Shoe Conundrum

A few weeks ago, I bought the Asics Kayano 22s for the first time. I've been in my 21s for awhile, and the 20s before that. I've never had a problem, and I seriously thought the Kayano was my sole-mate. Unfortunately, as I've written here recently, the 22s are weirdly long and narrow in the toe-box.

After some run tests and returns, I've been in the Kayano 22 (wide) for a couple weeks now. I have about 20 miles on the shoe, and it's officially going back to the store. I think the extra width makes my forefoot slip around too much, which is creating hot spots on balls of my feet. Also, I have to lace them too snuggly and that ends up hurting the top of my foot.

I wish it weren't so, but it's back to the store for you pretties.

I've been changing my gait to deal with the discomfort, so now my calves and shins have been tight. I feel clunky during my runs.

All this means I'm officially on the hunt for new running shoes. I overpronate as I tire out on long runs, so I need a little stability and I like a soft, cushioned shoe, but lately I've also wanted to try something more responsive and bouncier.

I used the Brooks shoe-finder after I already kind of knew which shoes I was interested in, and it confirmed my thought process...but depending on if I chose "cushion" or "energize", it gives me both options I'm interested in! So now I'm still stuck!

I've narrowed my search down to the Brooks Ravenna and the Brooks Transcend. These shoes are both support shoes; the main difference is in how they offer support and in the amount of cushion.

My "energize" option.

The Ravenna is more responsive (bouncier), which I want to try out, but the Transcend is definitely softer and more cushiony. Once I eventually go back to marathon training, I think I'll want that cushion, but do I need it for distances up to the half marathon?

My "cushion" option.

The other sticking point is that the Transcend sounds ideal - it has the cushion I prefer and slightly stronger support - but I've read it's a bit wide. I don't want to deal with the same sliding/rubbing issue I'm having with the wide Kayano 22s!

The Transcend's specs.

To further confuse me, the Ravenna's heel-toe offset is more similar to the Kayano 21; I'm not a big fan of low-drop shoes (not that the Transcend is low).

The Ravenna's specs.

I know running shoes come down to personal preference, but I wish someone could just pick for me! And I wish my local stores had these two shoes in stock so I could try them on, but I'll have to order them first and then return what I don't want.

Shoe hunting is so frustrating. I hate that it takes a few runs before you really know if a shoe is working for you or not. If only there were an easier way. Wouldn't it be nice if running shoe manufacturers would stop drastically updating shoes that are perfectly awesome the way they are?

Any advice on picking between these two shoes?
What are your thoughts on cushion vs. responsiveness?

ABK

Friday 5 - Catching Up

Today I'm going Eat Pray Run DC for the Friday 5 linkup!

1. Work: Today is the last day of school with kids, which means for me it's my last day with classes...maybe ever. I'm not sure I made a formal announcement here yet, but you guys may remember I've been training to be a CRT this year. Well, the position opened up at my school (one of our current CRTs is being promoted to assistant principal at another school), and I'll be taking her place! It's bittersweet, really.

I love being in the classroom with students; seeing the lightbulb moments, watching them connect to literature, expanding their global awareness and social understanding...I mean, I live for that. But I'm ready for a change, and I'm excited to mentor other teachers and help them create the same kind of atmosphere in their classrooms.

2. Mental health: I can't seem to focus this week. I'm just running on fumes. I think my exhaustion is making me emotional. I've been thinking about Archie a lot and I keep feeling the inexplicable urge to lock myself in the bathroom and cry for no reason. Wednesday I was at school for 15 hours because graduation was at 6pm, and the 8th grade dance followed until 9pm. The dance was fun and it was awesome to see the kids let loose, but I'm just exhausted. I just want to sit down, unwind, and let some of these emotions out. But I can't quite yet...I need to hold on another day.

3. Physical health: That exhaustion has translated into crappy eating. I've been eating way too much; I'm not necessarily hungry, but I'm an emotional eater so I'm definitely comfort eating. Of course, that makes me more tired and sluggish. I'm getting my workouts in, but this week I've just felt totally uninspired and unmotivated. I need to break the cycle.

4. Running: I still can't decide if I like my new Kayanos. I got the 22s in an 8.5 (like I usually do for the 21s) and they were super long in the toe box, but narrow. I tried the 8s and they were WAY too narrow! Then I tried them in the wide size. While that's better, it's not great.

Our "gym" on Tuesday.

I do think my feet have a little too much room to slip around, and I hate to tighten the laces too much because they'll pinch. I'm going to be trying a couple new shoes in the next few weeks to find a good replacement. I wrote a strongly-worded complaint and got a form-letter back. We'll see if they fix the issue of the narrowness in the 23s.

