I miss you, running.

So I haven't posted in a while, mostly because I haven't been running. Specifically, I didn't even run a step for 5 days. I know.

My mom and stepdad were here for the last 5 days, making it impossible to run. They don't travel much and they aren't very self-sufficient, so I felt obligated to keep them entertained. We did do a shitload of walking and I played the part of a substandard Boston tour guide (with a Southern accent) for most of the time. I have to say, being a tourist is exhausting.

Yep, Supertourist with Mama & Stepdad

Yes, this was taken from a Duck Boat.

Not giant balls. Giant Vandergraff machine at MOS (which was terribly disappointing)

PENGUINS!

SEALS!

After making my 4th trip to the airport in 10 days (and I do not work there, nor did I ever get on a plane) via MBTA (a 60-75 min one-way trip), I got home yesterday and stayed on the couch for the better portion of the day. The best part is I have only a 48-hour reprieve, because my sister and her husband arrive on Saturday. AND the day after they leave, I have more friends coming to stay with us. Hotel CK is booked. 

How do you guys get your workouts in when you have houseguests? I am at a loss trying to figure out how to do it. I guess I just worry they will feel like they are wasting their vacation time waiting on me.

My husband also had a rough week - miltary full-time job + 2 summer term grad classes = he's running on fumes. I convinced him to come run with me yesterday and we did a slow 4 miles and talked (because we've barely even seen each other over the past 7 days). 4 miles, 9:00 avg pace.

I've been reading Advanced Marathoning by Pfitzinger. I am such a geek, because I find all this information fascinating. I'm only about halfway through the book, so I will refrain from speaking about it until I finish. But already I have to say I really wish I would have read it before I ever ran a marathon. The title is somewhat misleading, because this information would be useful to anyone looking to successfully run a marathon. Marathoning isn't just about getting the miles in - it's also about fueling, hydration, rest, and run strategy -all of which is covered in this book.

Marathon training doesn't need to begin for a few more weeks, so for now I'm just running casually (and slowly) and going to the gym, yoga class, and some spinning here and there.

I am not in pain. I am not in pain.

So about a week ago, I went to go carry my 30 lb. dog downstairs (she was getting a bath and was less than cooperative) and I felt a little twinge in my right knee, below my kneecap. I got worried about it for about 10 minutes, and then forgot about it after I left for Nashville. I was in so much other pain during that disaster of a race that I didn't even think about my knee. I can honestly say I can't remember it hurting.

But every day I've run this week (3) I've felt stiffness and pain right below my kneecap. I know I should not turn to google for these things, but of course, I did... and when you google "pain below kneecap" the first results are Runner's Knee.

NO NO NO NO NO. I refused to believe this. This is no time for injury! The only other injury I've incurred was an IT band issue near my right knee - they think it was a small tear at my knee attachment. Anyway, F U Runner's Knee, I am refusing to have anything to do with you.

The only treatment for Runner's Knee seems to be the typical - RICE, time off, etc etc. I have been icing every day, taking ibuprofen when I can remember, and I tried to wear a knee brace today but I swear it hurt worse then. I have a patella band somewhere (i.e. I'll probably have to tear apart my house to find it) but I am unsure if that is the correct treatment either.

So have any of you had runner's knee? How did it effect your training? And how did you treat it?

Running Gear Thursdays

So I am kind of a running gear junkie. Some might think I have a problem. Since I spend more of my life in running gear than regular clothes, I figure it's okay to have lots of it, right?

I am currently running about 30-40 miles a week, along with about 3 session of weight training and 1 yoga class a week. I like to have multiple pairs of running shoes - which I say is for rotating through so they wear more evenly, but really, deep down, I just love running shoes.

I am sort of in a shoe flux right now. I just started keeping track of my shoe mileage, so I really don't know how many miles my current shoes have on them. I've had my current shoes for about a year or so - and I trained and ran 3 half marathons last summer, but my mileage was pretty light through the fall. I picked it up big time around Thanksgiving (shout out to the 100 mile challenge on dailymile), but since I was running in the lovely New England winter conditions, I wore gortex trainers most of December, January, and February.

