Comeback Shoesday

That is, can you really call it a comeback after just a five day break?

My thigh stopped hurting by Thursday. And during my massage, my therapist remarked that there still was a bit more stiffness to the muscle than she would have liked…but if I took it easy on Friday and felt painfree come Saturday… I could lace up the ol’ running shoes.

Or. In my case. The brand spanking new running shoes!

That’s right, I finally got new shoes.

And my cat approves. (Actually, she’s spent the past hour curled up in and overflowing the shoebox. What is it with cats and boxes anyway?)

Now why are new shoes such a big deal to me? Because I have finicky feet. Flat arches, moderate over pronation, narrow heel, but curling toes and a tendency to really swell up in the forefoot. I also have big feet.

Resident bigfoot waving.

😀

When I first started running, I knew nothing about my feet or running shoes or that there was something to know.

I went to the store and picked up a pair of Adidas AdiZero Bostons in bright raspberry red, which fit like a glove and felt light on my feet. Why? Because they were pretty. Yup, I was that girl. :p

Little did I know they were racing shoes for neutral feet. It’s a wonder I lasted the two months in them before I got hit by bad arch pain, swollen ankles, my first stress fracture… And two blackened toe nails. (which eventually needed to be pulled off by a doctor)

Cue six weeks of no running.

When I got back to it, I decided to do it right. I’d done my research while out. I got analysed, I saw videofeed of my gait while running on a treadmill. I got fitted.

And I got fitted with two shoes. Asics Gel Kayanos and Mizuno Wave Inspires. The latter felt insanely better on my feet.

So from there on out I’ve been running in Mizuno Wave Inspire 7s. Gorgeous black beauties with pink detailing. Slinky and elegant.

They last me about five months before I start getting the lower back pain screaming, “New shoes, now!”

And I was just about to start the sixth month on my current pair. So, yes, new shoes were a priority.

Here’s the thing with that. Mizuno shoes are sold by only one store here. And 7s were long gone. So were 8s. And get this. They have stopped importing Mizuno shoes in my size because no one buys them. So, I could stare at the beautiful Wave Inspire 9s in the store all I wanted, but they only went up to EU 41. I run in EU 42s.

I inquired about the possibility of special ordering. No go.

And then, while outlet hunting last week… I spotted a pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 8s. In my size. Omg. I had them through the register and out the store faster than you can blink your eyes.

And today was the day.

I’ve been running in elegant black for so long that the almost neon mint colour of them was a bit of a put off at first, but staring down at them on a sunny day…

I

…made me smile at the brightness of them. 😀 Though they are gonna clash something horrible with my summer running wardrobe.

Back to the run.

To be honest, I probably shouldn’t have. *blush*

I took the 75% short break comeback guideline and, instead of the 11km The Plan wanted for today, programmed 8 km into Endomondo as the distance goal.

A mistake.

I started out easy at around 6.40 pace mindful of my hamstrings and the new shoes. The first kilometre felt good, so did the second.

The sun was shining, the ground was clear, there were families out walking and children waving and drunken guys laughing and shouting, “Run to daddy, baby!” (Yes, seriously, all part of spring.)

So I sped up a bit.

In the 4th kilometre I had a longish pretty steep downhill segment and suddenly I could feel the blasted hamstrings on my left leg. -.-

Well. Rats. There it was getting all stiff again.

No pain though and seemed to ease up on level ground. So I pushed on. And honestly, I was having fun. After a week of rain and no running it felt so good to be out there.

By the sixth kilometre, I was definitely experiencing hamstring soreness. At 7.5km just before hitting my goal I called it a day. It was starting to get painful.

Lessons? Should have kept it shorter and slower.

On the other hand, since I went for my weekend route where the shortest loop I can make is ten kilometres… I had an almost three kilometre walk home after I stopped running and that seemed to help to loosen things up quite a bit.

After a cold bath and a hot shower it’s not feeling too bad anymore.

Also, gave me a chance to stop and snap photos, which I usually can’t do while running.

The Plan calls for 5km tomorrow. I’m thinking three. If my legs feel fine in the am. 🙂

K.