I sat on a ball all day and now my butt feels better.

I am really falling apart now that I'm at the end of my marathon training.  Achilles tendons a-twanging, IT bands strumming, and now my right piriformis is getting in on the act.

For those of you that don't know, the piriformis is in your butt.  Actually you have two, one on each side.

photo credit: Rob Swatski via photopin cc

It's an itty bitty sucker.  But when it gets overused like mine is, it becomes a true pain in the butt.  So I did some Googling and found this article on how to get rid of your pain with a tennis ball.  I know, I know, it's from eHow, which isn't the best source in the world.  But right now I'm not in the mood to debate reliable sources of how to rub your butt so the pain goes away.  Adhering to the advice I found in the article, I found a tennis ball and sat on it all day.

And I'll be damned if my butt isn't better now.  How did we ever learn anything before the internetz?!

Anyway.  On to what really matters most to a woman--her shoes. I told you yesterday I was trying out my new shoes again for my easy run this morning, some Brooks Glycerin 10s:

Shoes plus bonus dog who hates having her picture taken.

These shoes are a pretty smooth ride.  I had to get a size 10 (I am usually a 9.5), but I put different shoe inserts inside that take up a little more space.  The 9.5s just didn't have enough room; my toes were a little boxed in and I didn't want any more toe or foot issues, so I went with a larger size.  I was in Dick's at the time with a friend, and yes-I did run around the little track they have in the shoe section.  That's what it's there for!  (I think.)

I'm glad I purchased them, even if they are in the oh-bleep-they're-HOW MUCH price range.  I have run about 10 miles (not including my distance on the Dick's shoe section track) total in these shoes, and man, they are COMFY.  And smooth.  And fit perfectly.  They feel like my Asics Nimbus 14s, only more responsive (but that may be just because these shoes aren't already more than a year old like my Nimbuses.  Nimbi.  Whatever the plural is of that word).  I haven't settled on a marathon shoe yet, but, if these hold up in a longer run, these are a serious contender.

As far as my training for the rest of this week goes, it's getting modified because I get to drive to Alabama and back in one weekend (FUN).  I am moving my tempo run to the weekend and taking a rest day tomorrow so I can do my long run (only 14 miles!) on Friday.  Sometimes life gets in the way of your schedule--so you just reschedule. However, I do have some high hopes for that 14 mile run: I want to do it at race pace for most of the run.  Remind me to let you all know how it goes.