I am currently running in these shoes:

Nike Pegasus 27. They still feel pretty good. I think I have about 250 miles on them, so I am unsure how much longer they will last. I used Superfeet insoles for about 2 years, but the bulk of them was causing me some pain/tenderness on the top of my foot. I recently accquired FootDisc insoles from a GearBuzz deal and I really dig them. I have super high arches, but no pronation issues. I also have become a midfoot striker over the past year or so (after the beginnings of a heel spur).

I also run in these:

Nike Pegasus 25? 26? I scored these off eBay last year for like $35. They were the previous year's version. I like the feel, but they are SO UGLY. I have a vendetta against white running shoes. I recently read about washing running shoes in the dishwasher (totally works! and doesn't damage them at all!) and I washed them, but unfortunately they are now just ugly and clean. They have about 200 miles on them.

I wore these through the winter:

Nike Pegasus 27 GTX (Gore-Tex). I cannot say enough good things about these shoes. They really are windproof and waterproof. The only downside is they have a standard sole, so running in the snow was challenging (lots of slipping and sliding).

I am now having a dilemma of what my next shoe should be. I had a brief moment where I wanted to try the barefoot thing, so I ordered these:

Saucony Hattori. They are cool, I will give them that. But I quickly realized that trying out barefoot shoes with a half marathon less than a month away is a stupid idea. Also, they tore up the back of my heels so bad that I am still having nightmares about them. See that little tab on the back? Who on earth thought that was a good idea?

So then about two weeks ago, after an 11 mile run and a bloody mary, I decided to branch out from my Nikes (which I've been wearing for 5+ years pretty much exclusively) and get a pair of these:

Adidas Oscillation. I HATE them with the fire of 1000 suns. I wanted a pair of shoes that were a little lighter for shorter races and track work. You see that odd stitching around the opening and tongue? It's super stiff. I took them out for a slow 5 miler and I ended up with bruises on my ankles! My ankles felt like I'd run 10 miles the next day. That is unacceptable. I am so mad at myself for buying them (and at my husband for throwing away the box, so I cannot return them). I will never put these torture devices on my feet again.

So as a last ditch effort, I ordered these last night:

New Balance 890. New Balance is super dominant here in their hometown area of Boston. So I figured I'd give them a try. And I ordered them from a store that will take them back (and I will lock down the box far away from the husband). And, they are YELLOW! I love vibrant, fun shoes.

Also, I've gotten hooked on compression gear. It started with a pair of CEP calf sleeves:

(mine are black)

And OMG immediately the nagging soreness in my soleus and my inner ankles was gone! But them I realized the sleeves weren't good for recovery too, so I scored some CEP socks on eBay:

(I ended up with the pink ones. I am NOT a pink person, but they were half price. I AM a cheap person)

And I totally love them too. My husband is even hooked on them (he says he's had a lot less shin pain).

So I have been reading about the wonders of these compression shorts that are made just for women, so I ordered them too because they are having a HALF OFF sale right now!

I ordered red ones because I live on the EDGE

I'm 'gearing up' (so to speak) because I'm going to start marathon training in May. I haven't run a full marathon since 2009; I sort of looked at it as 'did it, checked off life list, move on' type thing. I also injured myself somewhere in there and it took a while to get my mojo back. Since moving to Boston, running has crept into my veins again, and since I've been running so much faster and stronger I feel like this *might* be my year to BQ. (I kind of hate typing that, I feel like I'm jinxing myself). My last marathon in 2009 was the Chicago Marathon, where I ran a 3:55:56. I'm running much faster these days so I'm going to train through the summer and hope for a fast fall marathon with the intention of qualifying for Boston for 2014.

So, what's your favorite running gear? And what are your favorite shoes? And how many miles do you typically put on a pair before throwing them out? Inquiring minds want to know!

(None of these people paid me to mention their products)