Runners' High

It was inevitable.  I went to Runner's High N' Tri today after work and bought myself new running shoes.  If I'm going to continue to take this running thing and this healthier lifestyle seriously then I need to start getting some gear.  Shoes were a must.  I've been running in a pair of Nikes that I bought a half size too big from Kohl's and while they have been good enough I knew that I would be hurting my knees, ankles, etc if I continued to increase my time and distance of my runs while wearing shit shoes.

I spent almost an hour at High n' Tri talking to one of the owners who was very helpful.  After asking me a few questions about my running mileage per week and what running plans I have for the future, she watched me walk around the store to see if I turned my foot in or out, was flat footed, how my weight shifted, etc.  No idea what info she gathered specifically about me but she brought out 3 pairs of shoes for me to try.  The first were a pair of Brooks.  They were definitely comfortable and up for contention.  The 2nd pair I tried were a pair of Asics. As soon as I slid them on I liked them.  They were supportive and had a  good cushioning.  For good measure she also brought out a pair of Nikes.  The last time I was at High N' Tri I left with a pair of Nikes and they worked ok for a long time but not going to lie, they were cute and you're not supposed to buy running shoes based on looks.  I eliminated the Nikes right away because as I jogged around the store (oh yeah, they have you do that) I didn't feel any support on my arch or any cushion.  I ended up going with the Asics and am very happy with my choice.  (After some reasearch I think she chose shoes because I "pronate"... a pronated foot is one in which the heel bone angles inward and the arch tends to collapse. It flattens the arch as the foot strikes the ground in order to absorb shock when the heel hits the ground, and to assist in balance during mid-stance. If habits develop, this action can lead to foot pain as well as knee pain, shin splints, achilles tendinitis, posterior tibial tendinitis,piriformis syndrome, and plantar fasciitis.) *stolen from Wikipedia

What do you know?! They're cute too.  Purely coincidence, I swear.  I wish I could have bought the whole store while I was there but unfortunately I don't have unlimited funds to throw down.  Next on gear list is a sports bra (to hold these puppies up and in!), some warm and reflective running clothes since its getting colder and darker and then hopefully I can afford the Garmin running watch that I want that tracks my distance, pace and time.  Slowly but surely I'll get it all. :)

As soon as I got home I changed clothes, laced up the new shoes and went for a run.  Today was Week 8 Day 2 of Couch to 10K.  A 30 minute run not including the warmup and cool down.  As soon as I started running I felt something in the bottom of my shoe.  My brand new shoe.  I stopped.  Popped off the shoe, didn't see or feel anything, straightened out my sock and continued on.  Still there!  Something was bothering the shit out of the ball of my foot.  I stopped again and took off my shoe.  A fucking hole in my sock the size of a quarter!  Not much I could do about it now so I ran the rest of the way with the annoying hole which you wouldn't think would be a nuisance but trust me, it makes it really hard to get into a good groove.

The hole.  Pardon the dirty black foot. :(

The run wasn't the greatest but the important thing is I finished.  Not sure if it sucked a bit because I pushed mnyself farther than I was supposed to yesterday or because of the holey sock or maybe I still need to break in the new shoes.  But again, as long as I finished.  Tomorrow's a new day and a new run.

New shoes.  So fast my picture couldn't catch get me in focus! Ha.

Today I ate...

Breakfast: Folger's KCup, 2 splenda, 2 tablespoons sugar free hazelnut creamer and a Smores Luna Bar-214 calories

Lunch: Planned on having Tomato Basil soup but tasted like ass (carrots and celery in it and who knows what else) so I had 6 pieces of honey ham, a lite string cheese and a banana-318 calories

Snacks: Starbucks Tall Skinny Hazelnut Latte-130 calories

Dinner: Chipotle Burrito Bowl (again)- rice, salsa, cheese, sour cream, guac, lettuce, steak-720 calories (I regret getting cheese and sour cream.  Didn't need it.  Even after my shoe purchase I wasn't in a super mood)

Total Calories:1382

Goal: 1260

Exercise: Ran 30 minutes (2.5 miles approximately), warm up and cool down walk 10 minutes