IT Band Stretches and Strengthening Exercises

Here are a few good exercises to add to your workout routine. Click the link above.

2011 Eau Claire Marathon

On Sunday I ran the 3^rd annual Eau Claire Marathon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This was my third marathon and I again set a new PR by one minute and 26 seconds. My official chip time was 3:22:29 (25/316 runners).

The race started promptly at 8am with a starting temperature of 34 degrees and steady wind gusts between 20 and 30 mph. There were also a few flurries flying around just to make matters worse.

Just before the race started, I looked to my left and noticed that the 3:15 pacer was right next to me. I decided that it would be good for me to stick with him to keep myself on pace to avoid a huge crash towards the end of the race from starting out too fast. Early on I struggled to contain my urge to pull away from the pacer but eventually my mind won out over my adrenaline and I slowed my pace.

The race went pretty smooth for the first 11 miles. There was decent coverage so the wind didn’t affect me too bad. Then somewhere between mile 11 and 12, things started to open up and the wind really played a negative factor. For the next six miles, I ran into a steady wind between 20 and 30mph. I did get a little break because I was running in a group of five runners. We formed a line behind the 3:15 pacer and did our best to fight the wind.

After six miles of torture, we hit the 18-mile marker and got a break from the wind. It was a nice relief but the damage had been done. I was able to stick with the group for another 3 miles but around mile 22, I drifted away from the 3:15 group. That was the last I saw of them but I was still on pace to set a new PR. I kept pushing myself as much as I could even though my body wanted to stop.

There now was only one obstacle between me and the finish line and that was the dreaded 1/3 mile hill. All of a sudden, one last shot of adrenaline kicked in and I attacked the hill with all that I had left. Somehow I was able to break into what felt like a sprint and finish strong with a new personal record.

Overall, this was one of the better races I have run and I look forward to returning in the future. I also want to send out a big thank you to the police officers and volunteers who did a great job of taking care of the runners to make sure everyone had a safe race day.

Later this week I’ll be posting a video podcast on ways to help eliminate IT band issues. Until then, keep running!