Hey friends! I know, I know. I have been MIA again. Grad school + work really kicks your ass over and over again until you end up sick. Like I am right now. Okay, I got sick cause everyone around me was sick and decided to go to work. Nothing serious- just a lot of long naps, hot tea, and Friends on Netflix.
Since I last posted, I have been working on half marathon training. I ran my sixth (WOO! Funny to think that I just started running mid-2013) half marathon on Sunday! More on that later.
My new routine has been to runch (run during lunch) with some girl friends at work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s so great to get out and get some fresh air and get those legs moving. Plus, my workout for the day is done! It’s not easy when you work full-time and go to grad school, to find time to fit those workouts in. When you have friends counting on you and you know you won’t have to workout on your own at night, it’s much harder to bail! We only have time to go 3-5 miles, but that’s about how long most of my short runs are anyways.
Also, on Mondays and Fridays, our company has pilates classes onsite. I tried my first class this Monday and I’m hooked! I’ll definitely be back. It’s not really like any pilates I’ve done- it’s more like a HIIT (high intensity interval training) class with slow core and weights mixed in. So FUN!
Now, back to the half marathon training. After I ran my first marathon, followed by a half marathon 1 week later, followed by a 10K 2 weeks later, my IT band has been angry at me. Go figure. Some people can do this. I am not one of those people. At least not yet.
Any time I would run over 5-ish miles, I could feel my IT band pull at my knee and then travel up to my hip. Fun stuff. I have been resting it as much as I can (that’s a lie), rolling, and strength training to try to fix the problem.
I finally bought some Rock Tape after a bunch of you told me to! My pirate friend is a fan of the Rock Tape! My next issue was, how the heck do I apply this stuff? Of course I can watch YouTube videos, but it’s always better if someone teaches you in person.
Luckily, a family friend (of Kyle’s family) is a retired physical therapist. She’s amazing and super knowledgeable and offered to show me how to use the stuff. I found out 2 things on this visit other than how to apply the tape:
1. I have huge thighs
Yes thanks. I’ve known that for a while now.
2. I’ve been standing wrong my whole life
Whatttt? Yeah. Kind of bums you out when you find out that you are performing a basic human function incorrectly. #failatlife
So I’ve mentioned before that I over-pronate like it’s my job.
Basically when I stand, my arches collapse completely and this causes my knees to turn inward and hyperextend.
I was told that because of all of this, if I don’t correct how I stand (collapsed arches, inward knees, hyperextension), I WILL definitely have knee issues when I’m older. YIKES! I really don’t want that.
So I was given some major homework of standing properly. It feels incredibly weird, and after a tough workout, I really feel all these new muscles that were clearly sleeping on the job for 24+ years. I basically force my feet to have an arch, distribute all my weight evenly on my feet fat pads, and make sure to keep loose knees.
I feel like I look like this:
I’m off to go practice standing.
Also, pretty pleaseeee help Kyle and myself out! We want to win a Valentine’s Day photo contest. All you have to do is click here and like our photo 🙂 If we win I’ll teach you how to stand.
Have you had IT band issues? What did you do to fix it?
Have you used kinesio tape?
How many of you are wondering if you are standing incorrectly ;)?
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Ok done and voted for you two cuties!
You got my vote! Always nice to see you on here. Your positive attitude and sense of humor is refreshing. PS I think you have great legs and I totally understand the runder thighs. I’ve got me a set and I hate trying to shop for pants, especially jeans!
Aww thank you so much!!! You’re the sweetest! LOL thank you- slowly learning to appreciating the runder thighs…
I voted yesterday!
I’ve got KT tape and occasionally use it. I attempted to run with it but it just came off. I wasn’t sure if it was because I put it in ten minutes before I went out….
Oh my! I pronate too and can sometimes feel it if I’ve walked all day – I was stood in the running shop and the women said she can clearly see that I pronate and I was stood on my normal trainers….I keep meaning to see a physio, think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and go.
