10 Days and Counting

10... FRIGGIN'... DAYS. This morning we received the Final MCM Newsletter with all of the last minute details for race day and my stomach dropped about 3 feet. 

I've been in COMPLETE denial about this race for the past 3 weeks. My knees have given up on running altogether, so I've focused my efforts on elliptical training, stretching, and lots and lots and lots of foam rolling. 

Have you guys done any foam rolling? I currently have a love-hate relationship with that surprisingly effective contraption. It practically brings tears to my eyes every time I'm on it, but I can actually feel it stretching out my muscles and working out all of the tightness that could hold me back on race day. I'm hoping it will loosen up my IT band so that I can hobble along for more than 3 miles at a time. But only time will tell. [Full disclosure: I am completely awkward on the foam roller. There is not one graceful thing about it. Let's just say, it's a very good thing I live alone]

Woo hoo for 10 more days! (I had to force out that enthusiasm. My internal thoughts aren't quite as excited). Oh, and do you guys remember my BFF and blogging partner Liv? Me neither. Earth to Mrs. Champion! We're running a marathon in 10 days. Just sayin'....

Roll Toddy! Hotty Tide!

It's game day! Tis' the season when Liv + I are not exactly rooting for the same team (literally). And this day in particular (that would be Bama vs. Ole Miss for you SEC-challenged readers) is the one day of the year when my running partner and I shant speak at all. But in the spirit of good sportsmanship, I wish you all a Rooooooooooooooooooooll Toddy and a Hotty Tide!

Marathon Music

Holy smokes we're in the 'teens! Just a mere 19 days away from embarking on 26.2 miles of misery long-awaited adventure. So here's a question for you: to run or not to run with an ipod?

It's perfectly understandable that some would consider it rude for runners to trot along with their ipods. After all, hordes of folks have trekked out to the sidelines to yell and cheer the runners on, and there they go, just a'boppin' along to their Lady Gaga without a care in the world. 

But at the same time, a marathon is a looooooong time to run. Anyway you bend it, there will be moments along the race when high-fiving a 5-year old on the sidelines just isn't enough to keep you going. A little jolt of some upbeat tunes is oftentimes the only way I can carry on. 

So... to each his own, I reckon. For me, I'll be tuning in to my TBD (input needed!!) marathon playlist. But only at points along the course when the audience is sparse (or completely non-existent around Hains Point), and when I absolutely need that extra push. 

Now comes the most important question: what tunes pump you up? We're working on the ultimate running playlist, compiling all of the best tunes from past Musical Mondays along with recommendations from our friends and readers. Send us your favorite running songs by commenting below and we'll pull together the Ultimate Marathon Playlist (I said that in a very dramatic voice in my head). 

Weak in the Knees

I can hear it now... handfuls of expert runners and coaches shaking their heads and grumbling, "Told you so." When Liv + I first started this running venture, we were told time and time again how important it is to work with a coach or a team or basically anyone that knew a little something about marathon training so we didn't end up injuring ourselves. And did we listen? Of course not. After all, we're invincible. 

So here we are, just weeks before the big race, with only one pair of good knees between the two of us. Liv struggled with Runner's Knee (ITBS) a while back. She went to the doc and did lots of RICEing, and for the most part, has worked past the pain and is hanging in there pretty strong. 

Just recently, I started feeling pain on the outside of my knee, too. I didn't recognize all of the warning signs that I should have, so I kept thinking the pain would eventually just go away. But my runs kept getting cut shorter and shorter, until yesterday, my stride came to a complete halt around mile 3. I limped all the way to my running shop, hobbled up the stairs, stopped in the middle of the store and said, "I need help."

Thankfully, the team at the Running Company in Georgetown is full of rock stars. I pointed to the pain and they identified everything I've experienced. They answered my number one question which was, "Am I doing long term damage to my knee by trying to run through the pain?" Not only did they give me the answer I was looking for, but they made me feel better about not being able to knock out my 20 mile run yesterday. The gal that helped me also coaches real marathoners (as in, people that actually know what they're doing and finish in under 3 hours), and she promised me that doing a second 20 mile run was mainly for mental purposes anyway. She explained that I'm better off RICEing, foam rolling and banging out a couple more 8 - 10 milers before the race (which I'm happy to oblige).

How did I get myself in this position? No doubt because I increased mileage too quickly. I thought I'd be fine half-assing the weekday training and catching up on the weekends with my long runs. As a result, I did way more than my body (namely, my IT band) was prepared for, so here I am. 

Race day was already going to be ugly. Now, it's going to be just plain hideous. But what can you do? Maybe I'll get a Rudy-like chant from the audience to push me across the finish line once it gets dark. "SALLY! SALLY! SALLY! SALLY!" I can hear it already. Let's do this, knee.