Objective: VO2 intervals, 6 x (4 min @ VO2, 4 min jog) Conditions at 5AM: 48F (!), wind 9-16 mph, mostly clear. 15 min. strength work after run
I actually took off my windbreaker today. It was nice at first, while warming up, since the wind chill was around 40F, but once I got going I had to tie it around my waist. It's been a long time since that happened. Winter is trying to lull me into a false sense of security, lower my defenses. hmf So let's get right to the good part of the story, In Which She Gets New Shoes. I spent good long time at the greatest running store on earth, and came home with 3 pairs of shoes! Yesterday's discussion about shoe purpose and shoe rotation was very helpful to me, and was reiterated by Chet James, the owner of said store, whom I was very lucky to have helping me. I tried on a ton of shoes. My old Triax's still felt the best. We talked a lot about mid-foot striking, and what that means for me. (EG, most of the fancy innovations of new shoe technology show up in a part of the shoe that, basically, I don't use.) Shoe after shoe was, as usual, comfortable to stand/walk in, but "too much shoe" for the running: too stiff, to much bulk around my foot, too much under the heel. This store encourages runners to go outside and run up and down a hill - quite illuminating. After running in many "too much" shoes, Chet brought out what looked like a neon green bowling shoe. "I wouldn't even show you this if you were not a mid foot striker." Hm. [Insert fleeting fantasy image of Chet showing it to me from inside a big overcoat, and hot Rolex's dangling around it.] It was completely different from anything I've ever run in, but so fun! A men's Nike Lunar Racer. So, I impetuously bought a pair, along with a new pair of my standby Triax's, and for some variety in my shoe rotation, a similar shoe, the Air Span. My run this morning in the Lunars was fantastic. On my 3rd interval I dipped down to 7:49 pace, which is unheard of for me. I do have a suspicion, however, that it is not really legal for a 50 year old woman who runs as slowly as I do to wear a man's racing shoe. When spring comes and I wear them in daylight I will probably hear someone say, "Now hold it right there, ma'am." I'll get pulled over and receive a citation of some kind, and be forced to run in those black leather granny orthopedic shoes as punishment for my hubris and to serve as a warning to other presumptious, slow-moving females. But until that day.... woohoo!
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