Shoe and Apparel Clinic

I knew that shoes and clothes were important, but didn't know how important they were to running! Tonight we went to The Cyclery in Edwardsville and had a shoe fitting. Scott Shaw, the shoe guru, told us about the 3 different categories that people fall into with shoes.  The type of category depends on how you walk, the arch of the foot, and how much you roll in on your feet. The categories are Motion Control, Stability, and Neutral. Here is an explanation of each category. 


Motion Control: Recommended for runners with low arches who are moderate to severe overpronators. They need maximum rearfoot control and extra support on the medial (arch) side of their shoes. Also best for larger runners who need plenty of support and durability.

Stability: Recommended for runners who are mild to moderate overpronators and generally have low to normal arches. These runners tend to need a shoe with a combination of good support and midsole cushioning.

Neutral: Recommended for runners who need maximum midsole cushioning and minimal medial support. These shoes are best for biomechanically efficient runners with minimum pronation and for midfoot or forefoot strikers with normal to high arches.


Some stores will have you run on a machine to determine what category you fall into,  but all you really need is someone who knows what they are doing and take your shoes off and they watch you walk. I am so glad that I had an opportunity to have a professional see how I walk and tell me what shoes are going to work best for my feet.

After Scott determined I was in the Stability category he brought out 5 or 6 different shoes to try on. I walked around the store and ran up and down the aisle to see how they felt. After some difficulty making a decision I landed with Saucony shoes.  Pictured below :)

Some other interesting things I learned that I never thought about.. socks. Running in regular cotton socks is a no no. In the running world "cotton is rotten" because whether it be socks, shirt or shorts cotton doesn't wick away the moisture which will lead to chafing and blisters. So along with my new kicks I got some Balega socks which are made of the moisture wicking material.

One of the other Team In Training coaches was there, Jacob, and we started talking about wearing hats when running. I said that I didn't really like wearing hats because it traps all the heat in, but would be interested in wearing a visor. He made a really good point that I never would have thought of. He said when picking out a visor make sure the under side of the visor is black or a dark color. My response.. Why? Well,  if you get a visor/hat with the underside or bill that is white it will reflect the sun into your eyes which defeats the purpose! Who knew!!?

Needless to say the evening was very informative and I finally got to meet my coach Sharon and some of my other team mates. It was a fun evening and I was proud of myself for getting out of the store with a total under $200! New shoes, socks, shorts, sports bra, and dri fit shirt..  on my way to looking like a runner!

Week 2

Well I survived week 2 of training. Still doing 2 miles a day. I did run outside for the first time in while on Saturday and it was a struggle. I ran 3 miles at the park and it was a lot harder than running on the treadmill. I think I need to spend more time running outside so I get used to it, but I really like having the TV to keep me occupied at the YMCA. 

On the bright side I did have my first fundraiser. I held a bake sale at work and asked for donations. I think over all it went pretty well. People were very surprised that I was the one doing the running.. tell me about it.. but mostly supportive.  Here is a picture of me and the spread of desserts.  Overall I raised about $133 which is more than what I started with so I'm calling it a success. 

Tomorrow we have a shoe and apparel clinic at a local running store. I am very excited about this because I majorly need new shoes. The ones I have now are okay, but they hurt my feet after about a mile. Plus what girl doesn't want new shoes!!? I will post pictures of the new kicks and digs I get. The goal is to "look" like a runner when this is all over. Here's to hoping... 

Week 1 Recap

Last week was my first full week of training. My schedule was to run 2 miles a day and Friday was a rest day, with Saturday being our team long run day with a 3-4 mile run. Well, I did good during the week and ran my 2 miles Monday-Thursday and took my rest day on Friday. Then came the weekend and things went down hill.

Because we were going out of town for Mother's Day I didn't get to go to the team run on Saturday, instead I spent 4 hours in the car traveling to Indianapolis to visit my Mamoo ( aka grandma) and mom. While my family is totally worth the trip I didn't have time to fit in my long run. We did do landscaping in the yard for a couple hours on Saturday which made Mom and Mamoo happy. Sunday morning church and then Mother's Day lunch with the family didn't allow time for a run before getting back in the car for 4 more hours of driving back to St. Louis. The up side is I got to spend time with my family and finally got to meet the cutest little man in the world.. Eli, my cousins little boy. 

Today is a new day, so now on to week 2. The schedule says that today is either a rest day or cross training. Since I rested all weekend I am going to get some mileage in on the elliptical tonight. I am also trying to think of fundraising ideas that are different so if you have any ideas I would love to hear them!

Lets Rock 'n' Roll!

That is exactly what I texted my friend/co-worker Kelly when I decided to sign up for my first half marathon. Kelly ran the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon in April and somehow convinced me that I too could do such a thing. For those of you who really know me and my philosophy on running which is "I only run when I am being chased", the thought of me running a half marathon is out of the realm of my comfort zone. I also must say that watching me run is comedic. I am not a runner by any means. So why not make the most of this experience and  do something on my bucket list while improving the lives of others. That is why I signed up to run with Team In Training.


Team In Training provides coaching and training assistance to people just like me all over the country that have pledged to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's research and patient services programs. I have committed to raise $1,500.00 and run 13.1 miles in the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on October 21, 2012. This blog is to document my ups and downs of this adventure and I am happy to have you along for the ride as a reader and motivator.  Here we go....