7/30/14. wed. longish run.

everyday i will tell myself not to forget, this is the good part.

the plan called for 8 miles.  for me, this was a lot of miles to pull out on a mid-week run.  plus it was pretty hot, above 80 degrees.  with the end game in mind (big miles week), and the temperature where it was (hotter than i am used to), i went slow and steady.  average pace was about 9:10 min/mile.  although this was pretty slow, it was easily sustainable, even in the heat.  my 14 year old rode along with me on his bike and kept me company.  i kept my pace slow enough that i could talk to him when i wanted to, without getting out of breath.  it was a good run, and i was glad for the company.  it was his idea to come along, and i appreciated it.

my feet are bothering me a little, but that's nothing new.  right heel/mid-foot arch, and left toes.  I am toying with convincing myself that i need some new shoes.  i bought 2 pairs of adidas shoes specifically for this training plan (identical except for color), which i alternate weekly.  I have run 750 miles total, so call it 375 miles per pair.  that's really reaching the middle of what "they" say running shoes should be good for.  conventional wisdom says that although the uppers may continue to look fine and there may still be tread left, the mid-sole EVA foam can wear down and degrade from use.  it loses its ability to cushion (compression set) after a number of miles, which may increase your risk of injury.  the numbers thrown out there seem to range from 250-500 miles.  i'm not sure if this is true, or if its just propaganda from The Shoe Industry to get you to spend more money.  how helpful is advice like "Go by feel. If after a normal run your legs feel as if the shoes aren't providing you adequate protection, they probably aren't."?  not helpful at all.  with my increases in mileage, who's to say what aches and pains are just normal, and what aches and pains are shoe related?  with a little over 300 miles remaining (150 per pair), maybe a new pair would be cheap insurance.  a new pair for longer runs (anything over about 8), with the old pairs cycled weekly for the shorter runs.  its just an idea.

7/30/14. coffee. almonds/peanuts/cashews. chinese chicken on noodles. peas. apple. peanut butter toast. big steaming plate of mexinast. peach. cherries. lots of water.