New Shoes, New Camera, New Bladder

I don’t try on my running shoes before I buy them, because local stores don’t stock my size (US women’s size twelve!).  I’m used to this.  Stores haven’t carried my shoe size since I was in high school (hence my first reason to love the internet – shoes!).  Sadly, in my youth, I continuously shoved my foot into shoes that were too small.  I wonder if this has anything to do with my continuous feet problems (that I am in continual denial over). 

Now, I purchase the same type of running shoe pretty much every time I get shoes online.  I always buy New Balance running shoes, always a neutral shoe with an 8mm (or less) heal-to-toe drop (that is my heal rests 8mm higher than my toe).   This formula (NB, neutral, 8mm) works pretty well.  So, I was surprised with this last purchase (New Balance Gore-Tex trail running shoe) when I experienced so much shin and calve pain on my last run which entailed 6 miles along Quail Hill Loop. 

Determined to get to the bottom of this, I decided on one last run before Calico.  First things first, because I have much to do in preparation for this family trip, I filled my truck with gas this morning and headed off to purchase a new camera.  Yes, I broke another camera.  Imagine that.  I set my heart on the Canon Elph.  I’m a nostalgic lady (reason for running Calico #7 even though it will kick my butt).  The Elph was the first camera that I ever smashed down onto the rocks, way back when, during my first Calico trail race in 2009.  Alas, Walmart didn’t have an Elph in stock.  So, I settled for a Nikon.  Then as I drove off to purchase a new replacement bladder for my hydration pack, I noticed that my newly purchased Nikon had only an internal memory and no slot for an SD card.  No, no, no!  I could not deal with that. 

To my dismay, the running store didn’t sell bladders.  I drove back to Walmart, stood in a long-ass line to return the camera I had just purchased.  Then I went back to Electronics and bought another camera (a Samsung).  Finally, at 11:30 AM, I was able to hit the trails in Wood Canyon to try out my new shoes once more.

My calves and shins felt fine.  Really fine.  I felt sluggish, but that’s pretty much because I am out of shape.  The shoes were also a little stiff (because they are waterproof – doh!  I didn’t realize that I had bought waterproof shoes).  Best of all though, these shoes have tremendous grip on the terrain.  To really test out the grip, I took them for a spin on Rock It trail.  If I were to slip, Rock It would be the place. 

Good news.  No slippage. 

After my 6+ mile run, I headed off to pick up my boys from school, ran off to the Laundromat (our washer AND dryer are broken).  While the clothes dried, I walked across the street to Big 5 and bought a new 70 ounce bladder just in time for Calico.  

Trial Run

Recently, I purchased two new pair of running shoes (I got steal deals).  I can’t wear my running shoes out to the utmost like I have been.  Assuredly, I have learned my lesson.

I purchased my regular mountain running shoes, New Balance 876.  And I purchased the next generation of my New Balance 101’s, the New Balance 110’s.  It’s a low rise, lightweight shoe that I usually wear running the coastal hills because the terrain isn’t so brutal.  Now I have 3 perfectly good shoes to run in.  All the rest I should throw away.  (I already threw away my NB 101’s and it was such a sad occasion, I had my husband do it, because I couldn’t myself). 

Anyway, the New Balance 110 is virtually the same as the 101’s, except for two things.  The material is more rubbery than cloth-like, and the colors are WILD.  Now, I’m not one to go for wild colored running shoes.  But heck, the 101’s were my favorite shoes, so I might as well get the next generation.

I went ahead and took the plunge late this morning.  No, I didn’t go for a swim (I wish!).  I went for a run.  With a taped up arch and heal I took off running trails for an out-and-back to Top of the World in Laguna Beach. 

(Oh, and I also got my new camera.)

I felt fine on the trip out.  My feet felt good, though I could tell there was something “there,” I didn’t feel any pain.  The way out was mainly uphill.  I made decent time and didn’t feel like I had lost anything after 5 days off (which I’m terrified of doing).  I stopped once to talk with a hiker who wanted directions to Dripping Cave from the Ridge down Rock It.  The instructions were rather detailed involving 4 or 5 different trails.  He wrote them down and we departed both hoping for a grand adventure on his hike. 

I reached Top of the World ready to refill my handheld.  The day was hot and sunny.  I stopped to take in the view, even sat for a second.  The tape above my socks was coming undone due to dirt getting in between my skin and the adhesive. 

The run back was a different story for this trial run.  Starting off on a downhill, I felt pain right away.  Eventually the pain grew to a point that I found myself actually limping as I ran!  I thought I may have to walk back to my truck.  But as soon as the uphills began, my foot’s pain decreased.  I had some pain the entire trip back, always less on the uphills.  I sadly thought to myself, “I’m never going to be able to put 50 miles on these feet.”  What a defeatist! 

Back at the car, I did some math in my head however, and realized that I needed to make this morning’s run a little less than 9 times to equal Twin Peaks total Mileage (52 miles).  “Humph!”  I laughed to myself when I decided, “I could run that 8 more times. Yes siree, I can.”

Two more weeks.  TWO MORE WEEKS.  (The red star is above Santiago Peak):

Today’s bizarre looking profile (6.42 miles run):

Shoes Anyone?

I spend too much time looking for a matching pair of shoes on my way out for a run.  There's not even enough room in my closet for all my running/walking/hiking/gym shoes, in other words tennis shoes : )

So I dragged them all out from beneath the bed today, piled them high.  Now it's time to go through them and simplify life a bit.