New Gear

I don't mind running when it's chilly, but lately it's been a little too cold. With the changes in the weather, if I wanted to keep up with my running, it was time to get some cold gear. Stacy and I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and did just that. After trying out both Nike and Under Armour, I went with Under Amour. It's not exactly what I'm used to since it's skin tight, but I really like it. I've worn it for one run so far and it felt great and kept me warm. I'm already sold on it. So much so that I've gone back and purchased one more top. I'd post a pic of myself, but I'd hate to put the under armour models to shame... so just trust that I look something like this... :-)



Also, my shoes had plenty of miles on them. We were in Greenville last weekend, so I decided to visit the infamous Run In running store. I've been wanting to go there for a while, but I was waiting until I had a couple hundred miles on my current shoes. I was interested in what they would suggest for me since I'd always just picked what I liked and I had never been truly fit for a pair of shoes. Also, I was very interested in their "shoe surgery", or what they call "Natural Motion Engineering". Basically they use razors to cut up the soles of shoes so that your movements are not restricted. It supposedly helps shin splints, plantar fasciitis, iliotibial band syndrome, etc... I know it sounds weird, but many people swear by it, so I figured I'd at least check into it. Especially since I do suffer from iliotibial band issues, also known as runner's knee.

As it turns out, the shoes I had before were fine. They were a neutral shoe and that was what I needed. That meant two things. First, my shoes didn't cause my knees issues and secondly that I had a lot of options for a new shoe since most shoes are in fact neutral. After trying on 5 pair, I decided on the funkiest looking ones. They felt great; almost like running flats, but with padded heels. On top of that they were extremely light. Still, as good as they felt, they looked very odd.

In addition to the odd looking shoe, I also opted to have them cut up. It's really an awesome offer. After you decide to buy, they'll cut them for you, allow you to run around the block, and if you don't like the cuts, they'll keep the shoes and sell you an uncut pair. It's a great deal, but I didn't have to take them up on the offer to take the cut shoes back. I liked the feel of the cuts. It made me feel less restricted and I liked that....so I got two pair.

Between my new cold gear and new running shoes, I'm ready to tackle winter running. Oh, and one quick follow-up. I've run once with my new shoes and rocked my best 4 mile time by over a minute!

Finally, check out the shoes!

The Nike Luna Trainer+