New Shoes, Long Runs, and Stripping (not in that order)

I did 10 miles yesterday. They were the last 10 miles on my current-old shoes (Adidas Brevard) before the ritual demoting of shoes occured. I have put on 250+ miles on that pair, and six months running.

Six months ago, I realized that just any oridinary running shoe won't work for me. I over-pronate. I think I can trace it back to the leg problems I had when I was born, with my hips not sitting right or something, which led to years of special shoes, casts, and finally braces (think Forrest Gump, not tinsel teeth). By age 11, I was deemed "cured", but realized that maybe this was haunting me now, and ultimately causing my feet to turn inward. Motion Control rocks, that's all I have to say about that.

While six months on a pair of shoes doesn't seem entirely long, it was a lifetime for what I was used to, showing that shoes do make a difference, and a few extra bucks now really doesn't matter.

So yesterday was shoe-shopping day. I did 10 miles on my Brevards, had a few moments with them to expain what was happening and how they were being retired to "everyday-wear-with-jeans" shoes, and my New Balances (pink New Balances) were now being bumped down to "work-in-the-garden-and-mow-the-grass-and-muddy-bike-riding" shoes, and the others...well, they were being moved to the Nursing Home for Shoes, in the cardboard box in the basement, where they will reside in all eternity because I don't have the heart to throw them out.

I ended up with Adidas Supernova (see above--yum!). It was between them and Nike Air Coos (I think that is what it was) and the guy at Dick's (who totally knocked me off my feet becuase for once there was someone there who knew what they were talking about) sold me on the Adidas. Very happy, can't wait to try them out. I would have liked pink, but light blue is okay, too.

Now I'm sure everyone is totally looking for the stripping part of today's rant--:-) Hope I don't disappoint. Word to the wise--if you are warm when you leave the house for a run, you will be hot soon. But at the same time, it's so hard to get out the door on a cold and wet and rainy morning when you feel cold. So I left yesterday morning, was chilly, so against my better judgement went back for my jacket and gloves. A mile and a half later, at the elementary school, I waited until no cars were passing and shoved the jacket behind the sign. Four miles later, at the YMCA, the gloves rested by a tree. On the way back, the gloves were retrieved and I headed back past the elementary school, where there was a MAN in the yard.

"Excuse me..." I said from the sidewalk. He was busy updating the message on the board. And he looked angry at me for interupting him. Turns out he wasn't angry, I think I startled him. After all, what other crazy soul is outside on a chilly and damp Sunday morning at 8:00? "Excuse me, but is my black jacket there?" The man stood up. "Where?" Oh yipes. That was a nice black jacket, a windbreaker, with refective strips...big enough to go over multiple layers in winter, yet small enough to be able to be worn on spring mornings and not overly bulky. And I got it on clearance. (But it was origionally expensive). "Um...there?" I asked and pointed hestitantly around the back of the sign. I wanted to go and get it myself...but being shy, was unsure of any sort of unwritten code of conduct between school yards keepers and the general public. He walked around "Oh, does this look like it?" Phew. "Yup!" I smiled and he looked at me strangly and handed it over. "Got a little warm today..." I said as I tied it around my waist, then wondered how silly that sounded as it started to rain again...