running shoes for wide feet and a rustic country wedding
I returned to running about 3 weeks ago and am still trying to figure out the best running shoe situation for my feet post-injury. #thestruggleisreal
8 successful runs! On target to reach my 5k distance at the end of the month
Before injuring my toe I was running in the Asics Cumulus 18s.
Cumulus 18s (photo from March 2017 the day before I started limping)
I wore a size 8 regular width and they felt great. I’ve also run in the Brooks Ghost (size 8) back when they were only up to the 6s (now they’re up to the 10s).
Brooks Ghost 6s saw me to my marathon PR
I have a wider forefoot but when I was analyzed and fitted by both Jackrabbit and Road Runner Sports both said I could wear a regular width. But now after this dang toe injury I find that I’m happiest with more room for my toes to splay. I also find that the two widest bones don’t like to feel squeezed in the slightest (where the base of the pinky toe connects on the outside of the foot and where the base of the big toe connects in the inside of the foot). Back in April I discovered the brand Altra—with their “foot shaped toe box” and “zero drop” and purchased the Escalante. They have been amazingly comfortable walking and I have also run a few of my short recent runs in them.
Wore the Escalante yesterday as I took a stroll through the neighborhood
Happy Friday. I’m trying to get my butt out the door for a 22 minute run today but have this annoying cold/congestion thing going on and I’m not as energetic as I’d like to be. But of course after not being able to run for so long I know i’ll have a hard time skipping a run because of the sniffles. I just need to blow my nose a few more times and then get out the door. 🙂
Last Sunday I ran 18 minutes and felt really great. It was drizzly but there was still a little crunch to the autumn leaves that have started to fall.
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It made me a little weepy to know that after 10 consecutive years, I wasn’t able to run the Staten Island Half. Last year it poured but i was prepared for the inclement weather and finished with a smile on my face.
I remember running it in 2011 and made it a 20 miler in preparation for my very first marathon a month later. I ran 7 miles before the race began and when I crossed the finish line I was definitely hurting….
Gasping for air? LOL! Oh back in 2011 when I carried a water bottle. I loved that thing.
And in 2009 and 2010 I was just so darn happy
2009 Staten Island Half
2010 Staten Island Half
Good memories! Meanwhile I just looked at my race recaps page. Wow, no recaps for 2017? Cray Cray. I sure hope 2018 will be filled with recaps for all my favorite races. Maybe even some new ones. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
On Tuesday I ran for 20 minutes. Still increasing the time 2 minutes per run with success.I tried out a new pair of Altra Running sneakers for this run. Having enjoyed walking in the Altra Escalante for a few months, and then transitioning to running in them with success, I wanted to try a more cushioned pair. I bought the Torin 3.0. They felt AWESOME! But I’m actually going to exchange them for a half size up. The Escalante’s are an 8 but I think these felt a bit snug so I’m going to try and 8.5. Interestingly I read online (after I bought them) they actually suggest you get a half size up in this style. I’m now obsessed with this whole foot shaped toe box thing that Altra provides with their kicks. Altra also makes trail/hiking shoes that I’ve got my eye on. Gee, you’d think I was sponsored by them. Comfy feet has become more important to me than anything lately. The Altra sneakers also are a zero drop shoe, and while I wasn’t seeking out a zero drop when I got my first pair, I really like them. I’ll probably have to run a lot more miles in them to decide whether or not I think the zero drop helps or hinders my running stride.
And so I’ll continue adding 2 minutes per run and according to the calendar I’ll hit a solid 30 minutes on October 25th, my 44th birthday!!!! I remember when a 20 miler was a milestone….and now i’m excited to reach 30 minutes. Injuries are humbling.
He’s so tired of hearing me talk about my injuries
Happy FriYAY! I figured I should let you guys know how my slow return to running has been going.
But first I wanted to just share a happier Las Vegas moment. After waking up earlier this week to the news of the horrific event that happened at the Rt. 91 music festival I was very sad as the rest of the country was too. It’s just so scary to think that we are just living in a world where things like this can happen. Anyway, I hate when we start to associate a specific place to a terrible event. Boston marathon bombings were a prime example. You literally can’t even Google “Boston Marathon” without seeing images from that bombings. While with all of history, we must not forget, I truly believe it’s helpful to re-associate with fonder times. So here’s my Las Vegas happy moment story…
Back in the fall of 1998, my boyfriend at the time, who was in the later stages of Melanoma, and I decided to get married. We opted to go to Las Vegas and get married in Red Rock Canyon which is right outside of the city/strip area. On 11.7.98 we sort of eloped but we did have about 6 guests. We stayed at the Mirage hotel. It was all sorts of awesome.
Welcome to the jungle… of the Mirage hotel lobby
I went back on 11.7.99 for what would have been our 1st wedding anniversary (he passed away in April of 99). And sent a note attached to some balloons up in the air from the exact spot we were married at.
