Fascial Stretch Therapy Results Thus Far

Several weeks ago I wrote about a new weapon in my training regimen: fascial stretch therapy. I have noticed some amazing results thus far, so I wanted to provide a little update on what has it done for me up to this point.

I started off getting the fascial stretch therapy twice per week (one hour sessions) for two weeks. According to the therapist, this frequency would help flush out all the build up in my muscles, fascia, and ligaments and restore me to where I should be. Since those initial two weeks, I’ve been going once per week. After the old kinks were worked out, once-per-week sessions would help build improvements in my muscles and ligaments. After four weeks of that, I’ll be down to “maintenance” sessions and can go in anytime I feel the need for some stretching or to simply maintain what we’ve worked on.

The biggest result I’ve noticed so far is that I’m less sore and less stiff. You know the feeling, particularly after a long run, when your body is stiff and sore for a few days? Gone. I had a 22-miler a week ago and expected to be really sore the next day. I woke up and felt completely fine – no soreness and no stiffness.

Another huge benefit of the stretch therapy has been a feeling of being balanced. Because I have mild scoliosis, the right side of my body is always a bit tighter than the left side. In the past I believe this has led to several of my injuries because it can throw off my gait and cause me to overcorrect while I’m running. My stretch therapist always works on this and I always leave feeling balanced again.

One of the biggest benefits of stretch therapy touted to me was a gain in speed. I PR-ed in the half-marathon I did a few weeks ago, so I am giving stretch therapy some of that credit. Of course, hard work also plays a big role. The real test of speed will come in less than two weeks when I run the Tuscon marathon. Stay tuned…

Bod Pod Update

I wrote a post a few months ago about my first experience with the Bod Pod, a relatively new machine used for measuring body fat percentage. The first time I was tested, I felt that the results were inaccurate. My husband said I was in denial….I knew my body better.

So a few weeks ago I went and had my body fat tested with the Bod Pod again. And the results this time? Much more accurate!!! The first time I was tested, by the way, it said I had 24% body fat. The second time, 16%. I have several friends in the athletic/sports training/physical therapy field and all agreed that 16% is probably pretty spot on to what they would guess my body fat percentage to be.

So why was there such a big difference between the first and second tests (there is no way I lost 8% body fat in two months)? According to my friend, the person who administered the test, there were two variables that were slightly different on the second testing day. First, the temperature in the room where the Bod Pod was housed was slightly warmer the second day than it was the first. In my opinion, on both days it was freezing, but she claims it was a few degrees warmer the second time around.

The second variable that was a little different was the amount of time she let the machine warm up. Apparently the instructions say to let the machine warm up for 20-30 minutes, which is what she did the first time. The second time, however, the machine had been on for several hours prior to me getting in it.

The lesson learned here is that while the Bod Pod is supposed to be extremely accurate, obviously there are times when it is not. If you get tested and think that the results are incorrect, go back and get tested again. It seems as though small things such as room temperature or how long the machine has been warmed up have the potential to make a difference in its accuracy.

Review: Brooks PureFlow Shoes

Running shoes are a hard thing to review. Everyone’s feet are different, so one person’s shoe preference is likely not the same for someone else. For example, I can’t wear Asics or Nike because they don’t fit my feet right. I am normally a Saucony girl – my shoe of choice for the past year or so has been the Saucony Ride.

Other than my Vibram FiveFingers (which I don’t run in, but I love to wear around the house), I have been very cautious to jump on the minimalist shoe bandwagon. For one, my regular running shoes have worked great for me for the past 15 years, so why do I need to switch? Second, I have a very hard time doing things gradually. I admit it – I like to jump into things with both feet and just go for it. This makes it hard for me to break in minimalist shoes the proper way. If I go out for a run, I don’t want to have to turn around and come back to change my shoes after 5 minutes. I suppose if I had a treadmill, this wouldn’t be an issue. And third, I have never found a pair that I really like. I’ve tried on several pairs just out of curiosity, but none of them have screamed for me to buy them.

When Brooks launched their new line of shoes – called the Pure Project – I was intrigued. The more I read about them and the science that went behind them, the more I wanted to try them out. Brooks was one of the very few companies that didn’t jump on the minimalist shoe bandwagon right away and release a shoe as fast as they could. Instead, they took several years researching and developing not one shoe, but four shoes – all for different types of runners. For more information on the science and technology, visit their website here. They have a very minimal shoe (The PureConnect), a lightweight shoe with some cushioning and guidance features (the PureFlow), a lightweight shoe for people who need more support (the PureCadence), and a lightweight trail shoe (the PureGrit).

Brooks put together this handy chart to help determine which shoe is best for you. Now, the only problem is that you have to normally wear Brooks shoes (or at least know which category you fall into) to use it. As a Saucony wearer, this chart was less helpful for me.

First I tried on the PureConnect and was not blown away. While they were extremely comfortable and cushiony, the arch felt very high, almost like they were trying to overcompensate for the lack of an arch in other minimalist shoes. So then I tried on the PureFlow and it was love at first step. These shoes hugged my feet like a glove and were so comfortable I knew I had to get them. They are extremely lightweight, yet very cushiony with the perfect amount of arch support. Walking and running in the PureFlow, I can feel the lack of a “big heel.” The PureFlow has a 4mm heel to toe drop compared to traditional running shoes, which have a 10-12mm heel to toe drop.

