It's (still) all about the shoes

Triumph 9s.  So lovely.  So missed.

My recollection of this blog's previous life is that I spent a lot of time obsessing about shoes, running and otherwise.  So it won't be a surprise to anyone that today's topic is, of course, shoes.  Running shoes, to be specific.

Glycerine 13.  Pretty.

I still mourn the disappearance of the Saucony Triumph 9s, as none of the Triumph's other incarnations have suited me.  I've literally rubbed along with the Saucony Rides (blisters and bruised toenails from a too-narrow and too-shallow toe box) for the sake of their 8mm heel-toe drop, but eventually I was A Very Brave Runner and tried the Brooks Glycerine 13s.  The toe box was still a bit too narrow to comfortably run more than 8-10 miles and the drop was 10mm, but at least my toenails stayed attached.  However, when it came time to start training for the Florence marathon, I knew that I had to find shoes that allowed my poor feet to stay blister free. 

Ghost 10s.  As comfy as they are beautiful.

Hello, Brooks Ghost 10s!  Their 12mm drop makes my calves ache, but the toe box is nice and wide and there were no peeps from my (thankfully ex)blisters throughout training or, indeed, during the race.  A trade-off that was well worth making.

But now, my Glycerine 13s - my short and middle distance shoes - are at the end of their useful life.  I have a new pair of Ghost 10s waiting in the wings for my long road runs but they are too soft for comfortable trail running (I can feel every stone through the soles and, indeed, ended up with bruised feet following the Aviemore HM last year) and, because both of my pending ultras have trail components, Coach Ben has instructed me to do all of my long runs on trails.  So what is A Very Brave Runner to do but rock up to the local Run4It and spend 1.5 hours trying on pretty much every road and trail shoe in the shop? 

Ride 10.  Purple.

Leaving the lovely and very patient salesperson in a state of exhaustion amidst a pile of empty boxes and scattered shoes, I eventually decided on the newest model of the Saucony Rides.  My previous issues with the toe box seem to have been addressed and they do remain a 8mm drop shoe, which seems to suit my calves better than a 12mm drop.  At the very least, they should be good for all but the LONG runs.

That still left me with finding a trail shoe.  The lovely and very patient salesperson girded his loins and brought out yet more offerings.  The only trail shoe that had more than a 4mm drop was Salomon but they were so tight and uncomfortable that it wasn't even worth trying them out on the treadmill.  It took my calves months and months and months to adapt to an 8mm drop when I got my first pair of Triumph 9s, and I am extremely doubtful as to whether I'll ever be able to adapt to 4mm in time for the first ultra at the end of March...but being Very Brave, I'll give it a go.

Peregrine 7.  Also purple.

Welcome, then, Saucony Peregrine 7s!  They were in the sale AND they are purple AND they were very comfy during the treadmill test.  What's not to love?  I will, of course, need to be sensible about transitioning to them and I have arranged a phone call with Coach Ben next week to get his guidance about this, but perhaps it's time to allow my fear of Different Shoes to go the way of my fear of Running Too Much.

I'm not the runner that I used to be.