. Hopefully it will heal enough to let me run in the next week and a half, though I am resigned to "enjoying" my race day in Kona as an athlete/spectator.
Let's dive into what put me in this place as a warning to others:
#1 Steep downhill on my long run - At about mile 16 of my long run last weekend, my route took me on an extended downhill in Burlingame from 280 down to El Camino Real with between 10-15% grade. I didn't think much of it and should have either figured out a different route, or walked down, but the slamming on my knees couldn't have helped things.
#2 Ran my track workout too fast - Feeling invincible after my 20 miler, and training going well, I disregarded my coach's paces for my workout for the second half of my 1k's on the track and picked up the pace.
#3 Not listening to my body - At the first sign of my knee not liking running last week I should have just shut it down and diagnosed the issue instead of trying to forge through. There is a time and place for that stubbornness, knees are not one of them.
I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on IT Band therapy. Help me not have to walk a marathon!
