What a roller coaster week of emotions it has been. As the events unfolded, I felt like I was watching a spy-thriller movie. Only it wasn't a movie where you can count on a happy ending. It was all too real. Instead of actors, those affected were friends, customers and colleagues. The community that I cherish was brazenly attacked. It hurt even more that it wasn't necessarily runners who were the targets, but our family and friends who spectate, support and volunteer.

What happened next was the stuff movies are made of: bystanders using their own jackets and belts to make tourniquets, first responders and medical personnel running towards the explosion sites to help the injured despite the continued threat of danger, while athletes, depleted after running 26.2 miles, raced towards area hospitals to donate blood. Bostonians opened their houses up to strangers. The police and the FBI worked tirelessly and fearlessly to ensure that, just like in the movies, the Good Guys prevailed.

As staffer Schuyler commented, "One act of violence was met with a thousand acts of compassion". And that made all the difference.

The compassion and perseverance of our community was never more evident that at last night's Boston Tribute Run that honored the spectators, volunteers, first responders and runners in Boston. What I thought would be a small gathering of runners, blossomed into 450+ participants - young & old, fast & slow, fit & overweight, experienced & beginners - whose generously donated over $8,000 for the One Fund. Local running stores across the nation hosted similar events last night and it is estimated that together we raised $1 Million!

The crowd's reaction as I introduced our honorees for the evening - Kate Rich, who cheered and high-5'ed runners at this year's marathon, Melanie Borsari, our Adidas tech rep who was helping at Marathon Sports, a locally-owned running store that was the site of the first bomb, Peter Kot, a police officer for the city of Bristol and Doug Benedetto, who finished his first Boston Marathon less than 30 minutes before the bombs exploded - made me even prouder to be part of such a supportive community.

I got goosebumps as our honorees led the group, American Flag held high, in a meditative ½ mile loop that silently flowed up LaSalle Rd as bystanders clapped and nodded in support. I felt the love of family as we united to sing Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline, and never got tired of exchanging hugs, smiles and cheers of Boston Strong!

Many thanks to everyone who joined us (physically or virtually); to my amazing staff for helping to pull this event together in less than 5 days; to Rich Baber, Susan Sacco, Sarah Miner and my parents for volunteering; and to George Colli of NBC Connecticut, Michael McAndrew of the Hartford Courant, Ronni Newton of the West Hartford Patch for capturing the spirit of the event so beautifully.

Special thanks to Dave Austin at Fresh Ink who worked his magic (and a lot of overtime hours) to print 400 "Runners for Boston" shirts in less than 48 hours. Not only did he not charge us a Rush Fee, but he made a donation to the One Fund as well.  

It is a true honor to be part of the running community because of people like all of you.

Boston Strong!

Steph

The hip is a complex joint that requires sufficient mobility and stability to enable us to function in our daily tasks as well as perform athletic activities such as running. Having too little or too much mobility or not enough stability can cause problems. The key is to find the balance between the two.

The hip can be affected by many different factors such as the way the foot strikes the ground, poor sitting posture, core weakness, and muscle imbalances. Even the act of running itself, since it is a repetitive motion, can contribute to hip pain if other exercises are not done to counteract the overuse of the muscles used during running.

As you can see, a lot of things can go wrong in the hip. For the next couple of weeks, I will be focusing on different aspects of the hip and how it relates to running injury and performance. Today, the focus will be on a common condition known as Piriformis Syndrome.

Click here if you have ever had a pain in your butt (literally) and/or want to learn more about piriformis syndrome.

Colton - Better Than Naked Shirt & Shorts (men & women): I'm a minimalist when it comes to running. No, not in the Born to Run kind of way...more like I don't like to have a lot of stuff on me. Just give miles of dirt, a few hours to explore them, a good pair of shoes, some energy gel and this sweet set from The North Face.

The top and bottom both are constructed with FlashDry which offers superior dry time and breathability. The split-esque shorts have no inner-thigh seams (goodbye chafing!), two easy-access hip pockets that work for on-the-fly fueling as well as a secure zippered pocket on the rear perfect for a key or ID card. The top features a combination of stitch-less seams and flashy physiologic ventilation panels that provide incredible comfort even at high-exertion levels - and a bit of style too!

Jill K - Anue Premium Yoga-wear (women): These pieces weren't even fully unpacked before I had to buy myself some. Once you feel how luxuriously soft and flattering they are, you'll do the same! Each piece is made with Anue's exclusive Nirvana fabric - a sueded, eco-friendly micro-fiber that is tantalizing to the touch, yet moisture-wicking and designed to perform during your toughest workouts.