11.7.98 in the front photo and 11.7.99 in the back photo
The note asked him to send me a rainbow. I know….corny right? But on the flight back to New York the next day I saw a rainbow! From the sky! It gave me this comfort that has stayed with me. It made me realize that we are always connected to our loved ones who’ve passed. It’s the hope I have for each and every person who has lost someone.
OK….now to awkwardly transition to my petty return to running update.
A few overall thoughts.
It’s scary and i constantly worry about getting re-injured again
I’m still not convinced that I’m “healed”
I’m loving these short runs in that they don’t take much of a commitment to get done
OK, last Thursday I dropped Duncan off at the groomer and went to a soccer field 5 minutes up the road where they have super soft and cushy astroturf.
The final product. Poofy cuteness
I figured what better way to re-introduce my body to running than with a flat/soft surface with easy access to my car in case anything went wrong. I don’t have to tell you how happy I was to be running. 10 minutes of finally feeling like myself.
It ended before I even got into my groove though. Overall I’ll say it was a success. I had no pain while running but as I did last time I got back to running I do feel the toe and the entire forefoot just feels “weird” sometimes a bit achy or tingly usually before and after the run. This has been the case for all 3 runs. (I bumped it up to 12 minutes on run #2 which was 3 days later and 14 minutes 3 days after that. I’m toying with the idea of backing down to 12 minutes today. I’m just so scared! I’ve been doing all my PT stuff too and I guess I’ll just keep taking it slow this month.
I literally just registered for the Trenton 5K on 10/28.
I’m guessing I’ll be running about 30 minutes straight by then so a 5k seems fairly doable. I’ve officially switched to my Altra Escalante shoes for running as they are the most comfortable for my feet although I’m worried that I don’t have much arch support. I’m going to the running store this weekend to poke around and see what other shoe options there are. I DEFINITELY need wide toe box but I also need arch support AND cushioning.
If I can keep my running short and easy for the next 3 months maybe my body will complete the final stages of healing and maybe, just maybe I can start 2018 fresh. I have to keep reminding myself that I MUST run in order for my body to get back to adapting to impact. Stress and rest….mantra city!
So that’s the scoop. I’m cautiously running and feeling foot “weirdness” and achy but no pain.
How are you? What’s on your weekend agenda?
Anything fun? Anyone have a return to running story to share?
I just got back yesterday from a last minute road trip with Mr. SOTSS. We both love road trips, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright and we also love to tour cities. Just outside of Pittsburgh are 2 well known Frank Lloyd Wright homes—Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. So we not only got to tour the 2 homes but also spent an entire day in the city of Pittsburgh. (A couple of years ago for my birthday we flew out to Chicago to tour the city and also to tour the home and studio that Frank Lloyd Wright designed for himself.)
The drive took us about 5 1/2 hours. We stopped to see Cucumber Falls on our way out. It was very pretty. I love the beauty that nature gives us.
ta-dah!
Cucumber Falls
It took a while for me to navigate to this spot thanks to slippery rocks and my injury track record 🙂
After Cucumber Falls we checked into our hotel which had the most beautiful view.
The view during the day
The view at night
The Summit Inn is a historic hotel that’s been around for over 100 years.
The next morning we set out to tour the first of the 2 Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Fallingwater got it’s name because it was built cantilevered over a waterfall.
The entire home was integrated so well with nature.
After our tour was complete we headed into the city of Pittsburgh to do the tourist thing. I was told by a friend who grew up in Pittsburgh that there are 2 things we must do in Pittsburgh—go to Primanti Bros. for a sandwich and take the Duquesne Incline to the top of Mt. Washington to get a view of the entire city. Done and done!
corned beef, provolone, cole slaw and french fries. First time I ever had french fries IN my sandwich
Primanti Bros.
Just before sunset. What a view!
We also walked across many of the city’s bridges and did a walking tour of some historic buildings.
just a few of the bridges
So this is what happens when you rely on your boyfriend to take an Insta worthy yoga pose pic. I almost died laughing when I saw where the water fountain looked like it was spraying from!!!!!
And then we discovered this place.
This was cold brew coffee poured over vanilla ice cream with crushed oreos, whipped cream and chocolate covered espresso beans. The most delicious thing I’ve tasted in quite some time
Before heading home the next day we made one last stop at Kentuck Knob, the other Frank Lloyd Wright designed home we wanted to tour.
The house is literally built into the hill.
You can see where the roof almost touches the ground here
Lots of hexagon skylights in this home.
The dental molding on the home was carved by hand taking 2 years to complete! That’s nuts.
And of course when I saw the view from the property I had to become one with nature and turn myself into a tree 🙂
It was a wonderful trip that I’m so grateful for. We really weren’t sure we’d be able to get away for a while due to work situations but we made it work!
Big Day
Tomorrow I will begin my foray back into the world of running. I have a 10 minute easy run planned. If all goes well I’ll be adding 2 minutes to each subsequent run for the next month. I’m hoping to run 3X a week so that I can get to 36 minutes by the time the Trenton 5k arrives. This will allow me to run a nice easy 12 minute pace as it will be my first race since May and since re-injuring the toe back in June.
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