Back at it! Did you miss me?

[caption id="attachment_1568" align="alignright" width="300"] Thanks for all the help Joe![/caption]

So, I have been quite quiet as of late!    The good news is that it isn't due to any unforseen disaster with my Mother in law's heart surgery.  She is doing AWESOME!  They kicked her out of the hospital earlier than planned, as she was doing so well!  She was glad to be home early - that is for sure!  My brother-in-law Joe stayed up there with her to help take care of her.  We headed up every night with food and to visit.

Friday we brought Joe down to the Philadelphia Airport so he could fly home to Texas after being away from his wife and kids for so long. His coming up certainly made life easier on my wife and I (thanks Joe!)

KT Tape and Taking it easy...

So my free samples of the KT Tape and the Rock Tape did arrive last week, I apologize for slacking and not mentioning it sooner.  The Rock Tape company sent me two excellent little sample packs. Bright red tape with their logo on it.   Then, two days later the KT Tape arrived in the mail.  And they sent two full size BOXES of tape.  I was pretty excited to try it out - so my wife helped me put it on (ie, i stood there while she put it on.  I decided to go with the KT Tape, as there was more of it - so more room for error and wastage.  We followed an easy to follow instructional video.

It was interesting, as it seemed to help.  I won't lie - I didn't really expect it too and was pleasantly suprised.  The tape did start to peel off in 1.5-2 days (tried two different applications).  As an addtional test, I then took the tape off for a couple of days.  The pain in my calf definitely came back faster while I was running, and lasted longer as far as healing/recovery.

Rocktape.. Another new experiment.

I have mentioned my calf pain here - and how it has limited my distance.  For example I can do 4 miles in conventional running shoes - This will lead to muscle fatigue and soreness the next day -but not major pain. 2.5 miles in the Vibram Five Fingers puts me limping that day, not running the next day, and possibly the following one as well - but only in one leg.

I posted on a Vibram site and someone suggested I try "RockTape"  - based on what i have read online this is some snake oil..  There are alot of claims that it has helped various people with various types of pain. Their website shows how to use it, and explains that you should leave it on for a couple of days as it works during the work out as well as helping you recover (now doesn't this sound like good 'ol fashioned Kilmer Swamproot?)  Not being one to really believe such claims, but also WANTING to believe such claims - I conintued to see what i could find online.  And Woo hoo!! Free sample!  On the daily mile - Greg from RockTape said:

"So here comes the spam (i prefer offer)! Send us an email to admin at rocktape dot com and we'll let you try it for free. No scam, no money, no nothing. Totally free."

Only it was 11 months ago.  So I sent an email off - as if i can try it for free it is definitely worth looking into!  Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be sold locally. Their Prime competitor seems to be "KT Tape"  Which doesn't seem to sell itself as the cure-all that RockTape does.  That is sold locally at Dicks Sporting Goods - so I may try and pick some of that up to try it as well.  Apparently the basis of both is kinesio tape, used by physical therapists and chiropracters to help treat ailments, and athletes to help with recovery by helping to support and stabalize joints and muscles.

Hey, if it lets me run further with less pain - its certainly worth looking into!