We Run Together

Twice this week I had the opportunity to run with two different people.
It was Tuesday or Wednesday and the weather was so great and I had already planned to run during lunch that day. My coworker and I were talking about the weather and I teasingly said to him, "Why don't you come running with me, then?" Expecting to be rejected. But instead he said, "Let's do it. Wanna go at 11?"
Shit.
I was nervous about running with him. I was thinking that because he's a guy and he runs on the treadmill nearly everyday, he was probably a lot faster than I was.
But I had planned on doing a speed run so I was happy for the challenge.
He did start off fast. I think he was digging the sunshine (a far fetch from the fluorescent lights of the gym). But eventually, he slowed down. And we ran at a pace that I could deal with for a longer time.
Usually, I like to really open up at the end of a run. I mean bear down, dig deep, sprint as much as you can. But I didn't want to say that to my coworker, because he seemed to have been struggling.
But the last 400 meters or so, he said, "Come on, let's run fast!!" Imagine my glee!

The second run I did was with another coworker. She had also been a treadmiller for the whole winter. But she usually runs 6-7 miles so I was nervous about running with her too.
We decided to run at McDowell Grove Park in Warrenville.
It was a great run.
I really liked this run because we ran through the woods, around a pond, under Diehl Rd., and I-88.
It's a good trail because it has a lot of hills. And I love hills for the challenge.
The run came to about 4 miles total. My friend was also not used to running outside so we both did a slow and steady pace. I enjoyed this pace because it gave me a chance to check out the park and its wildlife. I didn't have my camera with me but here is a shot I found.




This shot was done by Jim Frazier in the summer so our run was not nearly as green as this. But what you may be able to see is that there is no pavement. You are running on dirt. That's it. Dirt. So it really had that rustic feel. I could easily forget that I was close to a major interstate.



After the run I finally went to Naperville Running Company to buy my new shoes!

By 11 am, downtown Naperville was bustling with shoppers. And the running company was no different. The shop was already teeming with runners looking at pamphlets, trying on shoes and talking to the sales people about the best fit. I got an encouraging smile from a worker (probably because I was still wearing my running gear) as I browsed through the running clothes.
I convinced myself not to buy anything extra this time and limped to the cash register. My shoes were already on hold and I got a 10% discount (that's $10.00 off my shoes) for being a member. I will probably go back to get my Nike+ sensor.

I did a short and fast run today in my new shoes. They felt really great. My feet were being controlled. And that is a good thing. I wasn't scared to kick back more because I knew that the landing would be better. I can't wait to see whether my knees improve.

See Jane. Run.

"It was one of those March nights when winter seems to regain its sway, and flings its last snows and storms with malignant desperation." Tolstoy's War and Peace.

Throughout all my runs this week, I kept thinking of this quotation. It perfectly describes the kind of week Illinois had. Okay, so it didn't snow. But it did rain a bit. And it was friggin cold!

For my Wednesday lunch break run, Weather.com said the temperature was 29, feels like 14. Throughout the run I kept telling myself that it would be the last time for a while that I would run in the cold. Then Thursday came and it wasn't much better. I ran with C and we still had to bundle up, and our breaths still produced little clouds.

But next week should be in the 50s and I am ready for that!

In other news, I need new shoes.

Today we went to a local running store in St. Charles called Dick Ponds. I thought that they would throw me on a treadmill to see how I run but the guy just looked at my running shoes and looked at how I stand on one foot (or tried to stand on one foot).
Surprisingly, I was satisfied with his analysis.
It was like he read my future (good 1/2 marathon time?) by the way I stood. He told me about the problem with my current running shoes; it turns out that they are too flexible for the way I run. Turns out, I have low arches so I need shoes with more support. And my knee pain is probably caused by the poor arch support of my old shoes.

I tried on about 5 different shoes. I won't list every pair but I will give you a brief overview.
I tried on a pair of Nikes that felt like there was a metal bar on my arches. A pair of Brooks felt like there were clamps on my heels.
The Sauconys felt perfect. According to coach C, Sauconys are great running shoes. But, I gawked at the price. They were $93! To some, that is pennies. But to me......"what?!!"
I know that the next pair of running shoes will be my close buddy for the next year. We will run through rain, heat, wind, dog poo, mud, snow, everything. But $93 is a lot to spend on something that I will discard in a few years.
Yet, a part of me really feels that it would be a good investment.

Either way, I know I have to shop around before I buy. C and I went to the Naperville Running Company to comparison shop. As expected, the shoes were more expensive in Naperville. Naperville is just too expensive for its own good!!
I also shopped online and found my shoe for only about 5 dollars cheaper. Once S&H is added, it's gonna cost more. So I will probably get my shoes from Dick's.

Ladies and gents, my next running shoe!







The Women's Saucony ProGrid Omni 7 Ultimate
Its well-ventilated and has good arch support. Knee pain, goodbye!