New Kicks, New Connection

After a three day weekend spent trying to get my new Internet set up, I can finally say that I have reliable service--except when it decides not to work. UGH! Technology and I are not friends right now. We're usually tight, too. For now--frienemies.


But, I hope you enjoyed reading my pre-written posts. At least the one about my weight loss. I've been thinking about it more over the last week, especially after finding a dress that really slims me down, and I'm really impressed with my weight loss, y'all! 35 pounds?! That's a lot! Granted, when you take into account my starting weight, it's like an average person losing 15 pounds, but still, 15 pounds is a lot for an average sized person to lose, right? (You'll have to fill me in here because I have no idea.) So, another pat on my back, please. Thanks. =)


Moving on ... I got another new thing this weekend! NEW SHOES! I was finally able to get out to Fleet Feet and get my monstrous feet fitted for some proper running shoes.


I have nothing but good things to say about Fleet Feet at this point. My shoe fitter (I think her name was Bridget) took a great deal of time with me on a busy Saturday afternoon, all for the sake of finding the perfect fit. I tried on somewhere around 8 to 10 pairs of shoes and took 5 or 6 of them for a spin on the sidewalk outside. She videotaped my feet as I jogged on the treadmill inside and we watched the video back in slow motion to analyze my gait. (Turns out I have a neutral, healthy gait instead of the rolled-out one I thought I had.) I can't believe it; I can actually run in a straight line!



Well, my healthy stride in mind, she set out to find me a pair of really cushiony, comfy shoes. Unfortunately I still had to get dude shoes because my feet are so big and fairly wide. Bridget (I'll just assume that's her name from now on) stared at my feet longer than I did at times. She didn't let me settle for "okay" shoes, which I tend to do with everything because I hate shopping so much. She paid attention to the spots where the shoes were snug and/or loose and found me the perfect pair.


I -- LOVE -- THEM!


Ladies and gentlemen, meet my brand new size 11 2E (men's) Mizuno Wave Inspire 6 running shoes.

Yes, this is a shameless and gratuitous promotion of my calf muscles at a demi-releve. I earned those!

(Actually, I've had the calves forever. I just wanted to show them off like my friend Anne did. And my calves' northern and southern neighbors have shaped up nicely recently.)

I took the shoes for a test run on Sunday afternoon on the Five Mile Trail (I only did 1.2 miles out and back, 2.4 miles total), and they did pretty well! I had a teensy bit of the typical new shoe toe numbness, but it went away before I finished. Then I got that burning sensation on the bottom of my feet ... totally a new shoe feeling too. I'm confident these will break in in no time since they're so squishy. Uh, and they're light! The shoes I was using before are technically cross trainers, albeit lightweight ones. I'm so ready to roll in these puppies. Bring on more 5Ks!

Speaking of 5Ks, I signed up for another one last week. It's the Run to Remember in Anderson Township and it's this Saturday at a nearby park. The course is a little lame, but it's flat and it's in my part of town. Plus it's, if you couldn't tell by its name, a run to remember individuals from Anderson Township who have passed away. I actually have a bit of a distant personal connection to two of the honorees. I went to school with Erin and graduated with her sister, Liz. My mom's former co-worker, Sean, was married to honoree Marty. Their stories, along with the other honorees' stories, are just so heartbreaking. Check out the website to read about them. I'll be thinking of them and someone else during my run.

My honoree

Hopefully it's a happy atmosphere so I can keep it together enough to breathe and see straight.

So, this week I'm hoping to get out and run at least twice before Saturday. I'm glad I don't have to wait until it's late in the evening to get outside, but I'm sad the long days of summer are over. Now I actually have to start rushing home (if I'm not being attacked by a to-do list at work) in order to get out in the daylight. I'll never be happy, huh?

Thanks for reading, and thanks for bearing with me during the Internet debacle.