Things I'm Learning about Running

For the past month, each Saturday I have run farther distances than I have ever run in my life. I'm learning new things about distance running and what my body is capable of doing. Here are some things that I have learned thus far:

• I had quite a bit of lower back pain and some knee pain when I was about six weeks into my training program. It was rough for about two or three weeks, but I stuck with it and it seemed like one day my body stopped protesting and accepted that this running routine was the new "normal."
• The Adidas Ultraboost 5.0 DNA running shoes have ended up being really comfortable on my feet. I think that also helped to get rid of my back pain, because I was wearing some old Nike trainers during the first part of my training.
• OOFOS Slip-On Recovery Shoes have been really helpful to wear after my long runs. They help to minimize impact on my joints and allow my legs to rest more.
• I haven't quite figured out the reason for this, but sometimes when I'm running one of my feet will have some tingly sensations in one or two of the toes (usually my some of my middle toes, not my big toe or pinky). I think it happens more-so in my left foot. I try to curl my toes and release them between footfalls and that sometimes helps. I'm not sure if it is due to a footfall issue or something else, but this is a post that talks a little about some possibilities for what might be going on. I don't think it's due to my shoes or my laces, though.
• Eating something small after about ten miles (and every five miles after that) helps me to maintain my energy. I've been eating fruit leather strips for quick carbohydrates.
• Applying Vaseline to my inner thighs, backs, and shoulders before a long run helps with chafing from my Camelbak pouch and leg movement. It seems helpful to do this for any run that is about 13 miles or longer.

UPDATE 4/26:

• After running for weeks without back pain, I've had this funky lower back pain come back. It started about five days after my 20 mile run (after I was a few days into my taper). I've read a little bit about "phantom pains" that can start during a taper while your body given more of a chance to recover, but I think this might be the result of sitting on the sofa and in the car for multiple hours a day on Thursday and Friday (the sofa has become my go-to workstation for grading and prepping). My 8.5 mile run on Saturday didn't help things at all. It felt fine while I was running but then gave me a lot of grief for the rest of the day. I watched this video about how to place my hips while running, and I think that helped me a bit for my run today. I think I might curve my back (and stick out my rear) too far when I run? I tried to think more about posture and alignment while I ran today. There's so much to think about, while at the same time running is also very mechanical and repetitive.