I really love the Arise Skirt with its ruffled booty pleats and lack of liner so I can wear it with capris (had to get the coordinating Skree Capri) or my own fav compression shorts. On top, go with the Kama or Ananda Racerbacks - one has beautiful lotus print, the other is solid indigo with metallic detailsing on the back. Gorgeous!

Steph - Minimus Capri (women): Being around so much great apparel at work each day makes me really picky about the pieces I purchase for myself. One of my "must-haves" this season is this pair of capris from New Balance's performance line called NBx. What first attracted me was the reflective graphics on the lower legs which help cars see me even when it's dark. But then I tried them on. Oh wow! They fit like second skin without feeling like a compressed sausage.

Super-soft, stretchy with a no-sew waistband that is ultra-comfy and a back zip pocket that fits my large car key. I also love that the fabric has Polygiene Silver Ion technology that resists odor just in case I decide to run to the grocery store after my workout.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" 
 

That was what my son's diving coach yelled to him while he stood perched on the 3 meter (10 foot) diving board.  He was ALL the way up there looking down at the water, hesitating.  What was he waiting for?  The water wasn't going to get any closer, warmer or softer.  Either he was going to dive or he wasn't.  Waiting wasn't going to change any of that.

If you have ever thought about doing a triathlon, ask yourself, "What am I waiting for?"  The race isn't going to get any shorter, easier or harder.  Whether you do it this year, next year or in 2020, it will always be a 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run.  Your life probably won't get any less busy.  You might never be in "better" shape (whatever that means).  

The Team Training New England 2013 training program begins the week of May 6.  It will be 10 weeks of fun, expert, preparation, all centered on getting you across the finish line.  You'll make new friends, find workout buddies, learn how to care for your body and bike, and probably get in the best shape of your life.  Oh, did we mention it you might actually enjoy yourself?  

SO, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
 
Still not sure?  Call or email us and let us know what you're thinking...we just might have an answer that helps.  

For the next two weeks, we also offer drop-in sessions, so you can check out the training and get a good workout, before you decide.  All the information is on our website.

Decide to Tri.

Email Coaches Lynne and Janice or call 860-256-4491 for questions.  Click here to register.

p.s. This might be the final push you or your friends need to sign up!  Because what's better than doing a triathlon?  Doing one with a friend or family member!

Granby Road Race - 5k & 10k

Saturday, May 4 at 8:30am: 

Slowly the ground is warming up. With the warmth of the sun, shoots of green emerge from the earth. Our palettes gravitate to lighter tastes, like lettuce, sprouts and asparagus. This dressing is so versatile and pairs nicely with all sorts of greens and grains. Try it over a shredded carrot salad with sunflower seeds and spring herbs, like chives. Mix some with rice and sliced red peppers. Maybe you can get some of your family members to eat their veggies dipped in this sauce. I enjoyed this a dip for homemade lettuce rolls. The possibilities are endless.

Mango Almond Butter Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup mango juice
• pinch of garlic powder
• pinch of onion powder
• pinch of red chili flakes

Directions:

1. Puree in a blender until smooth.

2. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

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STORE HOURS:

Think about 10 women you know - or don't know for that matter. Chances are seven of those 10 are experiencing some sort of breast discomfort resulting from an ill-fitting bra. This is what the statistics say - an astounding 70% of women don't know their proper bra size. Extrapolate the stats out a little further, and that works out to seven billion distressed breasts in the world right now. Which begs the question: are yours two of them?

Don't be so quick to answer "no" since you may be experiencing breast discomfort and not even know it. Chafing, pinching, digging, riding, bunching, aching, shoulder indentations,

underwhelming underwire or the

dreaded uni-book are NOT NORMAL!

That's why we are psyched to have Audrey Kirkland, New Balance Women's Design Lead and professional bra expert, in-store on Thursday, May 2 at 7pm. Audrey will educate us on the A, B, C, D, & DD's of bras and launch New Balance's brand new line of innovative sports bras dubbed NB Psyche.

We'll have antioxidant-rich snacks (think red wine and dark chocolate) and all ladies in attendance will receive NB Psyche Bucks to use on their next (perfectly fitting) sports bra!

Let us know you are coming by calling the store at 860-233-8077 or emailing Caitlin. Event limited to 75 women.

The key to a successful XC Season is getting in a good base of summer miles - but it can be hard to get motivated to run in the summer heat when you are all alone.

 The program is FREE though you'll need your parents permission.  More details to come, but join our Facebook group to stay in the loop. 

Special thanks to Paul Cashman at Fairfield Prep HS for helping make this program possible!