a new kind of kick

Have I complained about how there are practically no decent races here until Spring?

You’ve got your obligatory Halloween, Jingle Bell and New Year 5ks, and then the whole race thing just kind of shuts down.

I understand its tough to get people to show up for a race when its cold (and no, “cold” doesn’t mean 40°, Florida), but come on. (Oh, unless I want to drive somewhere far, and come on again.)

Here’s the unfortunate winter race schedule for Indy:

• A 5k this Saturday; but an hour’s drive. Also, I’m kind of sick of 5ks.
• A 37-floor stair climb on January 22. Oh HELL no.
• Oh, dap: Groundhog 7 on February 6. I didn’t know about this one — definitely in.
• A 5k on February 12. Meh.
• Polar Bear 5 miler on February 19. Okay, that’s cool. I’m in.
• A 5k on February 26, 45 minutes away. Double Meh.

This explains why I didn’t run any races in January last year.

So, in the absence of a timed race to motivate me through the winter doldrums, I did the next best thing: I joined a running club.

I thought it’d essentially be a “race” four times a week (because let’s face it, we all run better when somebody faster is just out of reach), and give me a proper appointment to keep (I paid my 20 bucks; thus, less chance of bailing).

I met up with them last night on the canal towpath and I had a decent run, although not many people showed up so we all kind of did our own thing. (And everyone was faster than me. EVERYONE.)

And, my right butt cheek has been giving me stress.

It started hurting Sunday so I iced it and took a couple days off. Last night it started hurting again as soon as I began running. It wasn’t like, agonizing pain or anything, but it did slow me down. I did six miles in about 1:01– about two minutes slower than my 10k pace of late.

The butt pain, along with some lingering shin-twinges prompted me to go trolling the internet for some new running shoes. The adizeros have held up surprisingly well, but I don’t know that they’re sturdy enough to handle serious mileage.

I’ve complained about how I’d like to have a hybrid road/trail shoe. Rather than having a trail shoe, a road shoe, a track shoe, an alternate shoe and so on until I go broke, I just want one damn shoe to do the trick for every damn kind of running there is, and the Adidas Marathons claim to be just that.

They’re the same weight as my Adizeros but the tread is designed to better accommodate trail running. (I’ve done trails in the adizeros and they were okaaay, but they get gravel and rocks stuck in the tread and don’t have the best traction.) The Marathons were cheap enough and I’m familiar enough with the brand that I was comfortable buying them online without trying them on.

BLAH.

Beer peeps: the plan was to drink a beer last night after the run but I ended up having a big glass of pomegranate juice mixed with ice water instead. Delicious, yet boring.

I fully intend to make up for that tonight. Stay tuned!

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