Thanksgiving weekend

I survived Thanksgiving with the family. Had a fun day with a ton of food. Even though I ate a ton of pie, the scale was ok on Friday morning. :) Good thing I did that 5K on Thursday morning.
Thursday afternoon my knee was KILLING me. It was pretty bad the whole day. I had a really hard time moving it. It was ok straight and it was ok bent, just getting from one to another hurt.
I googled knee pain for runners and found a few things, then I finally figured out what was wrong. Here's a cut and paste from about.com:

What is the iliotibial band?
Iliotibial band syndrome is due to inflammation of the iliotibial band, a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of the leg. The iliotibial band begins at the hip and extends to the outer side of the shin bone (tibia) just below the knee joint. The band functions in coordination with several of the thigh muscles to provide stability to the outside of the knee joint.
What is iliotibial band syndrome?
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) occurs when there is irritation to this band of fibrous tissue. The irritation usually occurs over the outside of the knee joint, at the lateral epicondyle--the end of the femur (thigh) bone.

And where has my pain been? Um, on the outside of my left knee. Then I found the causes. It can be overuse, not enough stretching and increasing distance or speed too much. I only run at most 3 times a week, stretch like a crazy person and have been really good about slowly increasing my distance while my speed remains the same.

Other causes? Improper shoes, and running on a circular track. My sneakers are about 7 months old with about 15 miles a week on them (some weeks WAY more with walking tossed in). And I have been running on a track since April. That's why its my left knee only. Nice, huh?
So I'm going to have to take it off the track soon and I'm ordering new sneakers tomorrow. I have been taking advil and icing my knee too. Today I walked for about an hour and 20 minutes. I wanted to run, but after about a mile or 2 I started to feel it in my knee. I didn't want to push it too much.

So now I'm home, relaxing. Stopped at Target after the track for milk and my frozen pizza. $125 later I left. (I really don't know how that happens! At least I got one Christmas gift there for my cousin, but everything else? Yeah, for me! Food, undies-SIZE SMALL!- kitty litter & catfood, a new gel pack for my knee and that's about it! $125?)

I have a list that I want to do at home today. Sweep, mop the bathroom, clean the tub, change the lightblub in my bedroom overhead light, put the dishes away, go through some clothes to donate more and finish reading the 15 magazines I'm behind on so I can get rid of them. So far all I did was make that list. But I cleared out my email, made coffee and changed into comfy clothes to get on the sofa in! :) I deserve the break.

Tomorrow I am supposed to start the 1/2 marathon training. We'll see. It is stretch and strengthen day. I have a walk with the fitness group at 11:30 tomorrow morning. I MIGHT do yoga at 10am tomorrow, I don't know yet (said that for 3 weeks now and I STILL haven't made it to this FREE class!) And I'm going to mom's tomorrow too. I suppose I could work out at home tomorrow like I did last weekend and possibly make it to the yoga class, then do the 3 1/2 mile walk at the park too. I'd get it all in and be on track with the training. I just don't know how I'll feel in the am.
Monday night I am supposed to run 3 miles, Tuesday is 2 and I have yoga that night too. Wednesday is 3 miles & stregthen and Thursday is 30 minutes of cross training, but I'll do laps at the pool for that. Friday is Rest and Saturday is a 4 mile run. As long as my knee is ok, I SHOULD be able to do it all. Hopefully! We'll see. Maybe Monday night I'll do the opposite direction on the track and see how my knee feels, if that makes a difference! :)

SO that's it.. Now time for my lazy Saturday. I really really like 4 day weekends. I still have tomorrow off too! :)