So… even my feet are fat.

So… even my feet are fat L

Tennis Shoes? I don’t play tennis. Running shoes? Who calls them that? And nope I don’t run unless Mendy makes me.  Sneakers... hmm sounds like high-tops from the 80’s. What the heck am I suppose to call these things?

I am not a sneaker/tennis shoe wearer. In high school and college I wore high heels, sandals, flip flops, boots. I was a swimmer in high school so didn’t need tennis shoes for the pool and for softball I had cleats. So I had a pair of tennis shoes just for weight lifting. In college I got a new pair, of course pink and black, for going to Wal-Mart/ errands but most of the time I wore high heels, sandals, flip flops, boots. That pair also got some use for competing in some Greek completions and campus activities. So they didn’t get a lot of use. My sister “hammyuped” me a pair she had worn. Hammyup comes from hand me down but since it was going from younger to older hand me up. And since for some reason here in Missouri we don’t pronounce whole words... Hammyup. Example: wanna and gonna are commonly used. But I cannot get started on us Missourians. But she gave me a pair of her used shoes.

So when I started this fitness challenge I had a cute pair of tennis shoes and a worn out pair. When working out the bottoms of my feet hurt. When doing planks and other exercises my toes hurt. I commented to Mendy and she looked at my “cute” pair and said “OMG those are too small”. My sister’s shoes were bigger but worn.  Mendy gave me a card for The Running Well Store in Kansas City. http://www.therunningwellstore.com/

I mentioned this to my coworker, runner and blogger http://klutzcrossing.blogspot.com/. She said she also goes to The Running Well Store. Okay so I guess I need to try this special store.

When I told Greg I needed to go get fitted for shoes and I wanted to look for something to help with balance. He laughed. He said a shoe cannot help you with that. Okay I get it; it is an understatement to say that I am not the most coordinated person. My coordination issue will be another blog. I understand a shoe cannot help me with that. But I wanted something that my foot didn’t instantly become sore when I was trying to balance on it. Well and I know losing weight will help that issue too. Normally Greg thinks custom or special stuff is “pinkies up”.  But seems he didn’t think this was “pinkies up”. He couldn’t say much when he is like a child in the fact he gets a new pair of Nikes every year. Last year we got his even during the back to school sale. Granted he wears his way, way more than I wear them. He also said “you only have gotten one pair of tennis shoes in like 9 years and need them for your workouts, so I think you are due”.  Okay even Greg is for this store. Okay I get it I need to go.

Well this past weekend my sister arrived first at the lake. When it is 60 degrees outside what is one to do at the lake while you wait for others to arrive. Ugh Duh outlet shopping. Our condo is minutes away from a huge outlet. When I arrived last Friday night she showed me her buy one get one 50% off running shoes.  I was kind of jealous! Okay a lot jealous. I am a huge bargain shopper. And her shoes were coral and the other pair was aqua. My wedding colors! So Sunday we all went before Greg and I headed back home for his mom’s mother’s Day. I found two pairs I liked. Two pairs for $65. Heck ya!

 

 

But I still knew I probably needed to be fitted by this special running store place. I did just double my workouts at Fit By Burn.

I was nervous. I heard they record you on a treadmill and analyze it and stuff. Lindsey went with me for morale support. I mean really me walking into a running store. Really? It is like me walking into a ballet/dance store. Which yea Lindsey has taken me in when she needed to check on tap shoes. OMG I am not mature enough and crack jokes because it is something unknown to me.

I was greeted by Rita. I started off the conversation with I am not a runner. As if she couldn’t tell that by looking at me LOL

I told her that I do a HIIT style boot camp and a strength training classes that sometimes these classes incorporate running. But my main issue was my feet hurting and needing help with balance.

She put me in socks and had my jog on a treadmill. Um hadn’t done that in about 6 years. AWKWARD not a fan of a treadmill. I kept envisioning this video while on that treadmill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNPhVVjnoC0.

 

Here are the steps of the analysis

Step 1: When you first come into the store, we have a quick conversation so we understand how you exercise, use your shoes and identify your walking and running goals.

Step 2: We ask that you run, walk or jog on the treadmill while we record you from the knees down. During this phase we will record your running style, how your foot strikes and your overall gait analysis. We then explain the results so you have a complete understanding of your style and your needs.
Step 3: We size your foot for length and width and provide a shoe size recommendation based on your exercise needs.
Step 4: We bring you a wide variety of shoe brands for you to try on and try out. We encourage you to go outside and walk or run to compare the different brands. At The Running Well Store we believe there is no perfect brand or style of shoe - only YOUR perfect shoe.
Step 5: Get running (or walking) knowing you have shoe that will help you with injury prevention!
From:  http://www.therunningwellstore.com/category_s/1827.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egypPRrZcoY&feature=player_embedded

 

 

She measured me and put me in a Brooks shoe. It felt good. It was a wide. Then a shoe that wasn’t wide and it felt so much tighter compared to the wide. She put me on the treadmill again in that shoe. Another customer came in and she greeted her. I instantly panicked. And as Sweet Brown, internet sensations says “Oh Lord Jesus”.. please don’t leave me on this thing. http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/oklahoma-city-woman-sweet-brown-interview-goes-viral

I was looking at the controls. Do you push the down button and down a few to slow down then push the stop. If I just pushed the stop would I fly off? Then she came over rescued me.

 

So since I have wide feet, thanks mom, I had basically one choice. Lindsey laughed when I asked if it came in anything animal print or pink. Well normally I bought sneakers just on looks for example my pink and black ones. Nope it was teal or green in that one shoe. The teal was in stock. So teal it was.

I wore the shoes to my strength training class that night. Which I got the shoes just in time for a mile run then strength training followed by another mile run.

So far so good with the new “running shoes”.