Living in Denial, My Hip Drop Problem & Many Tangents.

Eight miles in the most beautiful running shoes that I’ve ever seen.  I felt so cool in these Launch 5s.  Who else is VERY motivated to get out the door for a run when they have something new to wear?

I saw quite a few hot air balloons while I was getting in my Monday run.  There were still a bunch on the ground waiting to go up too!

8 miles @ 8:29 pace.  The first two miles I felt awful but then I finally got into the groove.  I think my body had adjusted to sea level over the weekend in Seattle and I had to gain back my altitude lungs.  Okay, I know it isn’t possible to lose that in just a few days of being away but it sure felt like it!

So nice to be home again!

Brooke is pretty proud because she can hold Skye now (only when I am right next to her though) when she is standing up.

Skye is a big fan of Brooke, clearly.

Ali and I chatted on Skype for another podcast episode together!  I can’t wait to share it with you guys.  Brooke joined in for the first few minutes to share her current thoughts on life too so I’ll let you know when it is out.

Let’s just fast forward to the food highlight of the day.  Steak shish kabobs and grilled pineapple.  Followed directly by an oreo shake because it was needed.

We then all went over to Andrew’s softball game!  They played three games and won all three!

I stayed for 1.5 of the games and took the girls home to get in bed after:)

Photo by the Brookers.

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I’ve been living in denial—>  About my hip drop.

Last Saturday we went on a run with the Brooks Beasts.  I was right behind these pros (it was their easy easy easy pace) for a few miles (my biggest fear was accidentally hitting their foot and making them trip/get injured and ruining their careers ha;) and I was just amazed as I watched them run.  It was so fluid and their form was just beautiful.  Their bodies moved so efficiently and seamless through the stride.  I have seen MANY pictures from races etc over the last little while where I definitely have a hip drop!  “A hip drop occurs when full body weight is being supported on one leg, like during the stance phase of running.  Typically, a weakness in the hip of the weight bearing leg causes the opposite hip to drop.” (SOURCE)

I’m not sure if it has gotten worse after having kids or if I have always done this but I desperately need to fix this because I’ve got some marathons to train for and I want to be healthy and fast.  I’ve been doing some good reading about it and I would LOVE to hear if any of you have experienced this and what you did about it.

My hip is like the B on the above picture!  I am going to work to get it to look like A!

Why is this a problem?  “The logic is pretty simple, then: weak abductor and external rotator muscles cause excessive adduction and internal rotation during running, since the hip muscles aren’t strong enough to resist the forces from ground impact.”  (SOURCE—> such a good article).

Time to pick up on the side leg lifts and clamshells and work with Dr. B to get this fixed!  BUT I need any help I can get from you guys too… PLEASE!

I’ll be doing a lot of these:

Here is an example of my hip drop from a few years ago:

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Time for a few tangents this morning!

*The other day Laura reminded me about the amazingness of Polly Pockets.  One hour later we jumped in the car and drove to my parents’ house to find my old ones.  She is just as obsessed with them as I was when I was her age.   I’m sure glad I have kept these for 24 years:)

*I was so excited to get to hang out with Natalie this last weekend.  She ran a 3:11 (and a 3:13 at CIM in December) marathon last month and I picked her brain on all of her running tips lately.  She is incredible in so many ways.

*I loved seeing this machine in the Brooks lab testing out some shoes.  It simulates the pounding that we do on our shoes with each mile to test how the shoe holds up to all of the running we do in them!

*I think I need to get the Brooks jacket that Des wore during Boston for this next winter.  I mean, it kept her from getting hypothermia and helped her to win the Boston marathon so I think I really need it.

*My family has a big group text message going on at all times and this photo was sent out this last week.  Flashback to the time my parents had only one grandchild… and now they have 23 more:)  PS my two sister-in-laws in this picture have been in my family for so long I don’t really remember life before them.

*I have a red pair of goodr glasses and it always takes a second to get used to the fact that the world is not actually orange when I take them off ha.

*Loribeth told me about Dunkin’ Donuts new donut fries and I need to try them.  We don’t have Dunkin’ in our area so somebody reading needs to try them and give me a review.

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Do you run with a hip drop?  Any tips on things you have done to help with this? What was your last running related purchase?  Shoes, clothes, gear, race bib? I would love to hear any tangents from you! What was your favorite toy when you were young?