Chi Running and Osteopathy - All about aligning your body!

I know, I know... I have been slacking on posting to the blog and I promise to get back into action. Today was the perfect opportunity because I have a couple of interesting things to talk about. :)

First, I had my apt with the orthodics doctor on Tuesday and he made some adjustments to the orthodics I had. I'm going to test it out and if it works well, he's going to make a new pair to replace the old ones.

Secondly, I had my apt with the doctor of osteopathy today. I used to go to an osteopath in Ontario (not actual doctors in Ontario though) and it always worked wonders for me. Osteopathy is really about aligning your body. Regular day-to-day activities and exercise can really throw your body off. I usually end up with my pelvis twisted, shortening one leg. This throws everything off and when I run I get the token pains that I am so familiar with... achilles, knees, and hips. So the osteopath normally aligns your body with different movements. They also work on your diaphram (huge for getting more air in when you run) and your head which is really the control zone for your body. Proper alignment is critical to good running mechanics and injury prevention.

Today's apt was a little different than I'm used to. I have never been to a chiropractor so have never had anything "cracked". Needless to say, I wasn't exactly prepared when he started cracking every bone in my body from the pelvis to lower and upper back, and my neck. Wow. I almost got the giggles because it was so unexpected and LOUD. I have to admit, I was a little worried because it was something I had never experienced before. Especially the neck... having someone turn your head as far as it would go and then yanking hard letting out a series of loud cracks. He said that our vertebrae twist and turn and get stuck out of alignment and the cracking puts them back in their own place. So I feel pretty good now, but the real test will be on the long run this weekend! I'll have to report back to tell you how it went.

Now, on to Chi running. Our good friend Wes has been reading the book on Chi running and on my way back from the osteopath I heard this report on NPR news. Turns out, Chi running is also "all about aligning your body and keeping it aligned for efficiency".

The timing was too coincidental... getting aligned and then a message on running in the proper alignment. If one works for me, maybe the other will too? I think it might be time to read my first running book, and it looks like Chi may be the way to go. Wes, what was that book called again? I will also have to report back and let you all know how that goes.

Now, back to just the regular blog... I got up to meet the girls for a run this morning and my roommates car didn't show up to take them to the airport. They tried for 30 minutes to reach the car company with no luck, and asked me to drive them to SeaTac. So, I missed out on the morning run with the girls and spent 1:45 minutes getting to and from SeaTac. What is going on in the Renton S curve through the Kennydale Hill? I swear the world stops in rain! I think I'll head out on my own later today for a short run just to get my legs moving and to see if I have any immediately noticeable improvements in how I feel when I run.

Food for today:

Trip back from SeaTac:
Tall non-fat latte, one pump syrup (125 cals)

Breakfast:
Cereal with peach, skim milk (325 cals)

Lunch:
Tomato soup, stoned wheat crackers (450 cals)

Somewhere between lunch and dinner:
Ham and cheese sandwich (250 cals)

Dinner
Lean Cuisine Fettucine Alfredo (270 cals)
Toast and egg (175 cals)
Yogurt (110 cals)


Total: 1705 cals