Tag Archive: footwear

Wiiiide

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Sat. October 18, 2008

I dropped by the Running Room to pick up another pair of Asics GT-2130 size 10 2E shoes. If you recall, my current pair has just about given up on me. They searched the back and returned to tell me that they didn’t have that exact size/width in stock. The manager sympathized and told me that having wide feet means that getting shoes is all that more difficult. I guess I just lucked out when I got my pair last time. She said that she can special order a pair in directly from Asics but that might take 4-6 weeks. She also said that I can shop around just so that I can have a pair right away: it was up to me.

I went over to the mall and walked into Foot Locker. I asked the teen on staff for the shoe in size 10 2E. He brought out a size 10 at which point I told him that I asked for a 2E. He looked puzzled and I said slower “twoooo-E, double E.” I motioned with my hands: “wiiiide.” He scoffed and said, “we don’t do that width thing here.” Ugh. I left in disgust.

I went into Sportchek and asked for the same thing. The guy also said that they didn’t carry any specialized widths. I said that I needed a wide shoe at which point he suggested New Balance. See, I at least appreciate that because that’s kind of thinking outside the (shoe) box; New Balance tends to make wider shoes. Thing is, I know what my feet need, and NB won’t cut it in this case–their 2E is too wide in the toe box area while their regular width is just too narrow.

Damn it! Why do I have such odd feet? I’m going to give Running Free a shot tomorrow. I haven’t actually been in there before, but I have a good feeling. Should be productive.

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Running log: 2008/10/12

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Sun. October 12, 2008

This morning I decided to take on my 15K route once again–just like last Sunday. Only a few others from my now-finished half-marathon clinic were there, and those people were back onto training for the Angus Glen half in November (I’m only doing at 10K at Angus Glen). They decided to do 18K. I simply didn’t have the time to handle that distance because I wanted to get back home in time to go to mass with my father. Before, when the distance got really long I’d be forced to go in the evening because I would get home late. Now that the half marathon is over, I wanted to be sure to be with my family.

So, after last week’s success, I decided to attempt to do the 15K straight. The route took me east, then back, then west then back. The 18K people basically did the same thing but went further east before returning, and further west before returning. As I went, they basically passed me 3 times–once on the return from the eastern turning point, once after they’d taken a break at the police station, and once coming back from the western turnaround. I was about to type “I’m used to such indignities” but really it’s not that bad, is it? It’s a fact of how I run. :)

On this run, I left my HRM at home and just relied on my GPS and my general sense over whether or not I was over-exerting. I think as a result I was running even slower than usual, but hey I was feeling all right. Thing is, I could really feel my ankles aching for the whole distance. They ached last week as well. I figured that my shoes were pretty much worn out, but wanted to confirm my suspicions with this run. Aaaand yup, time to replace ‘em.

Anyway, apart from having to pause at the occasional stoplight, I made it through the whole distance without a walk break. Awesome! I did pause briefly to check my ankle. At one point it was getting bad, but it wasn’t quite a sharp pain. With 4K left at that point I knew that I could finish the distance if I just took it easy. So now, many hours later I’m feeling good. I’m sure the achiness will subside after tomorrow.

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Various running pains

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Mon. July 28, 2008

Everywhere I walked today I was kind of ambling around in a bit of pain. The soles of my feet felt like they were completely pummelled. As of late my feet have been extraordinarily comfortable, so the onslaught of compounded discomfort during the run was kind of a shock for me. It’s only when pain like this attacks quite suddenly that I suspect the my shoes are starting to give me some issues.

My shoes are about 3.5 months old, so I’m not ready to declare them kaput just yet. Though I have to consider that with my current track record with footwear they do seem to be nearing the end of their lifespan. So many people quote different things in terms of the life span of a good running shoe. I’ve heard people give ratings of 500K on some shoes. That’s all well and good for some people but I’m just not the average runner. I land really heavy on my feet so my shoes certainly take a beating. My first pair of shoes lasted about 4 months before collapsing on me. Back then, my weekly mileage was lower and I was heavier. Now, I’m lighter but my mileage has gone up. I dunno, man. I have a short run tomorrow, and if I’m still uncomfortable I’ll know that the shoes are to blame.

