January 23, 2012

What a Pain in the IT Band (How I Erased it With PT Exercises)

Tal Kopan stretches her IT band after a January run outside.

[Editor's note: Today's post comes to you from guest blogger Tal Kopan. If you'd like to write an injury-related post, message me on Twitter. Thanks!]

Hi. My name is Tal. I’m an athlete, and I have trouble accepting my weaknesses.

I recently learned one of my weaknesses is my IT band.

By way of introduction, I’m a medium distance runner and am working toward a first triathlon, but I consider that my off season. First and foremost, I am an ultimate frisbee player. Continue reading →

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Filed under Injuries, IT band, Tips & Tricks, Your injuries

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January 21, 2012

Yaktrax, DueNorth traction devices for running in snow, ice aren’t foolproof

I've been running outside all winter for a couple of years. Traction devices help get me through.

I hate the treadmill with the white hot passion of a thousand suns. And before I was informed about running outside in the winter safely, I would slog along on the dreadmill for countless boring miles each winter. Continue reading →

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Filed under F*cking Freezing Frozen Lake Half Marathon, Injuries, Knees, running, Shoes, Tips & Tricks

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November 27, 2011

How to keep your spouse happy when you’re training all the time

After this week's long run, I made the hubby and I homemade lattes.

I don’t want to say my husband (fiance at the time) was glad I got hurt while training for the Racine 70.3 Ironman triathlon earlier this year. But I do think he was glad to get our time together back.

Endurance training takes up a lot of time. A lot of that training time eats into our couple time. Continue reading →

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November 19, 2011

Hello, shin splints. Are you telling me it’s time to buy new running shoes?

Stretching does a body good, especially if said body is injury-prone.

I’ve picked a hell of a goal race for coming back from my latest injury — a half marathon in Chicago at the end of January. Continue reading →

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Filed under F*cking Freezing Frozen Lake Half Marathon, Injuries, Races, shin splints, Shoes, Time to replace

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November 12, 2011

Video: First training run with CARA for F^3 Half Marathon

Runners in CARA's 2011 Winter Half Marathon Training program run north along the lakefront path.

What a day for a run! There may have been some wind, and it may have been a bit chilly, but the sun shined down — blessing the first long run of the CARA Winter Half Marathon Training. Continue reading →

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November 5, 2011

I (heart) the F^3 Lake Half Marathon. Here’s why I’ll be writing about it.

Just before the halfway point, Sue (right) and I are having a blast and running strong. (2011)

In January 0f 2011, I ran my first half marathon… on a cold and windy day… in Chicago. And I loved every minute of it.

It was the race’s 2nd annual running, and I immediately became a fan of the race that’s known as F^3 (or, F***ing Freezing Frozen Lake Half Marathon). Continue reading →

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November 5, 2011

Ugh. The Mrs. Me is injury-prone too (Hot Chocolate 5/15K race report).

Two reasons to celebrate: 1. Chocolate. 2. I made it to the finish, narrowly missing another running injury.

I had high hopes for Kirsten Ankenbrand’s first run. Her first race was the Hot Chocolate 5K — a short one, because, well, she’s a new runner and the maiden version of herself was still working back up in mileage after May’s injury. Continue reading →

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Filed under Hot Chocolate 5/15K, Injuries, Races, running, Sprained ankle

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October 25, 2011

Nighty night. Sometimes you just gotta get in a run when you can.

The dog and I pause for a photo during our night-time run.

More than once I’ve driven along Lake Shore Drive after 9 p.m. and, seeing a few runners scattered about the path, wondered, “Who are these crazy people? Don’t they know it’s almost bed time?”

That was before tonight, obviously, when I was one of those crazies. Continue reading →

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Filed under Dark, Pets, running, Tips & Tricks

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June 15, 2011

Do as I say, not as I do? Set a good example for kids instead

This is one confident new bicyclist! (youtube.com)

Maybe you’ve seen the viral video posted on YouTube – it’s of a boy who rode his bike by himself for the first time.

He struggles for how to describe it.

“I feel… I feel… I feel… I feel… I feel happy of myself,” he exclaims. Continue reading →

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Filed under Cycling, Kids, running, Swimming, Tips & Tricks, Triathlon

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June 3, 2011

How jumping jacks crushed my bone, Racine Ironman 70.3 dreams

An X-ray confirmed that I have yet another stress fracture.

This year was supposed to be the Year of No Injuries.

The universe, it seems, had other plans. Continue reading →

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Filed under Cycling, Injuries, Racine Ironman 70.3, Stress fracture, Triathlon

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