Bumbling along

Lately, I've been giving some thought to my footwear for the marathon.  I would love to be able to wear the Triumph 9s because they are comfy and light and make my legs feel happy, but I'm still cautiously transitioning my calves into the lower heel drop and there's no way that I'll be up to a long enough distance in the Triumphs by April. 

Which leaves the Guide 4s, a stability shoe that is probably a bit more stable than I really need but which I'm used to running the longer distances in.  I have two pairs but both of them are nearing the end of their working lives.  By the time of the marathon, they'll be just about ready to replace.  I thought, therefore, that if I ordered a new pair now I could have them comfortably broken in by the time that London rolls around.  In shoe terms, they're quite an old model - Saucony is up to the Guide 6 these days - but I don't want to faff around with a newer model that may or may not suit me.  I just want to run in what I'm used to.  That's not much to ask for, right?

Wrong.  Because they are an older model, there are none to be had in my size ANYWHERE IN THE UK.  Except for these:

Oh. My. God.  They are yellow.  I haven't worn anything yellow since I was 11 and my mother sent me to church on Easter Sunday dressed in a bright yellow scratchy polyester trouser suit, having first told me that I should never wear yellow because it makes me look sallow.  Which it does.  Which is why I don't wear it.  Ever.

But now, because my first allegiance is to running rather than to vanity, I have broken the rule of a lifetime.  I ordered the shoes.  They look like bumble bees.  They don't match any of my running gear.  And they are yellow.  (I know I've already said this, but I'm feeling a bit shell-shocked by the whole thing so a bit of repetition is called for.)  I can feel my legs stiffening up in protest already, but I'm trying to be sensible.  Perhaps it's better to wear ugly shoes than it is to run 26 miles in shoes with no cushioning?  

Looking on the bright side (but not as bright as the yellow on those shoes), in a couple of months I'll have run through enough muddy puddles that the yellow should be quite significantly toned down.  And if it isn't?  Maybe I'll just have to run the marathon in fancy dress after all.

Buzz buzz.