Oops. My bad.

This blog has sort of become like my mind at times - skipping from one topic to the next.  Trying to expound upon a topic that I think others might have some interest in.  I don't find myself as motivated as others might be to do a daily blog.  I tend to latch onto an idea while I am out running and make a mental blog post for future reference.  I actually have several old blogs in the can that I have never posted because I either left them behind or didn't think they looked good enough in the light of day.  One trick I resort to has been to write my thoughts to myself in an e-mail so that I can try to compose something for later.  I have actually drafted several interesting themes while sitting in one of many boring meetings.   


Anyway, Abby carded my (again) about my new shoes.  I should have realized that new running shoes are a big deal to Abbs.  I forgot to mention I won a new set of shoes from our company last summer.  The company's been on this wellness kick for the past few years.  We have a sweet workout room, an on site trainer, and run a number of healthy living programs (smoking cessation, Tai Bo, Rumba, Maintain Don't Gain, Walk Across Texas, etc.).  I signed up for a "Walk Across Texas" program where teams would be formed and you recorded your activity each week for 8 weeks and those were translated into equivalent mileage.  Felt it was kinda hokey at the time, but since I was doing at least 3-4 runs during the week, I thought could nail the mileage thing for the group.  Of course, there was one young engineer who does soccer three times a week in addition to all the other activities he does, so he pretty much smoked the course and won an iPad.  Some of the top mileage winners got various nice prizes and I wound up in the top 10 group.  Won a $100 gift certificate to a local running store - On the Run.  I've always wanted to shop there but have been too cheap to really buy shoes/gear so this was my opportunity.  I went in and actually got fitted for a new set of shoes.  I rally wasn't looking for a new pair, but the opportunity availed itself and I got a new pair of shiny red ASICS Gel-Cumulus shoes.  I had actually drafted an ode to my old shoes as a blog theme but thought it was too lame to post.  I'm not one to splurge on "extravagances" like new shoes and I tend to hang on to the old ones way past their useful life, so this was a new step for me.  


I used to run in the cheapest, most generic shoe that would fit me.  Way back in my 10k days, my favorite show was a pair of Nike CL100s (no real support, just nylon and rubber).  My first two half marathons and a 10k plus a number of other races and training runs were in an old pair of New Balance shoes (that I picked up at a garage sale).  Those were pretty stable/light shoes that helped improve my mileage.  I wore those shoes for 3-4 years and they were starting to show their age.  

Tired old New Balance shoes

Last year I moved up to a new pair of ASICS I picked up from the local sporting goods chain.  They seemed to improve my time last year (marginally) and I think my legs noticed the change.  

Last year's addition to the fleet (ASIC Cumulus 11)

This year I'll try out the new pair to see if they help.  I got the shoes back in June and have been holding them in reserve until this upcoming run.  Perhaps they will help me carve off a minute off my pace, but if they merely help me survive the run, they will have earned their stripes.  

My new rides (ASIC Cumulus 13)