A Sweaty 7-11 Reflection

As I stood, sweating profusely over the 7-11 counter, buying coffee this morning on my way back from my 4.5-miler, I reflected on this past week. I continued to move toward the Anti-Goal of training just to finish the AFC Half Marathon on August 16, while in the final rehab stages of post-plantar-fasciitis-slow-as-sludge-but-I'm-okay-with-it. Stretching calves like a madwoman, I have now taken to icing the bottom of my foot, just for good measure, after runs over 4.0 miles. This extra measure seems to be helping quite a bit to alleviate any ankle stiffness, a rare but unwelcome visitor of mine after picking up the speed during my runs.

The time has come where I am starting to re-evaluate my choice of running shoe. I've worn Asics Gels for as long as I can remember, maybe even longer. Each year I buy a few pair of whatever the latest and greatest model is, and it's always just worked. I have never really done the orthotics thing, what with my hippie, barefoot running mentality. It has occurred to me that my super high arched, narrow feet are probably not meant to take so much abuse.

So, on this coming weekend's agenda is a visit to my favorite guys over at Movin' Shoes, where I will run around the parking lot 80 million times in the hopes of finding the new shoes. If all hope is lost on finding the next stage of shoe, I will consider orthotics and those nighttime foot stretching things.

In the coming week of the Anti-Goal, I will remember that there is always hope, but you may have to ask for a refil from time to time. There is always a way, but it might not be yours. There is always a clear trail somewhere, but you may have to do a lot of brush whacking to find it.

Bottom line: you just have to keep moving on whatever feet you were born with.