Let's Go Shopping!

Tuesday night, I went running around 7:45pm. These days, it has to be a late run or run at the ass-crack of dawn in order to beat this wicked heat. Ray said it was still in the 90's when I left the house - I'm not sure it's the heat that is so draining, as it is the humidity. Blech. Enough about the weather...

I did 4 miles that night, and around 3 miles, for the first time ever during a run, I felt pain in my plantar fascia. Crap. Right then and there, I decided I would never run in those shoes again. I needed to go shoe shopping. Those Asics have been with me since early Feb. I have put around 400 miles on them (400!). I don't know if they are the reason for my pain, the added mileage, or maybe both. Whatever, I had been ignoring any hints, and now my foot was making it loud and clear - NEW SHOES PLEASE!

I knew I needed new shoes. Don't know why I was putting off a shopping trip. I think it was knowing I was going to drop a wad of money on some good ones, and I'm not good at spending money. My Asics were a cheaper model - good, but cheaper. And I went through many pairs of shoes in less than two years of running. I'm not knocking Asics - I loved my shoes and was open to another pair. Actually, I figured I would stick with Asics, just get something that was known as a great model for running long distances.

I took the girls with me, and we went to the local Fleet Feet store. I wasn't thinking I needed to get the whole treatment, but the salesman looked at my feet, watched me walk, made me stand up, sit down, walk again...He said I didn't need such a hardcore stability shoe like my Asics model - I didn't over-pronate as much as I thought I did. As he turned around to go into the backroom to get some shoes, I stopped him and told him I had a budget - please keep it around $100. Gulp. For someone that buys shoes at Target (on sale...), that's a sickening amount of money to spend on shoes. But I love to run. I know how important it is to have a good shoe.  I'm not kidding...I saw his face drop. I'm sure he was aiming to bring out several of the $150 shoes I saw on the shelves. Sorry, buddy. 

The salesman brought out  Brooks and Mizuno shoes. I have tried on Brooks before, and to me, they are very similar to Asics. I put them on, and ahhhhh....nice! The did feel like my Asics, only not as bulky inside (if that makes any sense), and much lighter. He had me go outside and run in them in front of the store. The girls thought that was a riot! Little side note...When I came back inside, Paige was telling the guy about how she placed second at the Carmel Family Fun Run. He was sweet and was making such a big deal about it. She told me in the car that she should have worn her medal inside...love her!

I told the salesman the Brooks shoes felt great, but he had me try on a Mizuno shoe on one foot, with a Brooks shoe on the other and told me to go run again and see which felt better. Definitely the Brooks. So after almost two years of running in Asics 1160, I am now a Brooks runner!

Brooks Ravenna 3. Pretty snazzy looking, eh? When we got home, I put my Super Feet insoles in them, and wore them the rest of the day around the house. I was dying to run in them last night, but we had some storms blow through. Not much rain, but HUGE lightening bolts. So, I did 4 miles on the treadmill. I don't know...I don't really count that as a real test in the shoes, but they did feel just fine. I joined the local running group (say what?!), and may do a long run with them tomorrow morning. That'll be the real test. New shoes, joining a running group...I'm just getting all kinds of crazy these days!