The Longest Run

Saturday I went out for my long run of the week - my longest run. I knew going into this run that I would be putting too much mileage on my legs for this point in my training, but I just had to get out there and prove to myself that I could handle twelve miles without falling apart, without stopping and without massive injury. I have my first half marathon coming up in just two weeks so this was as much about the "mind game" as it was actual training. With the twelve miles on Saturday, that brought my total to 21.4 miles for the week, an increase of five miles over my previous best week. No matter what running expert you talk to, they will all tell you I added more than three miles over what was safe for my current level of training. Not the smartest move I've ever made.
The weather wasn't fantastic, but for December it was tolerable. One thing I've learned as the weather has turned colder is to make sure I have plenty of Kleenex in my pocket and chapstick! Nobody tells you how badly you are going to need these simple little things when the temperatures drop. The fifty two degree temperature did not bother me. In fact, that is pretty close to perfect for running. The West Texas wind, however did bother me. I really do not like running into a 25 - 30mph Northerly wind, but that was what I had in my face for half the run. I was already unhappy about the situation by mile two, but I have become a master cheerleader for myself, so I got my game on. I mentally began to tell myself that these conditions were great for my my training. I thought, "Who knows what the weather will be like in Las Cruces on race day? It could be colder, windier, wetter, anything! This is good. At least the wind is in your face for the first half of the run. This way, the wind will be at your back for the second half and make the harder portion of the run a better experience". Other people may not have to have these mental conversations to get through a run, but I sure do.
I felt truly amazing after passing the half way point. The lack of wind resistance was great and I was feeling really good. I was running relaxed, sticking to a 10:45 mile pace and enjoying myself thoroughly. I didn't notice a problem until about mile eight. My left knee began hurting on the outside of my leg. It wasn't enough to change my stride so I kept plugging along. By mile eleven though, I knew I was beginning to limp and compensate for the discomfort. I was not going to stop running that close to home so I pushed through the pain and finished strong, feeling exhilarated at having completed such a long distance for me with a respectable time of 2:09 for a comfortable pace.
I took precautions after the run and elevated my knee with ice packs for an hour and took my extra strength Tylenol, but by the time I went to bed that night I could barely move. I fell asleep with ice on my knee. I took more Tylenol and iced again. I read my running books and checked the Runner's World web-site to make sure I was treating my injury correctly and discovered that my insticts were correct and that the injury is probably Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS). As Sunday went by and I kept moving my knee, the pain got better and better. I woke up this morning just fine. I'm not hurting at all. However, I exchanged my training run today for a workout on the Elliptical machine in our basement. I hate that thing, but it made no sense to risk another injury when I have a race to run in twelve days. Finally, a smart decision!