Firstly can I apologise, I know there's probably been a milliion threads on ITBS but wanted to explain my situation and get some direct advice if poss.
The more I've got into my running the more I've realised that I enjoy the longer race so I've been entering a lot of 10 mile+ races both xc and road. However, a couple of weeks ago I did a very hilly 13 mile cross country race. After the race and the following day the outside of my right knee was agony. Since then I've not trained although I did play football last week which aggrevated it a bit.
Yesterday I took part in the Henly half marathon. I could feel my right knee giving me a bit of jip fairly soon into the race but at about 8 mile in there is a big hill about a mile long. This is where it really started to hurt. Today I can barely walk, let alone get in and out of a shower or car. The pain seems to have crept up the side of my leg too so, quite frankly, I want to chop my leg off.
Initially I thought that I could be wearing the wrong shoe and that maybe I am an over? pronator but I eventually got round to getting a gait test Saturday before the race. It turns out that I don't particularly over pronateand was advised to get a structure shoe for longer races. What the guy at Sweat Shop did say was that my right leg was quite a bit weaker and less flexible than the left.
This is basically the long way of asking: If I did some strength training at the gym on my right leg, would it help cure the ITBS?
I've been advised (by another ITBS sufferer) to have a month off but I'm a stubborn sod (hence why I didn't quit the race when it hurt) and want to get a good time in a half marathon in 3 weeks time and then Hellrunner a couple of weeks after. They also suggested afoam roller - Does this actually help?
Thanks for any advice in advance
Gilly
