The Boston Marathon is one of the running community's defining events.  The beloved race is steeped in history and tradition.  As you run those storied streets, you can sense the ghosts of runner's past just as surely as you feel the cheers of runner's future.  It's a magical, mythical experience that brings together running's elites and mere mortals like you and I. 

For nearly 26 miles, there is a continuous ribbon of runners connecting Hopkinton to the heart of Boston.  Like an intricate tapestry, each runner represents a thread with its own story.  When those threads are woven together, an even greater, more beautiful story is told.  One need only to look at the bonds of friendship and family formed between running partners. 

Last year that tapestry was ripped into many pieces as two bombs exploded near the finish line.  What was meant to inflict fear and injury and tear our community apart only served to strengthen and further connect us.  Bystanders used their own jackets and belts to make tourniquets, medical personnel ran 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.  As former-staffer Schuyler Schuster so eloquently said, "One act of violence was met with a thousand acts of compassion".

I will never cease to be amazed by the compassion and perseverance of our community.  In honor of that spirit, the Boston Public Library is preparing a new exhibition called "Dear Boston: Messages from the Marathon Memorial".  Included is a display of some of the 600 running shoes left behind at the memorial in the days after the attack. 

As runners, we know just how meaningful a gift those shoes are.  They represent the realization of our dreams that were hard won after many, many miles of training.  Our shoes have scars from our journey that included battles with uneven pavement, hills, rain, sleet, snow and ice.  They are an extension of our soul.  Our membership card to prove we are a runner.

This year's Boston Marathon is destined to be a huge celebration of that indomitable spirit. Whether you are spectating from afar or in-person, running or volunteering, on April 21, we all run as one.    

We spend a lot of time talking about running injuries and how to prevent them; shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, etc. One topic that is hardly ever touched upon, but perhaps the most important, is the potential soft tissue damage that female runners can cause in their breasts. Breast pain is one of the most common complaints of female runners. In a survey conducted at the 2012 London Marathon, 32% of women indicated they experience breast pain while running.

Most female runners wear a sports bra. The big question is, are you wearing the correct sports bra? Eight out of 10 women wear the wrong size sports bra. Are you one of them? Do you wear two bras to help decrease breast movement with exercise? Does your bra cause chafing?  This article focuses on what happens to the breast tissue during exercise and what you can do to limit potential damage. 

Anatomically, the breast has very little built in support. There are Coopers ligaments that support the tissue, but other than that, there are no other support systems in place.  When running, uncontained breasts can oscillate up to 8 inches! This movement is not only up and down, it's also side to side and front to back. It has been proven through motion studies that the breasts actually move in a figure 8 pattern during running. Ouch!

Coopers ligaments can't withstand all of this force by themselves, which is why a good sports bra is so important. The largest indicator of breast pain with exercise is cup size, with a larger cup being at higher risk for pain. After cup size, the next most influential factor in pain is breast movement. Studies have shown similar degrees of movement of the breast tissue with running paces from jogging to sprinting. So it doesn't matter how fast or slow you go, proper support is a must!

To learn how you can prevent "Coopers Droopers" as you get older and feel more comfortable while exercising, click here.

April is Bra Month at Fleet Feet! Each Wednesday we are hosting a special in-store promotion and on Thursday, April 10 we're hosting an all-day Fit Fest and Bra sale.  Schedule your appointment with Alli and get a free gift in addition to saving up to 20%!  

Do you have a workout buddy?Would you like one?  How about 20?  What if we told you there were some compelling advantages to training with a group (source: USA Triathlon)?

1. Accountability
2. Motivation
3. Challenge
4. Distraction from training barriers
5. Building relationships

This is where Team Training New England can help!

Our triathlon training program is like a giant pot of workout buddies stirred by two enthusiastic coaches.  We provide an online training plan, expert lectures, supervised open-water swims, multiple group workouts and tons more over the course of 10 weeks. We will be with you every step of the way. Our training program is geared towards those who never in their wildest dreams could have imagined themselves doing a sprint distance triathlon. We promise you, your dreams are about to get wild!

If you've been on the fence about doing a triathlon, if the timing has never "been right" or you just don't know where to start (but know that you want to start), give us a call or send an email.  We're going to have a great time this year and you might just find the workout buddy of your dreams.  

To learn more about how easy (and fun) it is to train for a short-distance triathlon, contact Team Training New England (aka Janice & Lynne) at 860-256-4491 or coach@ttne.us.  Go to www.ttne.us for helpful videos on our training program and other useful information.  

Spartan Race:

Satisfy your thirst for mud! We're bringing you a Spartan Sprint training program this spring. Spartan Sprints are muddy obstacle races that are around 3 miles long and have 15+ obstacles along the way. No experience necessary. 

The sprint distance is great for beginners and hardcore warriors alike looking to challenge themselves in new ways. The Spartan Sprint race is coming to Uncasville, CT on June 28th. Read more about our 10-week training program that starts Sunday, April 26th and register here!

Ultra Training Program:

Endurance athlete and yoga instructor extraordinaire, Meghan Collins Fanning, is offering an ultra-training program for the Virgil Crest 50k on September 22, 2014. Her comprehensive training program will include distance trail running, trail safety, strength training, running form, and nutrition coaching.  She encourages new trail runners and those who have not yet completed an ultra-marathon to sign up.

The 20-week program includes 2 weekly group runs based in and around West Hartford, CT. Runs will be Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings. Coaches will work with runners individually on running form, strength training, cross training regimes, nutrition, trail running skills and safety.  Program cost is $395.  Participants will also be eligible for a 6-month discounted membership at the Playground Fitness Center which provides High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), obstacle course training, strength training, indoor cycling, and yoga. Register soon, the program begins May 3rd.

For more information, email Meghan or check out her web site.

Looking to improve your triathlon skills and race with more confidence this summer? Join Get Out N Play for a triathlon training weekend in Plymouth, CT on June 20-22nd. This short course training camp is ideally suited for training, education and race preparation. Some of the highlights of the weekend are three days of open water swimming in a pristine, private lake, all meals prepared by Get Out N Play, workshops designed to make you fitter and faster, and great individual attention.

This camp is perfect for the beginner to intermediate triathlete looking to make some leaps in their training. Arrive on Friday and stay through Sunday to train, eat and recover. Register before 5/1 for the great price of $169, which includes training, meals and lodging. 

Visit the website for more information and to sign up.

Racing Season Yoga

for Runners 

If you have never engaged in any mobility work, NOW IS THE TIME.  Most of us are getting ready for our spring and summer races and have been picking up our training volume and intensity. This is when we start to feel an injury brewing.  Not bad enough to stop us.  Maybe it will feel like tightness or soreness.  Listen to your body. This is the time to address the issue. 

Our yoga class is very interactive.  I typically design the class based on the issues that participants report just prior to class.  Mobility and range of motion are key.  If one small thing is off, it can lead to gait changes, and ultimately to injury.  Stop this before it happens.  Come and hang out with us for 1 hour, Sunday nights. 

A yoga class for competitive people that can't easily touch their toes- THAT'S US! Come check our class out- Sundays at Fleet Feet 5.30p!

Meghan's Web Site

Twitter: @MegColFanning