I RAN 4.5 MILES!!

Can I get a WOOT WOOT!!

HAPPY after my run.  And check out my new headphones...review coming soon! :)

So, I know 4.5miles is not a long distance, but for me, being able to run longer than 1 mile without pain is AWESOME!  You all know that I've been dealing with this nasty IT band injury since January.  I've been to my PT, done the exercises, and focused on strengthening the areas my PT felt were weak.  I have really been taking it easy on my runs, doing a RULK (run/walk) combo for each one, and running at a pace A LOT slower than my pre-injury days.  I started by doing .5M walk/.5M run, then increased it to .25M walk, .75Mrun, then increased it from there.
FINALLY, on Saturday I did a RULK of .25M walk/1.5M run and kept going until I reached the 4.5M run mark.  I felt awesome and almost back to normal again, but didn't want to push it.  I still have a lot of my fitness, but it's amazing how much "running" fitness you lose when you don't run on a regular basis.  The last thing I want to do is run too far, too soon and cause the IT to flare up again.

I don't know what exactly helped my IT band heal.  But, here are the things I think helped ME:
*  Taking a much needed rest from training.  I'll be the first to admit that I was totally overtrained when I did the AZ marathon.  My body was tired and I didn't listen.  Lesson learned!!
*  Strength exercises to strengthen my hips/glutes.  I really think the combo of my PT exercises and the TRX really helped.
* SLOWING down.  After the AZ marathon I tried running again at my normal pace and paid for it big time.  I think as runners, pace is such a big thing sometimes.  But, what I learned is that what really matters is that you're running at a pace that is working for you and not going to cause injuries.
*  My VFF Bikilas.  I started running in my VFF Bikilas again.  I started every RULK I did in my Bikilas and have now worked up to wearing them for 1.5M!  They are awesome and I love the way I feel when I run in them.

*  Running in a minimalist shoe.  I wish I could wear my Bikilas all the time, but my body is not ready for that yet.  So, the next best thing for me is running in a pair of minimalist shoes.  I absolutely love these shoes.  They are the isoTransition from Pearl Izumi and they are awesome!  They are meant to be worn sockless, but I'm not quite ready to experiment with that yet.  Plus, last time I tried that I got a huge blister!  I need to concentrate on getting my running back, so socks it is!

Hopefully, I'll be able to continue increasing my mileage without pain.  My training for IMAZ officially starts on Sunday, so I am just ecstatic that I'm finally getting better!!  Woohoo! :)

On a side note, I know today is supposed to be a Tasty Tuesday post, but I was just too excited about being able to run!!  I promise I'll get some Vegetarian and Humpastry Day recipes posted soon!