Stretching

I have been reading a lot lately about the pro's and con's of stretching, the timing of the stretch, and various stretching techniques. When I was younger, I never really had the time or maybe more accurately described as lack of patience to stretch. Now, at the ripe old age of 47, I am having to take that time, unfortunately.

Over the last 2 years, I have had an IT Band issue on my right side. After several trips to the massage therapist, performing the stretches the therapist had shown me, icing, and rolling on a tube, that leg has gotten significantly better. As it always happens, the pain goes away and the stretching goes right along with it. However, the last few long runs I have done I am feeling the familiar pain in my butt, my hamstring and my knee but it's not on my right side. It is now the left side! Ugh....

I know what I need to do to fix it. I know what I needed to do to avoid it, too. Why oh why do I avoid stretching? Plain and simple, I hate it. I don't like taking 5-10 minutes, before, during or after a run (depending on whom you believe as to when you should really stretch) to bend, contort, hold and pull myself into various positions. I'd rather start and finish my run, jump into the shower, grab coffee and something to eat and be on my way. My IT band is telling me loud and clear that I better learn to like to stretch or I won't be running when I am 80!