Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle is getting closer and my feet are getting more and more fucked up.  I guess that’s all part of the package when you’re training for a full marathon, eh?

I managed to run Rock ‘n’ Roll Portland with mild foot issues – I wore my Mizuno Wave Ronins instead of my Mizuno Enigmas and so instead of having blister pain, my right big toe just kept dislocating (not a big deal – this has happened with all of my fingers and toes since I was a toddler – I just reset and move on).  However, since Wave Ronins are so light weight I choose to only wear them for speed work or races.  I’m too nervous to wear them on long training runs (already had 2 stress fractures in my foot, thanks!) so  I wear my Enigmas for training – they have much more support and cushion and they fit so well – no curling my toes running down hill, no fancy lacing techniques needed other than a heel lock.  The only problem is, they give me these horrible blisters and my right foot’s blisters are starting to turn into something a little more serious looking/feeling.

I posted about this in the Sweat Pink Ambassadors Facebook group and someone mentioned that it may be that there is too much room in the arch (where I blister).  This morning, I took the Enigmas out for a rainy 8.5 mile run to see if trying a different lacing technique would help, making the laces tighter around the arch.  It didn’t – I just ended up blistery and macerated from the rain and the top of my feet felt sore from the pressure of the laces.  So, I decided to take M.T. with me to Plateau Runner and try on some new shoes.  It couldn’t hurt, right?

I tried on Brooks Glycerins, Mizuno Wave Riders, Saucony Rides, some extra cushy Asics I can’t remember the names of, New Balances and finally Brooks Ghosts.  By the time I was done run-testing all of these shoes on the treadmill, I was wondering why I bothered going out on a morning run!  In the end, the Brooks Ghosts won and on purchasing these bad boys, I actually felt kind of guilty – like I’m cheating on Mizuno.

Even though they’re not Mizunos, I was loving how cushy these shoes were in the forefoot which is important to me after healing 2 stress fractures in my left foot.  Cognitively, I know I can run safely in a minimalist shoe but emotionally, I can’t help feeling nervous in them.  Injuries have a way of leaving you neurotic.  I tried running in Saucony’s Kinvaras while I was at Plateau Runner and even though they felt okay, I could feel my upper body tensing trying to lessen the impact in my feet.  Maybe someday, P.R. will host a natural running clinic so I can get over this fear of minimalist shoes but for now with 1 month until my marathon, I’m sticking with what I feel safe running in.

Good grief – there should be a mental health category just for runners and their weird fueling and gear OCD.

Anyway, one cool score with buying a bunch of Brooks gear (I got some compression capris too) was this bad boy came with it for free:

It’s a sticker I can stick on my race bib for RnR Seattle that gives me access to VIP porta potties – running water and flushing toilets!!! After running RnR Portland with the stomach flu or food poisoning, I cannot tell you how much this means to me.  Kneeling in a porta potty is a terrible albeit humbling experience that I do not want to relive ever in my entire life. EVER.  E-V-E-R!!!!!   So thanks to Brooks, I get to #runhappy and #peehappy.  Sweet!  Remind me to hashtag all of my instagram photos from RnR Seattle with #peehappy.

Your turn! What is your favorite shoe brand? Have you ever felt guilty for trying out a different brand?

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