Friday, February 18, 2011

Foam Roller vs. The Stick

Week three of training is wrapping up. Tomorrow will be a bike/ run combo that I am sure will leave my legs achy and sore. I am coming to the realization that short bike rides ( 15 M) and short runs ( 2-3 M) aren't so bad when done alone. Combine the two on the same day and I am done for. But no worries, I only have one decision to make when I return home. Not what to eat. ( You know I' hungry all of the time now.) And I don't have to decide if I will take a nap. That's a given. The only decision I have to make is whether I use a foam roller or what I affectionately call "The Stick".
The Foam Roller is about 3 ft long and 4 in. in diameter. Its just a cylinder of solid foam that I have to lay on it in weird positions so that the muscles on my back side get rolled out. Its not a feel good situation. "The Stick" looks like a bunch of PVC pipe pieces stuck together by two handles. I grab the handles and push this contraption down over my quads and along the side of my legs to loosen my IT Band. Needless to say, it causes excruciating pain. Just ask my husband.... He was my guinea pig.

Every time I think about these two torture tools I get squeamish. They hurt, sometimes leave bruises, and you look absolutely ridiculous laying on the floor rolling around. I have to say though, that the next morning when I wake up- there is no pain. How amazing is it, that these two crazy things take away the soreness and the injuries that could put me on the sidelines.

If my only decision on Saturday is to decide which torture instrument to use then I am okay. I will run, I will bike, I will eat and sleep. And then choose... Both?

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