Ooh, yesterday I also tried out a new sleeveless top that I picked up from SportChek. Yeah, I finally got off my ass and found a few that worked. I wore a black Nike one with white lines/panels on Sunday. I was surprised–I have to say I didn’t look bad at all in it. Sleeveless really does make a difference–no kidding. I didn’t really pay attention to any strong breezes in the past, but yesterday I took notice. Not everything about the shirt was great though. It was my first time out with it on, and really I should have tried it first with a shorter run. At about the 8K mark I started noticing that my nipples were getting sore. At the end of 13K they were just raw. I had to pull my shirt out in front of me every now and then just for some relief. I wouldn’t blame the shirt itself entirely. It’s just that the heat was causing me to sweat a lot and the salt was just making the shirt mildly abrasive. It’s not all that noticeable but over time it just compounds. Luckily I didn’t reach the point where I was actually bleeding, but it was still unpleasant. So yeah, once again I need to remember to get some Body Glide. Raw nipples makes for an unhappy experience.

So yeah, my feet are bruised and my nipples are sore. You know what, though? I’m still enjoying this whole running thing. I will keep going, and I will meet my goal.

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Running log: 2008/05/11

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Sun. May 11, 2008

I need to accept that once in a while I’m going to have a bad run. This morning I tied my shoe laces a little bit tight. As a result, during my first few kilometres my feet felt like lead. I fell behind really quickly soon after. I had to stop several times in order to loosen my shoelaces. I eventually got to a point where my feet finally felt light and free to move, but it was too late–the damage was done. I couldn’t pick up any speed.

The rest of the group was completely out of sight, so I continued to plod along, just wanting to get things done. Somewhere after 10K though the group suddenly popped up behind me. I was so utterly confused. They passed me and got back to store a few minutes before I did. When I got back, I found out from them that the instructor took them on a longer route than expected. See, I followed the route that he described right at the beginning. I knew the route, so I had no problem going at it alone. In the end they completed 14K. I was kind of disappointed in myself for only having done 12.5K in about the same amount of time. However, one of the pack leaders pointed out that I shouldn’t feel bad at all about 12.5K. Yeah, in hindsight, duh! Still. I know I could have done better.

Lastly, my nipples hurt like hell. Stupid run. Ugh.

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Running log: 2008/04/10

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Thu. April 10, 2008

Earlier today at lunch I was a little bit torn. There was a going-away lunch for two employees that was taking place at an Indian buffet on King St. I wanted to go because I’m a friend with both employees–it would have been rude to not show up. However, at the same time I was hesitant to go because of the run that I had scheduled for this evening. Last time I ate well before a run I was constantly trying to keep it all down. Because of that past experience I was quite worried. I told myself that I would limit my intake and keep it all in check. Unfortunately, as time passed I decided that I damn well was going to get my money’s worth. In the end I ended up eating two plates of some really good stuff, but regretted it after the fact. Luckily I had several hours to digest. I drank a lot of tea in an attempt to aid digestion. Sure, it could have been junk science, but anything would have helped but my mind at ease.