5. Weird and Random: I've been getting a lot of compliments lately from my student about...my eyebrows. What an odd thing for them to notice, and even odder for them to comment on!

I don't know...they're well-groomed, I guess?

On a less weird note, I've gotten a couple wonderful comments from the kids about class this year. They appreciate that I let them voice their opinions and that I've helped them explore new and challenging real-life topics via the literature we read. I'm so glad I made an impact on them, and I hope the spark I've helped to ignite in them continues to burn as they enter high school.

This has been a wonderful year to cap off my dedicated classroom time. My kids have been socially conscious, engaged, interested and interesting, bright, compassionate, and kind. Today I say goodbye to them...and my little kingdom in room 307.

How is your week going?
Does fatigue play tricks on your emotions?

ABK

Weekly Workouts 5/23-5/30

Monday: Self-made core circuit from last week. We changed up one of the planks but otherwise kept it the same.

Tuesday: "Recovery" speed work...meaning the pace wasn't as fast as we usually try to keep it lately. We did 6x800 repeats and kept the paces in the low- and mid-8s. Between each repeat I alternated tricep dips and push-ups (15 reps) because I forgot my weights.

Wednesday: Elizabeth and I completed the leg circuit I created a couple weeks ago. As usual, I was dripping and shaking by the end! This one is definitely a keeper.

30 seconds each, repeat 4 times with 30 second rest between repetitions

Thursday: Rest...and well-deserved. Standing up after sitting and climbing chairs made my quads ache!

Friday: This five mile run started off shaky. My legs still felt pretty stiff and heavy from Wednesday's leg day, and I realize now that on weeks when I do an intensive leg day I may need to keep an easier pace on my Friday run. But I warmed up as I went on, and this turned into a pretty consistent progression-style run!

I felt like I was working moderately hard the entire run, but the last two miles felt the easiest.

Saturday: Rest.

Sunday: Nine very sunny, hot, and humid miles with Elizabeth at a 10:42 pace (we had positive splits because by the time the sun was fully up, it was so hot and we were dying). This run was not fun, but we got it done. I had to walk a little at mile 7.5 or so. It's really time that I resigned myself to starting long runs at 5:30; starting after 6 just isn't cutting it.

Smiling because it's OVER.

I was in new shoes for this run. I got the Asics Kayano 22s after being in the 21s for the last couple years. The new design is much narrower and the toe-box especially is more snug. I'm not sure if I like it. I tried going up a half size and the shoe was obviously too big, but the smaller size is pretty tight. I didn't get any blisters or painful toenails, but my feet didn't feel as comfortable as I'm used to on long runs. I'm torn - they're okay, but I'm just paranoid about the tight fit and I just don't love them.

They're SO pretty...I want them to work!

I may need to branch out and try other shoes, which is really disappointing being the Kayano has been my sole-mate for years, and we all know how stressful finding new shoes can be.

I wrote a constructively-critical letter to Asics, and I'm naively hoping that they fix the toe-box issue in the 23s.

Did you have a productive week?

ABK

While the Cat's Away...

I was both gratified and a little saddened that so many people could identify with my last post. It's nice to know I'm not alone in those kinds of thoughts, but it totally sucks that so many awesome people - particularly women - struggle with such negative thinking. Here's to us and overcoming the negativity!

This week, Matt bought a new race board for paddling and put his other race board up for sale. And wasn't it just perfect kismet that the person who wanted to buy his board lives in Orlando, and wanted to meet the same weekend as alumni weekend?

I chose not to go on this trip; I absolutely cannot travel and stay up until 3am partying with only three weeks until race day! So Matt went on his own, and I was left to answer the age-old question of how to entertain myself while home alone.

 Friday after work I baked brownies and gave myself a manicure.

I used Krusteaz's new GF mix and it was a total success. YUM!

This picture may be my latest argument against people going gluten free to "lose weight."

I'm really loving this black-purple shade.

As soon as I'd finished I remembered why I never paint my nails. Archie hates nail polish and hasn't let me give him scratches all weekend. He's still hanging out with me, but he's avoiding my hands at all costs.

PJs, classic rom-com, and a sleeping birdie. My Saturday night in one photo.

What can I say, I'm a complex woman with eclectic tastes in TV.

 Saturday I woke up for a run with Kristin, and immediately afterward realized that my plan to get new shoes after the race wasn't going to pan out. How am I already at 360 miles?!

Not my best run. This was good proof to me that tapering happens for a reason.

