Iliotibial Band Syndrome...part of getting old I suppose!

Yesterday I had planned to ride for three hours on the course that I will be racing on in January.  Unfortunately, my three hour ride turned into just under 1 1/2 hours due to some pretty nasty pain in my left IT Band.   I noticed on my second lap, and it just never went away.  I elected to shut it down after only two laps around the course, to prevent it from worsening.

Those of you who are runners or cyclists are most likely familiar with IT Band pain, and understand just how long it can hang around.  I figured I had better take it easy on it so as not to risk not being able to train.  For those of you who have not had IT Band pain, or don't even know what it is, here is a very brief lesson on IT Bands.

The Iliotibial Band (IT Band) is a thick piece of fascia that runs down the lateral aspect of each thigh.  It's origin is a small muscle known as the TFL (tensor fascia latae), which is located in the front/lateral aspect of the hip, just up and over from the hip flexors.  The IT Band runs the length of the upper leg, and crosses the knee joint (on the lateral aspect), where it attaches to the tibia, just below the lateral condyle (the bony prominence on the lateral aspect of the knee).  During repetitive exercises such as running and cycling, the IT Band rubs back and forth across the lateral condyle, creating inflammation...and often times, excruciating pain. 

During my most recent 24-hour race, I over-stressed my hip flexors and TFL, thus causing a tightening of my IT Band.  When the ITB tightens, it creates greater amounts of friction on the lateral condyle...and produces pain.  Unfortunately, once the pain begins, it is usually too late to do anything about it other than cease the activity that is causing the pain.  Well....let me tell you that there was no way I was going to stop, and let down my team mates during our 24 hour race!  So...my choice to continue resulted in a great deal of progressive IT Band tightness...and pain.  The deep tissue massage that I received the other day helped to alleviate some of the tightness and discomfort...but not all of it.
 

Training with IT Band Pain...or IT Band Syndrome (as it is officially referred to) is somewhat like walking a tight-rope.  It must be done very carefully so as not to cause more damage than good.  This requires a great deal of 'therapy' to manage the symptoms as well as the cause.  Fortunately I have a fair amount of knowledge in this area, and I should be able to take car of it on my own.  If not...I'm looking at $40 a session with a Physical Therapist!  

The good news is that (other than my ITB pain) I felt really good on my ride yesterday.  My lungs felt good and it was a nice change to be able to ride without my sinuses feeling like they were full of fluid...because they were!  I am confident that I will be able to perform well on my very first (and quite possibly my last) attempt at a solo 12-hour race.  I just need to figure out what is most important for me...to try and ride continuously for the 12-hour duration, or to pace myself by riding three or four laps, then taking a break to eat and hydrate...alternating like that throughout the 12-hours.  Either way, its going to be a tremendous amount of work, that I am sure I will pay for in the days following the race!

Oh by the way...I will be receiving my third frame from Ellsworth tomorrow!  It's time to build it up again.  The light weight of that racing frame will be very helpful in this 12-hour race format.

Thanks for reading!  Check back in a few days for the latest update.

A Slow Return to Training

Well...this is exactly what I was NOT hoping for...a very slow return to getting back on my bike following last weekend's 24 Hours of Fury race.  That's right, I have not been on my bike since then.  I believe I suffered some minor over-use injuries during that race, so I suppose that some time off the bike is actually quite beneficial...physically.  Mentally however, an entire week off of my bike seems like such a long time, and plays havoc on my confidence level and my perception of my own physical condition.

Two days after my race I had a deep tissue massage performed to help relieve some extreme soreness.  I originally scheduled a 55-minute session, but early on in the process of working on my legs, it was quite apparent that I would need to extend that session to 80-minutes.  My legs were so tight, that the massage therapist was having difficulty getting the muscles and fascia to relax.  I am a huge fan of deep tissue massage, but this was the most pain I had ever experienced during a session.  All in all, the therapist spent 80-minutes on just my legs!

