Knee

Had some problems with the knee during Sunday's run.  I got about two miles into it before the tendon on the outside of my left knee got too painful to continue.  It was more pronounced going up and down hill.  I walked back and iced on and off for the rest of the day. 

I just got back from an appointment with Dr. Elenz at Austin Sports Medicine and he said it was inflammation of my IT band from rubbing over one of the bony protrusions on the outside of the knee (can't remember what he called it).  He thought my hips might be a little weak laterally because swimming, biking, running, squats, etc. are all straightforward motions and this might be causing a problem.  He gave me enough Vioxx to poison a horse and a prescription for four weeks of physical therapy to work on strengthening the hips and stretching the ITB.  I will also have my massage therapist focus on my ITBs when I see her.

The doc thought I was okay continuing to swim and lift, and he thought biking was okay as long as it didn't hurt (it didn't on Saturday's 50-miler) and I didn't push big gears.  So I guess I will continue with the really big swim and bike weeks at low intensity to build as much base as possible.  The physical therapist will be able to tell me when I can restart running when I see him or her next Friday.  So it looks like I'm back out again for a while and will have a slow ramp once I do come back.