New Shoes

Well it's about damn time is all I can really say!

I finally bit the bullet and invested in some new running shoes. I have been running regularly - despite my lack of posting - and am scheduled for a 14-miler on Saturday. After my 12-miler two weeks ago, I decided I wasn't setting myself up to succeed and determined new shoes were in order. My 12-miler was certainly more successful than my 10-miler (seriously, almost ANYTHING would have been better than THAT fiasco). Still, I hurt after and my feet were sore and swollen.

Okay, okay - all you runners out there will say that's normal for long distances in the heat. I should have said my feet hurt more and were more swollen than usual.

So, yesterday I made a trip to my local running store and tried a few pairs on. Now, I am generally brand faithful to Asics, but for whatever reason the past two times I've visited my local running store they haven't had any in stock (probably because they are popular). So, I tested out a pair of Saucony and two pairs of Mizunos. After much deliberation and running on the treadmill (in my work clothes - silly), I went with a pair of Mizunos. The good news is, my running store will take them back, no questions asked, within 30 days. So I can basically test drive them for 30 days! It's an awesome policy and I applaud them for really wanting their customer to be happy. I could have waited 2 weeks for some new Asics to arrive, but I admit I'm worried about the 14-miler and wanted to have some new shoes for that.

I ran in them this morning, and other than sticking a little to the new street pavement, I was happy with them. So I look ahead to Saturday and wonder if I'll get the run in or if it will wait until Sunday morning. I hate to change days, but the forecast calls for morning thunderstorms on Saturday and though that means slightly cooler temps, I'm not a fan of hard rain long runs. At least I have options.

Since my last post, not much has happened outside of my running life. I've started prepping for fall classes and a week ago had a class cancelled due to low enrollment. I'm pretty pissed off because I teach in BFA program and it was an upper-level scene study class that graduating seniors MUST have in order to graduate. Not only that, but I submitted on MONDAY a way to satisfy the student needs with my teaching load and I still haven't gotten word on if it has been approved! Seriously? Classes start on MONDAY. It's now THURSDAY. When am I supposed to prep for my change is course load and notify the students??? My department head actually got snippy with me for asking him yesterday. Really? Administration created this mess and I'm trying to fix it! Don't get snippy with me!!!

WHEW. Sorry, I'm getting mad all over again.

I also had a friend visit me from DC. It was a short, but sweet, visit. We didn't do much as she really just wanted to spend time at my house with my dogs.

Aside from that, it's business as usual. My critters are keeping me busy . . . though Jake appears to be settling down a LITTLE. He's only jumped the fence once since my return (knock on wood). Now if I could just get him to stop barking at Henry. SIGH.

That's about it. I'll let you know if I keep my new shoes. I'll also let you know how 14 miles go.

Some days I wonder why I'm a runner.

An Unlucky Occurrence

Okay, so last week I set out, as promised, for my 10 mile run. It was Saturday morning, a little after 6 AM, and it was already pretty warm with high humidity. I decided to follow the route that had me pass the house regularly so I could drink Gatorade during the run.

In spite of the Gatorade planning, I made four critical mistakes:

1. I ran my nine miles the Tuesday before my Saturday 10-miler.
2. I ate poorly the night before (this I discovered in hindsight and have now added a few foods to my "not the night before a long run meal" list).
3. I chose to sleep longer instead of get up and eat.
4. The route I chose, which is like a figure eight with my house in the middle, did not have bathroom at one end of the eight.

Perhaps you can guess what happened, but in the running world it is referred to as the "trots."

I ran the first two miles and was feeling pretty good in spite of the heat. I stopped for a quick sip of Gatorade (which, also in hindsight, was probably more than a sip and therefor too much), and ran three more. I could definitely feel the heat now, but I stopped again, drank too much Gatorade AGAIN, and headed out for another two mile loop. I was into my 7th mile, when I felt some kicking in my bowels and no bathroom in sight. In fact, the closest bathroom was my house and it was just under a mile away.

I thought, for about 30 seconds, I could get to the house. Clearly I was delirious from the heat. When my head started to really hear what the nether regions had been yelling at it, I remembered seeing some portable bathrooms adjacent to a soccer field in a nearby park. The fact that I hadn't noticed them when I ran by twice before that morning didn't register. I just prayed hard and walked funny as quickly as possible in the correct direction.

When I got to the clearing and soccer field, I could not see them. I was desperate at this point and tried to find a way to get into the copse of trees lining the field. Of course, it was all terribly overgrown and I new I was in trouble. My eyes landed on an island of tall grass nearby the trees and I just made my way to it. It gave me some "privacy" but at that point, all modesty was gone. I pulled down my shorts and pretended to be bear. While squatting, I saw those portable bathrooms: pushed over and laying on their backs. A hell of a lot of good they do in THAT position!

I was naturally relieved, but horrified too. I have NEVER had this happen to me as a runner. I have heard horror stories from friends and family, but figured I was one of the lucky ones. Not anymore. I guess I just chock it up to experience and hold on to the lessons learned.

Ultimately, I finished the run. It wasn't even remotely pretty.

This Saturday, I am scheduled to run 12. I have been keeping up with my maintenance runs and will have rested on Friday. I will get up an hour early, eat a small breakfast, drink one cup of coffee, make sure my bowels are EMPTY, and sip my Gatorade. Oh, and on Friday night, I plan to eat brown rice, veggies, and either fish or tofu.

And pray I'm lucky once again.