Happy Anniversary!

Happy Valentine's Day! If you know me, I'm not one to celebrate. But there is one anniversary that I have to acknowledge.

An anniversary with a running shoe? Yes. I realized that on Valentine's Day 2009, I went to Jack Rabbit with one of my best friends in NYC and discovered the Brooks Adrenaline 9. Three years later, the Brooks Adrenalines and I are still together. I currently run in the Adrenaline 12 (pictured above), but the 9s started my relationship with the company (and model).

(For some other cute stories involving love and running, check out this article from Runner's World!)

The Training

There's lots of catching up to do! So I'll just summarize.

Friday - 4.03 mi. easy run

Saturday - 9.7 mi. on the stationary bike

Sunday - 14.05 mi. long run

Monday - Vinyasa yoga

The long run could have been better. My knee started acting up around mile 10, but I was able to finish the run in one piece. Funny enough, the Fanconi Anemia 5K/8K/12K was happening at the same time and place as my long run. It didn't interfere with the run much, but I got to run across the finish line of the race! (I think the race officials understood that they were taking up prime running real estate.)

I think about a lot of things on my long runs, but after a certain point, I start thinking about what I'm going to eat when I'm done. On one of my 3 hour training runs for the NYC Marathon, I started craving a breakfast burrito. I ended that run at the Portland Farmer's Market, and upon seeing a burrito vendor, I was overjoyed. That burrito was so delicious. (True life: I have an inner fat kid.) On Sunday's run, I thought about eggs, oatmeal, and banana French toast, among other foods. When I got home, I opened my fridge, and was inspired by the smorgasbord of produce that I bought the day before. I ended up making an omelet with avocado, jalapeño pepper, spinach, and red pepper. I should've had some carbs with that too, but my mind was so focused on the omelet that I forgot about that part.

As far as my knee goes, I went to Vinyasa yoga yesterday. The combination of poses (pigeon included!) helped a bunch! I also started trying the IT Band Rehab routine I found on the Strength Running blog.

There's a 6M run in the forecast today, along with some stormy weather. Let's see how the knee and I hold up!

Making the Most of a Rest Day

One of the best parts about long runs during training? The day of rest that comes after. You could take the day off completely (I won't judge you now; I've done that before), or go easy on the mileage. Really, it's about listening to your body and doing what it needs.

I stretched extensively yesterday after my long run. However, my right piriformis still felt tight (or so I think that's what it is -- the longer I sit, the more pain I feel, which is indicative of piriformis syndrome), so I opted for yoga. My last chiropractor had recommended it as a means to develop flexibility and core strength. When I realized that my gym membership included yoga classes, I was toward the end of my training for the NYC Marathon, and needed all of the stretching/flexibility help that I could get. So I tried it, and I've been going fairly regularly since then. I've even convinced a few classmates to go. (It's possible that the improved flexibility from yoga helped me PR in NY, but I can't confirm that one.)

My gym has a great Vinyasa yoga on Monday evenings, so I went there. (If you don't have a gym membership, or belong to one that doesn't offer yoga classes, scour sites such as Groupon or Living Social. They always seem to have deals for yoga classes!) It was quite beneficial, especially the pigeon pose! (Note: I went for a massage recently, and the massage therapist told me that my iliotibial band was really tight, so it's possible that this is my issue. It's also possible that both areas are tight.)

Unless you're an athlete, are well-versed on human anatomy (no lewd jokes, people!), and/or have had these issues before, you're probably wondering what I'm talking about. Well, today's your lucky day, because I (with the help of my undergrad Anatomy textbook -- I KNEW there was a reason I saved it!) have a brief lesson! Are you ready for this??

The piriformis is the muscle that originates from the sacrum and inserts on the greater trochanter (head) of the femur, and is responsible for laterally rotating your thigh. (You know all those times you twist your thigh outward? Go thank your piriformis.)

The iliotibial tract (band) is a thickening of the fascia lata (sheaths of fibrous tissue) that extends from the iliac crest (part of the pelvic girdle) and attaches to the lateral condyle (upper portion) of the tibia. The gluteus maximus (responsible for laterally rotating the thigh) and tensor fasciae latae (responsible for medially rotating the thigh, or rotating it inward) both attach to it. It helps stabilize the knee during extension and flexion, meaning that it's used constantly during running and walking. It can also get irritated from overuse. (There's a reason why IT Band Syndrome is commonly referred to as "Runner's Knee!")

But I digress. For further information on either part or syndrome, consult a trained professional, book, or Google.

Source: McKinley, M. & O'Louglin, V.D. (2006).  Human Anatomy. New York: McGraw-Hill.