Tomorrow morning will determine whether or not a week off of my bike was helpful or not.  I plan to get up early and attack the trail that I will be riding, hopefully for 12-hours straight, on January 7th.  Papago Park will play host to the 2012 12-Hours in the Papago Mountain Bike race again this year.  This trail system is often referred to as the 'bunny hill' of Phoenix mountain biking, as it is not considered to be difficult when compared to the plethora of highly technical riding spots located throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan area.  The loop used for the race last year was roughly 6-miles long, and information regarding this years race states that the same course will be used, however it is stated to be 10-miles long...hmm.  In any case, while relatively easy, there are a couple of short, steep climbs that when performed repetitively over a period of 12-hours, transform this 'bunny hill' into a lung and leg crusher!

So my plan is to get out there early tomorrow, and ride for about 3 hours to see just how many calories I expend.  This is an important piece of information when it comes to planning my nutritional intake over the course of 12-hours...of riding.  This becomes quite tricky when the majority of time (if not all of it) will be spent pedaling.  Much of my caloric intake will come in the form of liquid and gels...which can get quite boring and have been known to cause gastrointestinal issues when consumed over long periods of time.  Wonderful.

Another Race to Prepare For

Wow, it seems like an eternity since I last blogged!  I was very surprised when I opened up my blog to find that people are still reading it...in fact I was very honored.  Well, even though I have a number of other items on my plate...actually, I think I have a number of plates, and each of them are overflowing...I thought I would start writing again.  You see, I have a couple of races coming up and I thought that I would share those experiences with anyone who cared to read about them.  I will not be nearly as prolific in my writing (a promise that I will make to my wife) this time around, but I will do my best to share on a regular basis.

So..."what races do I have coming up?" you ask.  Well...in light of the fact that I did not get to participate in the 2011 World Police and Fire Games, I am planning to compete in 2013...in Belfast, Ireland.  Yep, that's right...Ireland!  I suppose traveling with my bike to New York was simply good practice for an international trip with my bike...I'm hoping so at least!

I also have a race coming up in the next few months...January 7, 2012 to be exact.  It is the annual '12-hours in the Papago' 12-hour mountain bike race.  I competed in this event last year, as a member of a four man team.  This year however, I am planning to step up my game somewhat, and ride it alone...just me and my bike, turning as many 6 1/2 mile laps as possible over the course of twelve hours.  I have been asked already "Why would you do such a thing?"  I suppose my answer is similar to the famous response used by many a mountain climber..."because it is there".  

I am closing in fast on becoming fifty years old, and the way I see it, my window of opportunity for accomplishing certain things in life is slowly closing.  I know what many of you are thinking...really, I do.  Many of you are thinking that I have succumbed to mid-life crisis huh?  Well, that's not exactly the case.  You see, I wont be trading in my trusty Honda Element for a fancy convertible sports car (although I have been eying the new Range Rover Evoque!) or swapping out my extremely hot 40-something wife for two non-stop texting 20-somethings (the thought of that actually makes me cringe)...nope, this is all about staying healthy, active, and hopefully inspiring as I enter into the later stages of my life...and doing it through a sport that I absolutely love...mountain biking.

I also feel as sense of obligation to a small company who was gracious enough to provide me with a pro-level sponsorship....Ellsworth Handcrafted Bikes.  Due to the cancellation of my event in the Police and Fire Games, I was not able to 'pay them back' so to speak.  I am a firm believer in the importance of loyalty, and I would like to think that I am a man of integrity.  As such, I would like to give back to the company that helped to support me and my dream of competing.  The race in January will be a good opportunity to do that, whether I reach the podium or not.  

My training for the Games was designed specifically for cross country racing, which is usually 10-15 miles.  While many would consider that a test of endurance, it is just a sprint when compared to the task of riding a bike for 12-hours...a mountain bike.  So...my training will need to be adjusted...quickly!  Starting tomorrow, I have 61 days until race day...not much time to train, but what the heck.

So wish me luck on my first 12-Hour Solo race...it should be interesting!