Until my marathon is over, I am still cautious about running in these shoes too much. With only three weeks to go, I don’t want to do anything stupid that would risk a good race for me. So, for that reason, I haven’t run in these shoes too much (but I wear them casually all the time). I have run in them a few times for some short runs – the longest being 3 miles. And they did not disappoint. They are just as lightweight and comfortable running as they are otherwise. I look forward to breaking them in running-wise in another month or so. But if my first couple of runs were any indication, I know I am going to keep on loving them.

Women’s Half Marathon Race Recap

Yesterday I ran the Women’s Half Marathon in Scottsdale/Tempe, AZ and had an amazing experience. The race is put on by Women’s Running Magazine, and as the name implies, it is a women’s only race. That’s not to say that there were zero men running. I believe that the law prevents them from banning men from the race, however I only saw three or four men on the course.

The race, in my opinion, was the perfect size. There were just over 3,300 participants in the half marathon, which meant that it was never crowded, yet there were always people around you. The entire race was also extremely well-organized. Everything from having plenty of port-o-potties at the starting line to having good spacing of the water and aid stations was spot on.

I also really enjoyed the race course. I will admit that I was not expecting it to be quite as hilly as it was (hilly by Phoenix standards anyway), but the scenery of the course was nice. It started in Old Town Scottsdale and went South, ending at the Tempe Town Lake Beach Park. My favorite part was cutting through parts of Papago Park and getting off of the streets for a few miles.

The weather was quite chilly yesterday (to Phoenicians at least) because of a cold front that came in the day before. It was 47-degrees at the starting line and probably in the low-50s by the finish. I, however, think this is perfect running weather and loved it.

Okay, so how did I do? I set a new PR, which I couldn’t be more thrilled with! My goal was to come in under 1:45 and I did it by 5 seconds. My official finish time was 1:44:55. I went out a little fast, but it felt good and it felt right, so I just decided to go for it. On the flats and downhills, I ran around a 7:45 pace. On the uphills, it was about 8:30. I gave it all I had and I finished feeling spent, but still strong. My marathon is only 5 weeks away and this race gave me confidence that I could actually qualify for Boston. The Tucson Marathon is all downhill, so I really think I could keep a steady 8:00 pace. My 1:44:55 half marathon was a 8:01 pace and to qualify for Boston I need to run the marathon at an 8:10 pace. This half-marathon proved to me that I am getting faster and stronger and my hard work is paying off. Boston might not be so far-fetched after all.

The finisher medals are also very cool. The charm in the middle comes out so that you can wear it on a necklace or charm bracelet.

There are currently four locations for the Women’s Half Marathon: Nashville, TN; Scottsdale, AZ; St. Petersburg, FL; and Bloomington, MN. If you live in one of these areas, or are looking for a fun destination race, I would highly recommend this one!

Can Fascial Stretch Therapy Make You Faster?

Last week I used a Groupon for a one-hour stretch therapy session at a local women’s fitness center. I will admit that I was a little skeptical at first – I mean, I can stretch on my own, so why would I need someone else to help me stretch? I had the choice of using the Groupon for a massage or for stretch therapy and I went in actually looking for a massage. But then the woman who owned the place told me more about fascial stretch therapy and I decided to give it a try.

I knew I was a little tight – I’m in the peak of my marathon training, so being tight is normal for me. But apparently the therapist thought I was equivalent to working on a piece of wood. And I will say that one hour on the table being stretched by someone else was awesome. It was almost as relaxing and felt just as good as a massage. And when I got up, I felt looser, taller, and more relaxed.

So what exactly is fascial stretch therapy? As I’m told…Fascia is the material surrounding all muscles in your body. Like other tissues, fascia can become tight and less mobile. The result is decreased range of motion (ROM), discomfort with stretching, and decreased ability to recover from activity. The stretch therapy helps release the tension in the fascia, resulting in an increased range of motion, decreased pain, and improved athletic performance. By extending the stretch to the joint capsule, you increase the benefits of traditional stretching, and the assisted nature of the treatment allows for greater gains than traditional stretching.

Fascial Stretch Therapy has some unique characteristics that distinguish it from other types of assisted stretching. It is guided by ten principles:

1. Synchronize your breathing with your movement.
2. Tune your nervous system to current conditions.
3. Follow a logical anatomical order.
4. Make gains in your range of motion without pain.
5. Stretch the fascia not just the muscle.
6. Use multiple planes of movement.
7. Target the entire joint.
8. Use traction for maximal lengthening.
9. Facilitate body reflexes for optimal results.
10. Adjust your stretching to your present goals.

According to my stretch therapist, she was able to help one woman decrease her running time by 45 seconds per mile through regular stretch therapy sessions. For someone who is trying to qualify for Boston and not feeling very confident about it, she certainly had my attention. And I definitely noticed a difference after that first session, so she didn’t have to work too hard to convince me to buy a package for more appointments. Since I am so stiff, I am going to go twice per week for the next two weeks and then once per week thereafter until my marathon in December. Then I can give you a more true report as to whether fascial stretch therapy really can make you faster. In the meantime, I will at least feel less stiff and more relaxed.

If you’re interested in trying fascial stretch therapy, the Stretch to Win website can help you locate a certified therapist.