Are you listening?

In my Immucell giveaway (HERE), I asked you to share how you stay injury free on my facebook page. So far, I have only one, but it really made me think.

How many of us ignore the aches, pains, and troubles we have while training? guilty! I ignored that knee pain last October while pushing through the Hartford Half, and dealt with it all marathon training. My knee has been feeling better lately, but still paining me here and there.

At bootcamp Friday, we did a million TRX leg work including killer saw lunges

TRX saw lunges

My ass cheeks literally hurt so bad saturday and sunday that sitting on a toilet seat or hard chair was torture. I ignored the aches and pains, and went ahead with my schedule 8 mile run sunday. Which, by the way, was the first outdoor run and longest run since the marathon.

With my achy legs, my pace was slow, and my knee was painful. I needed to stop and stretch and walk a little to ease the pain. My legs felt like lead after, now my quads and hamstrings were feeling it too. 

This morning I was planning on a 6 mile treadmill run, but my legs are still killing me. So I took Pattie's advice and listened to my body. I still got my butt up, but I did the elliptical and took my time stretching afterwards. Today I had a coworker do some trigger point and massage, and I have a hot date with the foam roller tonight.

What else should I listen to my body for?

The foods I eat

The intensity of my workouts

The sleep I need

The stress I need to relieve

Do you listen to your body?

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Weekend recap

Eating did not go as planned. Someone, aka Kevin convinced to split cannoli & tiramisu at a fabulous bakery saturday night. Probably not the best night before a long run fuel. Oh well, it was gooood, and I figured I burned it off during my run saturday. How many calories are in a canoli anyways?

Saturday after work, we went for a ride. A little chilly, but manageable. We got home just as the sun was starting to set. phew! Saturday morning, S and I went for our long run. 9 miles turned into 9.12 when S got confused about our turning point. My right knee has been achy all week. It hurts more in sitting, when my knee is flexed, and was killer at points during our run. I am self-diagnosing myself with runners knee aka movie goers knee, aka patellafemoral pain syndrome. When you have a doctorate vaguely remember things from physical therapy school you are allowed to do that haha. Now I need to dig out my ortho books from college, since as a neuro PT, I don't deal with this type of thing too often.

I am lucky to say I won a Gu sampler pack from Dorothy @ Mile posts. I have never tried Gu before, so this will be an interesting trial run for me. Not sure how I will feel about the consistency of it, but I will definitely give it a go.

Iced my knee a lot today, and have been doing some transverse friction massage to my quadriceps tendon. I'm hoping I'll be okay to get some speedwork in tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!

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5 Powerful Benefits of Stretching

Our body is flexible, well, it's meant to be that flexible. So you can able to reach or bend, reach anything that you drop on the ground. That same flexible body can help you reach that book at the top shelf at the library. These are just very simple activities, but if you are having difficulties doing these simple things or simple motions, I think you need to check a stretching program.

The act of extending to the fullest length of your body is called stretching. It involves training or stretching your limbs. Actually, stretching is very easy. You usually do it in you daily activities. You can do it anywhere, anyplace ant anytime,no matter how old or young you are.

Our muscles tightens as we aged. Range of our joint movements can be reduces. It hinders our lifestyle. that's why as we age we became less flexible. So stretching everyday or doing it regularly can be a very big factor in our health. Stretching doesn't require much of your time, It can be done daily.

Training with almost all kinds of sports is incomplete without stretching. It is usually at the beginning of every training. One of the most popular stretching in training would be the sit and reach. wherein your on a sitting position and trying to reach your foot with their hand. It is usually done for ten minutes. Just enough time to move or flex our muscles. Experts doesn't agree if you go beyond ten minutes, they say it will wear out your body not good for a game.

So what are the powerful benefits of stretching?

1. Stretching prevents injury, injury to joints, muscles and tendons. When your muscles are well flexed. They are definitely in good working order. Helps to recover fast and soreness are decreased. Lesser probability of being injured.

2. The range of one's movements increases if you stretch and exercise regularly, helping the limbs and the joints move. It helps prevents injury.

3. Your ability to perform increase as well, You can perform better and or do more things, you can jump higher without the pain, run faster or even swim with grace.

4. Stretching enhances your energy. Moving more means more energy and more energy means more or a lot of things that you can do.And being aware that you can do a lot of things can result to positive things.

5. Our cholesterol can also reduced by doing stretching. Yoga is one of the prolonged the exercise that can help reduce cholesterol, with proper and balanced diet this is very effective.

So stretch everyday, Don't just sit in front of your computer for hours. Stretch! Add it to your day to day routines,. It doesn't require much of your time. So Let's stretch our way to good health

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