Bubblegum pink and brand new! It's going to take me awhile to get used to the color!

I spent the day resting and researching/planning for the marathon.

My favorite running shorts are the 3.5" Epic Run, and I wore them for my 20-miler without any problems, but I ordered a pair of the 5.5" to test out and compare before race-day.

I've been spending some time figuring out my running plan for race day. I don't want to hit the wall earlier than necessary (because I'm sure it will happen sometime over the course of 26.2 miles!), so starting at a conservative pace seems smart. But sometimes it's hard to crank up the pace if I've started too conservatively. So I need to play around with what my "yellow zone" pace really is.

Food for thought!

Truthfully, although I get lonely and a little scared alone at night, it's nice to have a couple days to myself to relax and indulge in junk TV and other girlie pleasures.

How do you pass the time when you're home alone?

What junk TV do you enjoy?

How was your weekend?

ABK

Running on Fire

This week I started (and finished) Scott Jurek's memoir Eat & Run. Although I took exception to some of it, I highlighted more than I expected. I think some of his mantras and keep-going attitude rubbed off on me this week.

Even if you're uninterested in running ultras, this is worth the read.

Yesterday I had one of those mid-week mini-long runs of 6 miles. I’m still having trouble fitting more than 4 miles in before I have to get back home for work, so I saved the run for after a full day of teaching.

My calves burned the entire time. I was going to cut it short but I decided to push through. I was really glad that I did the entire thing. I walked at the halfway point, just to have some water, but then continued and ran the whole time.

I think the burning calves were caused by the cross training that I did earlier in the week.

Here's a picture of all the people on the treadmills during rush hour at our gym. I'm glad this was on my cross training day, so I didn't have to claim one for myself!

It's hard to take a non-blurry picture while on the stair-stepper! Whodathunk?

I would still rather be sore during a longer midweek run than on my real long run on the weekends, so I think that I'm going to keep doing cross training early in the week (on Tuesday or Wednesday).

This might be TMI, but I also have another UTI…seriously the worst illness to have while running. I felt like I was going to wet myself for the first three miles of this run. I seem to be getting them more and more often. This might have something to do with how often I'm working out and how much I’m sweating.

Post-run collapse...But inside I was grinning.

Anyway, I was on my first dose of antibiotics when I went for my run last night, and that definitely didn’t help. I didn't feel very well or have a lot of energy, but I pushed through.

I was playing with the idea of only doing 4 miles. I bargained with myself, wondering how many miles I could add to a scheduled shorter run to make up for it. But in the end, I stuck with it; the run was tough, but that made it good.

The hard runs are what train us for greater distances; finishing this one will do more for my marathon training than hundreds of Good, easy runs ever would.

Needless to say, I'm really, really glad I finished.

Oh, also, I listened to Pandora on this run and "Come On Eileen" definitely gave me the boost I needed around mile 4.5.

(Look for a guest post from me in the near future on Alyssa’s blog, See This Girl Run, on building mental toughness!)

How do you find the silver lining of a tough run?

How do you fit in longer mid-week runs?

What's the best 80s song to run to?

ABK

Gear Report: Nathan Fuel Belt, Kayano 19, and Blog Recommendations

Before I even begin today's post, I need to thank you guys for keeping me accountable. Because I was so excited to use my new fuel belt and share a brief review, I had to get out of bed today to use it!

I'm glad I did, because I also caught glimpses of three shooting stars leftover from the Perseid meteor shower that was super bright Sunday and Monday.

I know it seems like I post photos of new shoes at least once a week, but I really mean it this time.

I can already feel the neon making me faster!

I went back to Fit2Run with my Adrenalines in hand. After giving them a shot since July, I just knew they weren't right for me. The employee who took my return was surprised I hadn't been fitted for the Trance, as they're really the equivelant of the Asics Kayano. Still, I told him at this point I just wanted what I knew worked for me.

The 19s are slightly more narrow in the toe, so I sized up to 8.5 rather than an 8.

I walked out fifteen minutes later (after an extremely awkward fitting during which I had to apologize for my I've-been-wearing-work-shoes-without-socks-all-day-smelly-feet) with a gorgeous pair of Kayano 19s. I am thrilled!

So preeeettyyyy.

This is it, guys. I know these are meant for me!

Anyway, this morning I woke up at 4:25, ate a few SportsBeans, and read some blogs until I was awake enough to get moving.
I ran with my new Nathan Speed 4R fuel belt. I only put in two bottles because my run was only going to be three miles. I definitely noticed a little sloshing, and I think one of the bottles was leaking a little because I didn't close the cap all the way.

