KT Tape

There are products I like & then there is products I love....

The first time I tried KT Tape it was a complete impulse buy which I don't usually do when it comes to running stuff. I usually spend hours of researching things online to see if they are REALLY worth it. I never usually throw something in my cart and just see if I like it. I guess I shouldn't call it a complete impulse buy. I was in the store looking for something for my knees just not tape. 

Like many people especially runners I have had issues with my knees. If anyone has done their research they will find out running itself isn't really that bad on your knees. I think runners just tend to just be more aware of their knee's most of the times. For me blaming running would kind of be silly with my history. I can probably on me fracturing my knee cap when I was 9, refusing to properly dive in volleyball in junior high always landing flat on my knees, a horrible fall during a cheer practice, and wearing high heels most of my life. Most people would think I am around 5'8....I am 5'4 ;) I like being short but I love the way heels make me feel! All those things have not been to kind to my knees over the years. When I got back into running I didn't listen to everyone like I should of. I walked into a big box store and got myself a pair of *running* shoes. I thought I was fine for quite while in my extremely poorly fitted shoes. I am pretty sure the many months I ran in bad shoes caused me problems I am still dealing with now!

It all started when I started to be able to really feel my knees when running. This is very unsettling feeling, but I didn't let it really bother me. Then the soreness after the runs, and not the good soreness you feel after a good work out. I started to warm up longer, stretch better, iced my knees more, and massage none of it made a difference. I kept running and added more strength training hoping to see a difference. I continued to run every other day doing around 4-8 mile runs. Believing that it was just a chapter that would pass. 

Then I woke up one morning to bring our oldest to school and I couldn't get out of bed. My legs were locking up and my knees felt like someone took a hammer to them. I considered calling Alexander into school it was that bad. I was scared I wouldn't be able to drive. I manged to roll out of bed and stretch my body. I was sure it had to be lactic acid build up & everyone else I talked  to agreed it probably was. I wobbled for almost a week after. I walked like I had just rode a horse bare back for 12 hrs. Standing up was horrible and getting out of the car I actually would shriek with pain. I just figured the more I moved the quicker I would get better. It lasted about a week and got a little better. Then I went for a run and was brought to my knees no pun intended. I have a very high pain tolerance. I have had natural child birth and didn't think that was that bad.....this made my eyes weld up in tears. 

I got in my car and drove down Iliff trying to decide if I needed to go to the doctor or just consider this a sign I am not suppose to be a runner. I was at this point in complete tears thinking I was going to have to stop running. 

I pulled myself together and pulled into a sporting goods store and decided I was going to get a knee brace. After opening up and trying on every brace they had in the store I realized that a brace and running was never going to be an option. I am sensitive about how things feel on my body. The feel and bulk of even the thinnest one would drive me crazy. I had issues even wearing knee pads when I did play volleyball. My husband has taped his knees off and on over the years with the athletic tape. It always looked sloppy and never seemed to really help. I have tried it also many times and saw really no difference. I didn't even consider trying it again.

As I was walking out of the store feeling defeated I looked down and saw a display of KT TAPE. At first thought it was just pretty colored athletic tape in nice boxes. I giggled to myself and even thought they had a nice gimmick going. BUT I grabbed a pink roll and bought it. I went home and did a full support wrap on my knees. The next day my knees felt better. I really thought it was all in my head tape couldn't make my knees feel better! I then started to research and found out there were gangs of people who also were having amazing results with KT TAPE. I was still cynical I won't lie. After a couple days of rest with the same tape still going strong I went for a run. It was one of the best runs I had since all the issues started. I didn't feel my knee caps during the run and if anything it felt like they were supported. After that I became a believer and my knees had a full support wrap on them almost every day for a couple months. Then in a light support wrap when running. It made a huge difference during and after. 

Then I had some issues with some rolls. I don't know what happen but it wasn't sticking. I think I might of just gotten some bad rolls. I had been though lots of rolls no issues. I was devastated. I stopped using the tape for a couple months and started to have knee pain again. I think this was due to over training on hills & some cross training that was very hard on the knees. I ended up talking to John at KT TAPE & he apologized and offered to send me some of their new PRO KT TAPE. I am a big one on good customer service and he exceeded it. He was very nice and personable. For many that might not matter, but for me it is what will make me loyal to a brand. Now I have been reading all about how amazing this tape was. In fact I don't think I read one negative about it other then you could easily wear it for a week & it still would be going strong.Which isn't really a negative thing! 

I got the package today....

There is no comparison I am beyond floored how amazing this stuff is!! 

The original was good don't get me wrong, but this is a whole different level of awesomeness. This is not a just stickier then the original. If I said that it would almost be insulting it.  I have only worn it one day but I am hooked. I will go as far to say I actually don't see any reason for anyone to buy the original. The price difference is not that much more which I was shocked of. Like I said I have only worn it for 1 day and I would happily pay $30 roll. I am in love with this tape! I have bought lots of things for running but KT TAPE & my beloved Brooks Adrenaline gts 12's have been the most valuable. If anything they are the reasons I am still running today. The new PRO tape has just re-forced that.

