New shoes take me on my best run in memory!

Another year older this week. But my birthday was very profitable in terms of running gear! The family gave me a gift certificate for Bull City Running so I could get a much needed new pair of shoes. I was all prepared to go in and get the newest model of the Brooks Addiction, which have been my trusty running shoes for years now. But the salesman directed me towards another motion control shoe, the New Balance 850, which was on clearance to make room for the newer model. Same motion control benefits for $60 less. It took me a while to get up the nerve to make a change, but in the end a good shoe with extra money on my gift card to get more running gear was the choice for me. I was a little nervous about it, until I got home and read this article comparing the New Balance to the Addiction 9. It certainly put my mind at ease.

So I headed out in my new shoes for a Saturday run. As I previously wrote about, these runs are not my best since they have to be later in the morning when it is much hotter. I trudged through 3 miles in the heat and humidity listening intently to every little ache I felt in my legs to make sure I hadn't purchased the wrong shoe. In the end it was fine. But I wanted a good solid run to test them out.

I headed out yesterday with a goal of 4-5 miles. Not only to test the new shoe but to make sure I am ready for the Carrboro Four on Fourth run that I have been thinking about (more on that in a different post). It was rough to wake up a little early on Monday morning, but I got up, had a banana and headed out. It was the first run also with my fuel belt. I had it loaded with 2 waters and a Nuun. Immediately I was feeling good. Not much of that dreadful weak feeling I usually have for the first half mile of a typical run. Mile 1 feeling good. No aches in the legs and it is nice to not have to hold a water bottle. Belt is staying in place. By mile 2 I have finished the hilly part of the route and it is flat for the rest of the way. I hit the high school at 2.45 miles - the turn around point for my previous long run but I am feeling excellent so I keep going. I reach the parking lot, which is where I had planned to turn around, but I decide to take a little further to the post office - 2.98 miles. I took a little break to drink the Nuun and I headed back to home with a goal of making it to at least 5 miles. The way back my legs started getting a little tired, but I made it to the "the hill", which I had to walk a bit of. Reached 5 miles on the road into my neighborhood with 0.6 miles left to get home. I actually smiled when I saw 5 miles on my watch knowing that I had it in me for the remaining 0.6 miles. I finished the run sweaty and feeling great. No pain in my legs. The shoes worked great!