I went for basic black, but there are pink and blue options, too.

I like that there's no closure on the nipple of the bottle; it has a one-way system built in and all you have to do is squeeze the bottle to get a perfect jet of water. The belt didn't wiggle; it definitely sat where I secured it. The pocket is the perfect size for my keys, and will be great for fuels on my longer runs.

Nothing like a fuzzy under-the-street-light shot to really provide a clear picture.

My arms never clipped the bottles and they were easy to remove from the belt while running. The extra weight will take awhile to get used to, and I definitely noticed it once I took the belt off, but during the run I didn't feel it affected my gait. (I was a little slower today, but that could be remnants from the long run Sunday...my hamstrings are still a little tired.) The water didn't stay super cold, but I guess that's to be expected.

I wore my new shoes, and felt absolutely awesome.

I kind of love that they look like rainbow sherbet.

Finally, I'm happy to mention that I've updated my What I'm Reading list to include the blogs I've been obsessed with lately! I just added the new ones to the top; the blogs aren't in any particular order. Believe me, they're all worth checking out!

Do you run with water/fuel?
Recommend a blog you're loving right now!
What are your thoughts on this new trend of super-bright running shoes?

ABK

The Next Big Thing

I'm beginning to recognize that I have a tendency to know I love something, but be super tempted to try the "next big thing".
I am a notoriously bad running shoe buyer. As much as I know what I love, I really hate the price tag. Asics Kayano, which are my all-time favorite running shoe, are $150 a pop.

Other things working against them, according to today's running rhetoric: they're not very "trendy". They don't promote midfoot strike! They don't simulate barefoot running! They're the opposite of minimalist and weigh 9oz!

When I went to get new shoes before leaving for California, I went in with a list of shoes to try, some that were a step more toward minimalist but still considered support shoes.

Except for the Trance, which is even bulkier than the Kayano.

The bottom line, I think, is that I like the feeling of having cushioned feet! Plus, I'm looking at 26.2 miles. I don't think switching to a less-cushioned shoe is really smart at this point.

So, "next big thing" set aside for now, I went for the "other big thing", this time by switching up brands.

Like I said, the Kayano was heavenly. But after 230 miles, I began to get twinges in my legs that I associate with worn-out shoes. I run primarily on concrete, and I know this wears shoes out really quickly, but I was really disappointed in just how quickly.

I bought some new inserts and these helped for awhile, but now that my shoes are well over the 300-mile mark, it was time for new shoes. Preferably, new shoes that last longer.

These purple Brooks Adrenaline saw me to my latest 5k PR, but were just too small in the toe.

I decided to look at Brooks. They're being touted as the ultimate in running shoes right now. They apparently last a really long time (if you're not wearing the PureCadence or PureFlows, which have a more minimalist sole). They're comparable in price and feel to Asics. Matt loves his. So I gave them a try.

Originally I tried an 8, because I wear an 8 in the Kayano. But I quickly realized there were too small. They were my "true" size. I like my running shoes extra roomy.

After California, I returned the first pair of Brooks Adrenalines for a half size up. (Fit2Run has a 30-day-return guarantee for club members...you can tear your shoes to shreds trying them out, and they'll take them back, no questions asked.)

The Brooks Adrenaline beside my beloved Asics Kayano. They're all-around a more narrow shoe.

Yesterday I did my first run in my new Brooks Adrenalines. (They didn't have purple in the 8.5, so I opted for lime green. I didn't want another pair of blue shoes.) I had to immediately change how these were laced; the tongue really bit into the top of my foot. But once I skipped the middle eyelet, as usual, they felt great.

Nice cushion and support in the arch.

 My feet felt cushioned but not weighed down. A run in new shoes really is the best thing ever.

I had some leg twinges, but I'm not sure if they were caused by traveling (8+ hours sitting) or what. Also, I felt extremely sick. Like, almost throwing up sick. I think the jet lag and lack of sleep were still getting to me, because I planned to do 5 miles and called it quits at 3.5.

Both shoes have great arch-support.

You know that lightheaded/overheated/cold sweat/nausea-coming-in-waves feeling? Yeah, not really a good thing to push through at a crowded gym.

I need to learn that sometimes what works for other runners just doesn't work for me. I like to feel comfortable, and I don't think my stride or gait is inefficient. So why change up what I know works?

Anyway, I'm excited to continue trying out the new shoes. I hope the Adrenaline can be my new go-to, match-made-in-heaven shoe!

What shoes do you swear by?
Are you a sucker for the "next big thing"?
Are you brand loyal when it comes to running clothes, shoes, and accessories?

ABK