I have already talked about some of the running gear that I will need for Sinister 7 in a previous post. In that post I mentioned that I had purchased a pair of trail shoes to replace my old beat up runners. Unfortunately, as it turns out, those were not the shoes for me. Nor were the next two pairs after that…
The Big Hullabaloo
A good pair of shoes is undoubtedly the most important piece of gear for a runner. And with the terrain awaiting me at Sinister, I will definitely need some well-fitting trail shoes with decent tread (or lug depth as the trail people refer to it).
Subpar shoes are a liability. Slipping, tripping and wicked blisters are just a few of the potential problems that can result; all issues that could easily take me out of the running.
A Bad Track Record
As a narrow-footed person, I have always struggled to find runners that fit well. In the past I made the mistake of taking the “good enough” route when purchasing a pair of shoes, only to realize a few runs in that I made a terrible mistake. Sayonara $200! Nice knowin’ ya!
Bad experiences like these combined with the knowledge that race day is approaching, has made me hyperaware of the importance of getting this purchase right.
Rollercoaster Ride of Runners
I first began the search back in January, after my slip and fall incident. Over the past three months I have searched through physical stores and scrolled through online shops, purchasing and subsequently returning three pairs of shoes.
Each time I make a purchase I take full advantage of the return policy – 30 day trial on indoor surface only. The first run is normally very promising. The second run something doesn’t feel quite right. The third run I confirm it is a no go.
When I first started looking there was no real sense of urgency. It was still the middle of winter. Now that spring has hit and we are hopefully seeing the last of the snow, I need to be getting out on some trails. The pressure is on.
You Are Formally Invited to My Pity Party
Wearing poorly fitting shoes has caused some new and not so exciting blisters to crop up. The only way (that I know of) to properly heal one of these puppies is to minimize friction to the area. Translation: Stop running.
As you can imagine, this is not really aligning with my training schedule. Every time I miss a few days for blister relief, I end up short of my weekly mileage goal by as much as 20k.
Aside from limiting distance, my shoe situation has also prevented me from joining Calgary Trail Runners, another running group in the area. I have been following their social media and discovered that several members are also running Sinister. I badly want to join and meet some people who can give me tips and tricks. Unfortunately, I need these trail shoes to be able to participate (and to write the related blog post)!
Ever the Optimist
Although I find my situation very frustrating, in the end I am sure that I will find the right pair of shoes. I mean, its not like I have flippers for feet…
In the
meantime, I am using this experience as an opportunity to practice those problem-solving
skills that will be so important on race day. How can I take this situation and
adapt to succeed?
I have been using my blister recovery days to focus on strength training at the gym. This is an area that can often get neglected when I am focused more on hitting my mileage goal.
I also ordered a roll of moleskin. All I know about the product is that it is supposed to do wonders for preventing blisters. The photos on Amazon show some sort of adhesive bandage, but for some reason I can’t stop picturing a miniature version of a rolled-up bearskin rug… it’s probably not that 😆
I still have over three months until race day. Let’s keep the positive vibes rolling!
