Gotta Get My Kicks Somewhere

Well, I'm just about to finish up Week 3 of training for my half marathon in April; today is 40 minutes of cardio (which I'm mostly doing because the past couple days have mostly been 40 minutes upon 40 minutes of booze and burger eating) and tomorrow I finally get to up my long run mileage to 5 miles.

But what this weekend really is is "time to get new sneakers" weekend.

These types of weekends make me scared, sad and excited all at the same time.

The pair of sneakers I'm retiring - my Saucony Progrid Hurricane X - were something I picked up in a pinch: I had worn out my pair of Brooks sneaks with all my marathon training, and I needed a new pair to go on my peak run of 20 miles. I walked into Marathon Sports up in Cambridge, fully expecting to just pick up my new pair of Brooks in my size, and walk out. But....they weren't there.

Now, Marathon Sports is pretty much the only place I will ever buy running shoes, because the staff are all runners, and they undergo hours upon hours of training to find the right sneaker for every individual (which is something we'll probably end up talking about in the future, after I wear out my new pair today before Chicago). So I wasn't about to run all over the city of Boston looking for these Brooks. So I got refitted.

My Sauconys' first run with me was my 20 miler (which is actually awful - you still need to break in running shoes like you would any other shoe. I knew this at the time and that I was kind of being an idiot). A week later, they ran me through a marathon in a 42 degree N'oreaster that I pulled 15 minutes off my previous marathon time. About 6 weeks after that, my Sauconys ran a 10K in an hour. This past Wednesday, they ran a 5K with me on some nice snowy sidewalks in about 27 minutes. Now their green tread on the bottom is starting to feel smooth. Their white mesh is stained with sweat and mud puddles and miles of city running.

My nostalgia regarding a pair of sneakers probably seems off-kilter to some people, but the truth of the matter is that those sneakers supported me through a few hundred miles - literally. They're designed for all my body's running quirks (bad knees, foot placement, mileage - like I said, this will not be the last time I write a love letter to sneakers on this blog). My sneakers are a portion of the reason I can train the way I do and not get hurt.

My running shoes are also something I frequently cite as something I can't live without. Because at the end of the day, when I'm running, it's only me out there. All the other stuff going on - job, boyfriend, friends, family, whatever - is all gone when I'm on the road. All it is is my sneakers, hitting the pavement and my legs turning over again.

And so, my sneakers are like old pals. If I take 6 weeks off between races, they don't ask me where I've been or complain that I was gone. They just pick up and go with me.

So yesterday, I was browsing for my Progrid Hurricane X's...and they're no where to be found. Which is heartbreaking on a couple levels: 1. I can't just find them on some discounted website and buy a couple pairs for the price of one (these run about $130-$140) and 2. It means I'm going to have to be fitted....aaaaagain. And start my attachment and relationship alllll over again.

The next generation of my sneaker are out - but the Hurricane 11's - will they be the same? Will they fit like my X's? Will it be like any other relationship - where at first I notice the differences, but after awhile, I won't even think about my X? I guess the worst thing about having to get new shoes so frequently is that to the naked eye, it doesn't look like there's anything wrong with my current ones; most of the wear and tear is internal. That internal cushion is essential and pretty much the only reason I'm not in excruciating knee pain 90% of my life, and I know it's important, but, still. I got these sneakers....exactly 5 months ago this weekend. I think I have stuff that's been in my freezer longer. But with the miles I put on them, 5 months is about the life expectancy of a running sneaker (or about 300 - 400 miles, depending on a handful of factors).

So, tomorrow when I hit the road for my 5 miles, I will be in my Hurricane X's; our final farewell run before I hang up their worn treads. They served me well.