Anyway, let’s cut to this evening’s run. There were only a few of us there, but we all did rather well. Today, I mostly ran beside a woman who seems to be as fast as I am. We usually keep each other company on the Thursday runs, which is pretty good because at least I have someone to talk to. It’s the first time that I brought out my new shoes. I tried them out on the treadmill on Tuesday and I was surprised to not feel shin and ankle pain. So, I kind of knew that the run would be promising. Man, the difference was like night and day! My instructor asked if it felt like I was walking on clouds. Well, no, I wouldn’t have said “yes” to that. It certainly felt like I was being cushioned a whole lot more though. To my surprise, I was actually running a little bit faster than usual. The woman was keeping pace as well. As it turns out she also bought new shoes. To my surprise, she also bought the Asics GT-2130. Ha! Wow. Those shoes are amazing. I still have to play around with the lacing a little bit so that it’s not too tight, but really by the end of the run I was still feeling good. I wasn’t really going *clomp clomp clomp* as I was used to doing with my old NB 858′s. I was shocked. I’m already looking forward to Sunday. My shoes are going to get more and more comfortable over time. It’s going to be awesome!

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Chubby feet

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Sun. April 6, 2008

Right from the start of this morning’s run, I felt that something was wrong. I was feeling an unusual amount of aching in my ankles and shins. As much as I wanted to run faster, the aching feeling was making me slow down considerably. Sure, along the way I warmed up enough allowing me to move while ignoring the obvious discomfort, but it wasn’t good at all. I ended up getting back 3 minutes later than my usual time which is sort of disappointing, but what can you do, right?

So, when I got back, I spoke to the course instructor and said that it’s probably really time for me to get new shoes, which is what I’ve been suspecting for a while now. I guess it just took unnecessary discomfort to really push me in the right direction. I spoke to the store manager and asked for help choosing a shoe. In my current 858′s she immediately recognized that I was over-pronating. That’s interesting to me because the shoes are supposed to have a good amount of stability to correct that kind of thing. Obviously they weren’t doing their job. I suggested that I might need a 4E width, and after seeing my feet planted on the ground she sort of agreed. Unfortunately for me, in order to get a 4E, it would have to be a special order, costing me $20 to get it in store with a 4-6 week wait time. And if the shoes didn’t work out, I’d be out of that extra cash. I didn’t want to go that route. Things weren’t looking good.

With the knowledge that the Beasts are good candidates, I asked her to show me the shoe. I tried them on, and after a few steps she told me that I was still pronating considerably. The course instructor came by and agreed that they didn’t seem right. They weren’t doing a great job for my feet. I was really starting to get frustrated. After some thought, the manager pulled out a pair of Asics in a 2E width and had me try them out. Immediately I thought they were kind of narrow, but when I stood up and walked around, I noticed that I was actually being corrected properly. The course instructor took a look and said that they were a lot better. He had me adjust the lacing differently from how I had it, and the feeling improved even more. I was shocked.

I was sort of worried though about my feet kind of bulging out at the sides, but the manager said that my arches were being supported–the part that was over the shoe wasn’t that important. My instructor mused that I just had chubby feet. Ha! Agreed. These things hugged my feet nicely. It’s almost counter-intuitive. All this time I was thinking that I needed wider shoes. My instructor pointed out though that with my 858′s I was tying the laces far too tight to the point where the two sides being laced were almost meeting. That was an indicator to him that having a wider shoe might not be right for my case. I didn’t even realize it until he pointed it out–but it’s all true.

So, alright. I purchased the shoes. I now have Asics GT-2130. I’m going to give them a go on the treadmill for 20 minutes or so to see if they’re truly good enough, but really, I’m just happy that there seems to be hope that I’m going to be able to put these foot issues to rest.

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Getting more running gear

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Fri. March 21, 2008

Now that I’ve been running for a while (I guess), I’m starting to wonder what my pace time is–you know, besides the general idea of “SLOW.” I want to know how long it takes me to reach each kilometre mark, and whether my kilometres are faster or slower as I progress through the run. Does elevation play a factor? I don’t know. I think having that kind of information would help me a great deal in terms of figuring out what I’m doing right or wrong.