Yes! You should definitely go see someone if you’re interested! And remember, if you’re ever unsure about something, get a second opinion 🙂
Ohhhh the IT band. lots and lots of glute and hip strength. How did she suggest to stand differently? by squeezing your butt a little? at my last PT appointment, I found out I was standing wrong (and thus running with the wrong footstrike) too! (what is wrong with us?! lol). one of my feet was pronating too much, and the other one was suppinating too much…he said that it was probably a subconscious effort from my body to correct the leg length discrepency that I had when my pelvis was twisted. and then the standing wrong issue just stuck around.
and for the record…your thighs are normal-sized!!
LOL OMG my standing twin! She said I need to try to force myself to have an arch (equally distribute my weight on my feet fat pads and hold my feet in a neutral position). Also, engage my quads and glutes. I swear I look like I’m twerking… And awwww thank you- tell her that my thighs aren’t massive 😉
I love to runch as well. Oh my, I’ve been taped up for three weeks (on and off) by my physio therapist. I see her today and am asking if she can teach my how to tape my hamstring on my own. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been foam rolling my glutes, IT band, hamstrings, quads – you name it – and it makes such a difference in my injury.
Nooooo I’m sorry! At least you’re moving in the right direction! I hope you heal up quickly!
I love runch! IT band is nothing to mess with – I’ve been there. I’ve come to learn that it’s an imbalance issue – that’s why I do lots of one-legged exercises – lunges, squats, leg press, YOGA, etc! Try to keep both sides equal. You can find someone to do ART and Graston on it too (if you can take it). Yes – the RockTape will help too – can you find a chiro or someone who can help show you how to apply it? And yes, there are tons of Youtube videos on it. My tips – Make sure to cut the corners into rounded edges so it don’t catch on clothes, you stretch the middle of the tape when applying but not the ends, rub the tape once applied to warm up the glue to help it stick
YES! I realized that while training for my first marathon and the subsequent half, I was really good about all exercise (stretching, strength, etc.). After that though, I started slacking and was only running and kind of forgot everything else. NOW I am doing strength training at least 1 day/week (which includes one-legged stuff)! Yeah my PT showed me how to tape my IT band- rather my BF b/c it’s kind of hard to tape your own leg…
How cool! I love finding out new things about my body. Just think, if you hadn’t gone to see your PT friend you wouldn’t have a new goal to work towards. Glad you are back from being MIA, you’ve been missed. Try rolling your glutes instead of just the IT band, sometimes it’s something that’s connected to the area but not actually the area that’s giving you trouble.
HAHA love that you’re glass half full! I realized that it was a blessing in disguise because hopefully this will prevent knee issues! You’re so right- definitely going to try rolling my glutes too (I don’t think I have ever done that before!)!
Can’t wait to hear about the race! Glad you got some tape, lemme know how you like it!
Thank you!! The tape helped so much! It kind of came off but it definitely worked- but we think it’s just my skin haha. My PT did everything right, and so did I- she says some people just have skin that doesn’t allow the tape to stick!
I love Rock Tape! And your foam rolling picture was great.
Lol thank you 🙂
You’re adorable. I also have the big strong thighs and it took me a long time to be thankful for them. I had awful IT issues circa 2007-2009 that I thought were going to be the death of me- lots of rest and rolling and taking running easy for a while, and switching sneaks actually!
Haha thanks love! I’m SLOWLY learning to love them 😉 I was really considering switching shoes and now that you mention it, I think I’m going to take it more seriously 🙂
Yay so glad you’re back, missed your posts lady! I used rock tape after my boot days and it was amazing…I don’t know how it works but it does. Hope you learn to stand right soon!
LOL thanks love!!
I might be standing incorrectly, too! my legs and get look like yours when I stand!
I had IT band issues in my second year of running. I pinpointed my issue: wearing cheap flipflops and old sneakers all the time (my everyday footwear were to blame).
OH NO! Haha maybe you should find out if you’re standing wrong too! Yeah…I’m currently hunting for better everyday footwear cause what I have now is horrible
I am a Pilates LOVER and I am so glad that you loved your class! I just found your blog and fell in love with it! 🙂 And the standing incorrectly thing? That’s something my Pilates instructor always scolds me for… I think about it every time I stand on Public Transport…
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