1/13/06: The Marathon Expo!!!!
So this is by far my favorite pre-race festivity (Unfortunetely, I have to miss the HRB and Strider’s pasta parties this year due to going out of town for a day). The energy is always exciting, nervous and supporting all at the same time. (I actually missed some work to hang out at the Expo this year!!) There are always great prices on gear and tons of free samples being passed out. Let’s see, some highlights…
I got a pair of my favorite shoes for $70.00! Usually they cost me $85.00 so that is a steal for me. I also tried some chocolate cherry Carbboom (yummy, tastes just like chocolate syrup!!) and ate every free food thing they were handing out since I had missed lunch. I met the author of Distance Runner, who happens to live in Houston, and hung out briefly with Jon and Edwin. Also saw Coach Steeeeve and his wife Barbara (also a coach of the SMARTie program) and a few other Striders. Everyone looked so professional in real clothes and seemed ready for the Big Day.
The biggest deal to me though was getting a complimentary gait analysis from Koala Centers (they usually cost $70 in-house). I knew I needed to get one done since I KNOW my running form is kind of jacked and all (example-I swing my right arm and leg out)…it was certainly eye-opening. Although OVERALL I have a decent form, there are so many things I do when I run that are the big REASONS WHY my dumb hamstring has been bothering me. I really have my work cut out for me…
I am afraid that if I don’t work on the things I saw during my analysis, I will never rid myself of my hamstring problems. Also, I am afraid that if I don’t rid myself of my hamstring problems, I won’t get any faster and continue to improve as a runner. I can TELL that my hamstring is already holding me back…it just feels tight and because it is tight I don’t get the same push-off as I do with my left leg. Damn, this sucks. I certainly am going to make this a goal to work on during the ‘off season.’ I’m still not sure if I want to go back in for another analysis though, where they will actually prescribe strength training for me (ahh, it’s expensive, but…probably well worth it). I certainly need to do it, though, and coupled with heart-rate based-training, I plan to continue to ready myself for next year’s Marathon! So long away, it seems, lol…
So this is by far my favorite pre-race festivity (Unfortunetely, I have to miss the HRB and Strider’s pasta parties this year due to going out of town for a day). The energy is always exciting, nervous and supporting all at the same time. (I actually missed some work to hang out at the Expo this year!!) There are always great prices on gear and tons of free samples being passed out. Let’s see, some highlights…
I got a pair of my favorite shoes for $70.00! Usually they cost me $85.00 so that is a steal for me. I also tried some chocolate cherry Carbboom (yummy, tastes just like chocolate syrup!!) and ate every free food thing they were handing out since I had missed lunch. I met the author of Distance Runner, who happens to live in Houston, and hung out briefly with Jon and Edwin. Also saw Coach Steeeeve and his wife Barbara (also a coach of the SMARTie program) and a few other Striders. Everyone looked so professional in real clothes and seemed ready for the Big Day.
The biggest deal to me though was getting a complimentary gait analysis from Koala Centers (they usually cost $70 in-house). I knew I needed to get one done since I KNOW my running form is kind of jacked and all (example-I swing my right arm and leg out)…it was certainly eye-opening. Although OVERALL I have a decent form, there are so many things I do when I run that are the big REASONS WHY my dumb hamstring has been bothering me. I really have my work cut out for me…
I am afraid that if I don’t work on the things I saw during my analysis, I will never rid myself of my hamstring problems. Also, I am afraid that if I don’t rid myself of my hamstring problems, I won’t get any faster and continue to improve as a runner. I can TELL that my hamstring is already holding me back…it just feels tight and because it is tight I don’t get the same push-off as I do with my left leg. Damn, this sucks. I certainly am going to make this a goal to work on during the ‘off season.’ I’m still not sure if I want to go back in for another analysis though, where they will actually prescribe strength training for me (ahh, it’s expensive, but…probably well worth it). I certainly need to do it, though, and coupled with heart-rate based-training, I plan to continue to ready myself for next year’s Marathon! So long away, it seems, lol…
posted by Jessica, a Austin Runner AND triathlete at
10:38 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home