So, most people that I’ve been running know about the Garmin Forerunner. It’s a really nice GPS tool that keeps track of all of those things that I mentioned in the paragraph above. I’ve been eyeing the 205 and 305. Really the big difference between the two is that the 305 also monitors your heart rate. However, since I’ve got a Polar F6 already, I decided there’s no need. I’m willing to make the fashion faux-pas of wearing two watches. Whatever. The only thing that’s has stopped me from already getting one is that the watches expensive little buggers. In store, the 205 costs about $210; the 305 costs about $320 (all Canadian dollars). I was thinking that at that price I better be darn sure I’m going to stick with running. And here I am, months later and I’m sticking with it. Who knew?

Anyway, instead of getting a new watch in store, I started poking around eBay and found factory sealed refurbished ones for a lot cheaper than the newer counterparts. I remember they were $149 in store back in December when they still had refurbished ones, so I used that as my jumping point. A few auctions later, and I was able to get one for US$107.50. Crazy. With shipping, the cost was $137.45. With conversion, it’s still under $149. I’m quite alright with that. So, in a week or two I’ll at least have some GPS based digital confirmation that I’m velocity-challenged.

Hey, also I’m considering getting another pair of shoes. I’m currently using the NB 858‘s I got back in September. They’re still alright and treat me well enough. However, I’m questioning whether they’re wide enough. After a long run, the medial parts of my feet inevitably feel bruised. Since I over-pronate, when I walk I really feel the bruising. It goes away after a few days, but I can’t help but wonder if the shoes are wide enough. I’m currently in a 2E width, and the medial part of my foot still overhangs the sole by a little bit. I think the overhang is what’s causing the pain. I mean, that part isn’t being supported properly, so of course it’s going to ache, right?

I’m thinking that I might want to try out the Brooks Beast in a 4E width. Yes, I had a previous bad experience with the Beasts. Back then, I was actually using the shoes incorrectly. How the hell did I bungle something like that? Seriously! That one bad run back in May, I remember actually running without the sock liner and the orthotics. No wonder I was in horrible pain. The difference this time then, I think, is that I’ll be sticking with the liners that come with the shoes. I stopped using orthotics when running back in October/November. If the Beasts are really the gold-standards for my type of foot, then I really think I should give them another look. I can at least rotate them in an out with my current shoes.

We’ll see if I actually dive in and make the purchase in the next few weeks.

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Vicious December

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Thu. December 13, 2007

When I left work for home, I saw a long line up for the streetcar so I decided to hike up to the station. I love cooler days like this because I find it easier to free the mind of thoughts. In the summer, I tend to focus on sweat which isn’t so much of a pleasant thing to meditate upon. By the time I left though it had just finished snowing a couple of centimetres. So the sidewalk was covered by a layer of watery slush. I was wearing my Rockports, so I found it pretty difficult to deal with the slush. My footing slipped many times as I shuffled along. I didn’t fall, but I very well could have if I kept going. In the end, I gave up after a few blocks and headed for the nearest streetcar stop.

I have boots, which is what I’d normally wear when I’m anticipating this type of weather. It’s just that they’re ridiculously heavy. I wore them for one week a couple of weeks ago. By the end of that period my knees were achy and my legs were constantly worn out. So, I’ve stopped wearing them and have been wearing my summer shoes in the meantime. Of course, that’s problematic. They’re not suited for this type of weather. The shoes need good traction. So, I think it’s really time to buy proper footwear once again.

I need to head into the malls sometime soon. Thing is, do I really want to brave the crowds? I’m really tempted to put this off until later. Besides that, I don’t want to add yet another thing to my growing list of expenses this month. December is a month that’s vicious on the bank account. Spending can easily get out of hand if it isn’t kept in check, right? I’ve still got to buy gifts. I also have to pay for a windshield replacement–it’s been cracked since before my Arizona trip. There’s also an anticipated expense taking place on Wednesday of next week–I’ll talk about that one when the time comes. There’s a lot to do, and a lot to buy.

I figure that I can rest a little bit once the month is over, but meanwhile…eternal vigilance!

Uh…and less long walks to the station.

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