Thursday, March 24, 2011

New Running Shoes

Momma always says there's an awful lot you could tell about a person by their shoes. Where they're going. Where they've been. I've worn lots of shoes...
-Forrest Gump

Being a runner, I have an intimate understanding of my shoes. They have to feel right, move right, and most importantly run right. If you're not a runner, it's hard to explain how the difference between a New Balance shoe and a Reebok shoe can alter a runners form, stride, and even mental state. It's a funny relationship we runners have with our shoes, but after-all they're practically the most important piece of equipment we use.... Obviously there probably are a few other important items, but non-runners don't want to hear about the 'disgusting' things that runners deal with.

In it's rawest form, runners would be barefoot and grassy fields would be where we frolicked. But let's face it, the real world loves asphalt and concrete. While it's great for rollerblading and bicycle riding, it's brutal for bare feet and even knees for that matter. Shoes are the only thing between our feet and the pavement on a hot summer day where surface temperatures are easily 150°F or a cold winter day with snow and ice. Can you imagine how much abuse a running shoe has to take?

With the Lincoln Half-Marathon less than 6 weeks away, I have started breaking in a new pair of running shoes. I doubt I will run with them in Lincoln, but it's important to start breaking them in now so I can comfortably use them when I am ready to retire my current shoes. Well, I guess I should admit something... Much to my wife's disliking, I don't really retire my running shoes they just become another pair of shoes to wear - maybe for hiking or around the house, maybe even for work. Whatever I use them for, my shoes have to be falling off my feet before they go in the trash. I still wear a pair of running shoes I ran in during my high school senior year of cross country - and that's over 10 years now.

A few days ago I was running and noticed I had a rock wedged between the tread in my shoe. It felt like a pretty good sized rock too. I scraped my foot along the road for a few strides to try and break the rock loose but that didn't do anything. I had to stop for a moment and get it out by hand. I stopped, turned my shoe over and there it was - a small little rock. I couldn't believe it was so small, but I flicked it off and went on my way. Then I got to thinking.... That little rock hardly was anything, but my feet knew that rock was there and my foot could tell the rock was now gone. When I have a pair of shoes broke-in and comfortable, it's amazing how sensitive my feet can be to such little changes. Almost as if my feet and shoes have fused together and have become one. I especially know how well my feet relate to my shoes when I start breaking in a new pair of shoes - like I am doing now. I run a few miles and I have blisters forming on my feet! It's a pain in more ways than one, but someday in the near future these new shoes will be accepted by my feet and we will all get along much better. Until that day, I continue to painfully break in my new shoes - slowly my feet and my shoes become friends - just like a new kid in the neighborhood, we have to feel each other out for awhile before understanding how everything will work.

I have another run with my shoes this evening. I'm sure they will give me some fits, but I am not easily swayed to stop. It just takes a little tough love to convince my feet and shoes that they are going to become well acquainted - like it or not. Besides, we have a lot of miles to travel together, we might as well enjoy it.

Until again

-=Nolan=-