• One of the things I was concerned about the stickiness. I did have some issues with a couple of the original one, but many rolls before that worked like a champ. I would usually get 1 really good day and it would last sometimes up too 3. The first day the tension was great but it did lessen over days. You can wear it with no prob in & out of water BUT I soak in a bath almost nightly on top of showering in the morning. A very hot bath for sometimes a hour+ I think that if anything why I usually would only get a nicely tight wrap 1 day. Others who just shower I have heard it lasting tight for longer. The 2nd-3rd day of wear it still did make a difference.

•  There was part of me that thought because the PRO is suppose to also last longer it would be harder to apply. If anything it is the opposite. The PRO seems like a different adhesive I had no issue whatsoever it actually was the easiest application I have done. I ran 3 miles, did some strength training, sat in the sauna for 15 minutes, and then soaked in a bath....my tape feels exactly like it did when I applied it this morning. The tension is still perfect and none of the sides have rolled it looks like I just applied it.

• The PRO doesn't have a T strip like the original. I didn't know how I felt about this at 1st but I can say I really think this might be a good thing. I think if you needed to you could make a T strip by cutting it. The full strip seems to make it even stronger. 

• It doesn't seem as stretchy as the original and you have more control over it. This is my favorite part! Between my knees and husbands I have done applied KT a lot. The PRO is so easy to apply. I though my 1st knee was a fluke this morning, but after I did the other one I knew it wasn't.

• The tape is light but powerful that is what made me fall in love with KT when I 1st tried it. The PRO is the same it isn't bulky at all.

• One huge difference I see between the two is that the PRO really holds and stabilizes so much better. It is like night & day. I tread lightly saying that because the original is great but no where near what the PRO is. Now that I have tried the PRO I can't imagine ever going back. Even if someone was trying it for the 1st time I would still tell them to get the PRO. 

PRO KT TAPE

Comes in a awesome hard carrying case making it easy to bring with you!

Reflective 

Another surprise???

Tucked into the side of the box with the direction you also get a KT sticker! 

This picture was taken AFTER a 3 mile run, 30 mins of strength training, 15 mins sauna, and 1+ hot bath. Oh and it has been on for going on 11 hrs. It still looks and feels the same.

Super powers induced by coffee & running for charity

I had my 1st cup of coffee in months after switching my pot(s) of coffee for 1 sometimes 2 cups of tea in the mornings. I switched only for because when I changed my diet I had such a HUGE change in energy I didn't really need coffee. I will be the 1st to say I love the taste & smell of coffee hands down.....but I needed that coffee before. I drank it because I needed the extra boost it gave me. I got so jacked up it almost wasn't funny!! For a few moments I *might* of thought I had super powers.

In  uncaffeinated news...

I was beating myself up pretty bad last night about the lack of running I have done this week. I have been working out but I haven't ran. I started to get knee pain and wrapped my knee with KT Tape and stayed off it. Knee pain isn't a new thing too me, but this pain was different then what I have had before. When it happens it usually is on the sides, and only when I am running. This time it has been on the top of my knee cap on my right leg and pretty constant :(

Tonight I am going to attempt to run on the dreadmill at the gym ughh. I am hoping to do a 3 mile run and see how it feels. I figure that will be short enough that it won't be a strain & long enough that if it is going to flair up after it will. I am going to take it slow and steady vs the speed intervals I really want to be doing! I am going to ice it afterwards and hope for the best. If I have any pain during or after I may have to take a rest completely until there is no pain at all. Which means no cross training or Ripped in 30. Will just be doing lots of stretching & maybe yoga. I am just trying to not even thinking about that right now.

I am determined to work out in all the kinks in my training plan by this weekend is over. I have been going back and forth between a couple of them. I am hoping to mash them both up and make a hopefully semi perfect one.

I also have been putting some more thought into maybe raising money for a charity for my 1st marathon. I at first didn't want to because I was scared I wouldn't be able to finish kind of silly but a honest worry lol DetermiNation was the first one I looked into and probably still the front runner. I have looked into them a lot & talked to them a couple times. They have a lot of benefits for the actually runner and are of course a solid organization. Mostly I wouldn't have to worry about where my $$$$ I was raising was going. There are a couple other smaller ones that I really like too. One thing about the smaller ones is they don't have a lot of teams/runners raising money. They don't have all the support the bigger organizations have, but if you are only doing it for the "swag" then you probably should be doing it. I want to think raising the funds wouldn't be a issue..... I have quickly pulled out my checkbook for every fundraiser all my friends have had for their kids etc. I think they could return the favor even in a small amount :) The one + with DetermiNation is I don't think I would have any problems reaching the minimum goal if not more. That is also another thing I have to really think about.