I’ve just had my 2nd pain free run since getting ITB injury a while back.  The 1st was last week.  I’m even happier that today’s run was the local parkrun in Edinburgh and I ran 5km in 20:22.  Not quite my fastest but my fastest in a long while. But I’m not about records, speed or distance these days, I’m all about recovery. 

I’ve been doing three things to help me reach the target of running pain free and getting my mojo back. 

1. Physio stretches and exercises

My visit to the physio post Ironman was interesting.  She was surprised when I told her I’d done it, and with that, surprised I’d not done any permanent damage.  The latter I am hopeful for too, but right then I was injured.  Unable to run without pain in both knees.  The physio threw the book of exercises and stretches at me. 

2. Pilates

The physio also suggested I went to a Pilates class to build the core and work on understanding and feeling where the work is done in terms of muscles.  I signed up to 14 weeks after a taster session.  Knowing one of the instructors became injury free when running by doing Pilates spurred me on.  I’m now 4 weeks in and enjoying the classes.  I can feel my core working, and I try to do some of the exercises during the week too. 

3. Feldenkrais

This is the latest thing I’ve chosen to try to help.  I found a website, http://www.balancedrunner.com and while reading about it, I also happened to be recommended to do it by the lady in the running shop.  Coincidentally the lady who has the balanced runner site had set up a clinic in Edinburgh from her base in New York.  Although skeptical at first, after my 2nd lesson I now understand it and I have ‘bought’ into it. 

The three items together are helping me to run pain free.  I’ve only had 2 successful pain free runs and they were 5kms runs. Here’s hoping for many more. 

I will be trying to run 2-3 times per week and no more than 5km so that I can become stronger and better at running.  

Once I’ve completed my 4 Feldenkrais lessons I will post about the experience as I noticed there aren’t many sites out there giving independent advice about the subject.