New shoes

I got new shoes today! I called Running Wild the other day and asked Wade when he would be in to help fit me for shoes. I worked with Wade at the Pensacola Marathon finish line. Coach Mark always speaks so highly of him that I thought I'd have him fit my new shoes. good think he wasn't available until today because I wanted to let my feet heal some.

I tried on some Brooks first, but I didn't even get through one lap around the shop before I realized they were uncomfortable. They were a little tight in the heel. That's weird because I must have the narrowest heel on record! Then I tried on some Asics Gel Kayano 17. They fit nicely. Then I tried some Pearl Izumi isoShifts. Pearl Izumi stopped making the shoes I have been wearing and have replaced them with the isoShift. They were comfortable. Then I tried an Asics on the right and a PI on the left and I liked the right. Then I swapped them and I still liked the right. I think the arch issue in my left foot (the worse of the two) hasn't fully gone away yet. But as I sat there and talked to Wade, the left foot was more comfortable overall, so I went with the Asics.

Wade said the wear pattern on my shoes was perfect. That's cool! I am happy that I'm running correctly. He said that while he isn't a doctor, he agrees with Mark in that the issue in my feet may be plantar fasciitis. He said to see how the new shoes do and if my feet stop hurting, then maybe it was the shoes. If they don't, it may be PF and I should do the following: see a doctor for an official diagnosis, massage the feet using either a massage therapist or trigger point therapy (or both), ice it, stretch the feet, and strengthen the calves.

My feet did bother me some when I was trying out the shoes, but the funniest thing was that when I started to run to test out the shoes, I just wanted to take off down the street and run for a while. I actually miss running, and it hasn't even been a week. I wrote my training plan for the next eight weeks to get ready for the Seaside Half (which Wade is doing too) and my first run is the 18th. I don't want to wait that long. I want to run tomorrow morning! So I think -- weather depending -- I'm going to run tomorrow. I am not going to go crazy. I don't want to aggravate the PF, or whatever the problem is, but I think a few miles (in the new shoes) would be fun. Wade said that if the shoes feel good then I should run in them. I can mix my old shoes in for longer runs if I want, but he doesn't personally believe in "breaking in" shoes. He said just to go for it. I do think that if my feet hurt a lot following the run, especially in the new shoes, I will make an appointment to see my doctor. Yeah, the same doctor who told me to get exercising. I don't have all the symptoms of PF (that I've read online) but only a doctor should make that actual determination.

The Pensacola Beach run is tomorrow. I think it would have been fun to do. You don't have to register for a specific distance, you just do what you want to do. If you want to do a 5k you turn at the 5k marker. If you want to continue for a 10k, turn at the 10k marker. If you want to do a half, follow the half route. Wade asked if I'd join him at the finish line handing out goodies to the finishers. I'd like to help, but with the shop, I don't feel I can help for long. Man, do I look forward to regaining my Saturdays!

Speaking of which, McGuire's prediction run is Saturday, March 12. I may be able to do it! It is a few days after the Seaside race, but I think I can do a 5k. We'll see how I do tomorrow. I'll probably do three miles, and it has been a week since Disney. I probably could have run a day or so after the half if my feet hadn't been hurting so badly.

I'm eager to give the new shoes a try. I'll report back tomorrow.