Folly or Feasible?

Forty-two, for the record.

I went to my favorite local running store, Big Peach Running Co., and bought myself a new pair of running shoes to celebrate.

I really went to get new socks (since all mine seem to end up my son W-P’s drawer. Considering that they say Zulu across the toe, it seems like a distinction he ought be be able to make, but apparently not so much…), but while I was there I figured I might as well start thinking about new shoes. Not that mine are particularly high mileage, but it seems a decent reward for finishing C25K.

It had been so long since I’d bought my current pair that I had no idea if I’m a pronator (does that sound vaguely dirty to anyone but me?) and, if so, in which direction.

“Do you have any trouble running on a treadmill for 20 seconds?” the sales person asked me.
”Physically, no. In front of all these people? Probably.”

Turns out it wasn’t the other patrons I needed to worry about; it was that big-ass (no pun intended) video screen broadcasting me from the backside down. Like the view isn’t bad enough in person, you have to show it on a 52” screen? My motto throughout C25K has been ignorance is bliss and let me tell you … I could have gone for, well, ever without knowing what it actually looks like to see me running from behind.

They say the camera adds 10 pounds. To quote Chandler from Friends: How many cameras were on you?

So now I know — replay after excruciating slow-mo replay — that I’m an over-pronator. And that I have a really goofy gait, on top of it. She brought out several different brands in my size, which, it turns out, is a 12 in running shoes. Clown feet, people. All have the support I need to compensate for the over-pronation … probably not going to do much for the goofy gait, though.

I settled on a pair of Asics GT-2140 with Berry accents. Actually Berry was what she brought, and it didn’t occur to me to ask if they came in other colors. They were comfortable and felt lighter than my current shoes, which I thought were also Asics. You’d think I’d know for sure, since I spend a good portion of every run staring down at them.

In addition to my socks and shoes, I bought myself an Amphipod reflective Xinglet. Not the most exciting purchase, but soon to be necessary, no doubt.

When I got home I grabbed my old shoes to compare. Clearly I’m a creature of habit … not only are they Asics, they’re GT-2100’s. But they’re blue, so you can see why I didn’t recognize what I was buying.

Just out of curiosity, I weighed one of each pair.

Old shoes: 12 oz
New shoes: 12 1/2 oz.

A creature of habit and no judge of shoe weight, apparently.