After a good icing yesterday, on top of 5 days of no running, I returned to the roads this morning with a long 9.6 mi run. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that as one thing you definitely don’t want to do after an injury is run the freakin’ longest run you’ve done all year! One of my biggest mistakes I consistently make is powering through injuries. I have the hardest time easing back into running after attaining a level of fitness, especially when I am still close to that level when I return. In defense of today’s run, I was well rested and the injury to my ankle was not that bad, but still…
Today was the first day I have run on my new OTC Sorbothane UltraSole inserts and I have to say they are great. I was looking for more cushion in general which they more than adequately provided and specifically more cushion on the balls of my feet, which they did to a certain extent. I realize that no insert is going to quickly fix a foot issue, but these did provide some relief. The store owner said they will last for 2-3 years, which I sort of doubt. Then again store owners generally want you to return to purchase more and will tell you that they will last less than you might expect. I picked them up at PaceSetters in Portland and I have to say I had a really good experience there. In the last couple of years I had stopped going to them even though they are in my neighborhood because the help had been rude to me on several occasions. This time they stepped it up and even gave me some samples of a replacement drink they are discontinuing. So I am back on the PaceSetters bandwagon, just in time to buy a new pair of shoes.
Speaking of new shoes, I am not sure I want to try another pair of Mizuno Wave Runners. They were a good shoe though, wide and very very comfortable. I have to say they are about the uggliest running shoe I have ever worn, but who cares (well I guess I do since I sadly seem to move them over to my normal daily shoes once they wear out for running.) I fear I am being a sucker for advertising. Why switch shoes if these work for me? Well those New Balance shoes look really comfortable, and the woman wearing them in the ad is really pretty. Or those new Adidas shoes have that springy looking sole, I bet that’s comfortable. Ack, I should stick with what I like. Take that advertising!