New Shoes

I love getting new shoes.  I sit and basically try on every pair in my size and prance around back and forth between two or three pairs until I decide.  I had tried on the Brooks Green Silence a while back and liked them but didn't need shoes at the time.  Here we are a few months later and they are on clearance online.  I ordered them ASAP and then tracked my package from Oregon to NY.  

outside

inside

My shoe preference is just what I like and may not be right for everyone.  I've really found that I enjoy minimal shoe (super light and not a lot going on).  These don't have a lot of logos or stitching, as you can see.  They feel like you are wearing a sock with a hard bottom.

lacing system

I found the lacing system to be different and very cool/functional for a variety of reasons.  You see that gray "bar" across the tongue?  That is all individual eyelets for lacing through so you can get a nice snug fit around the heel for less slippage.  The tongue is attached/part of the shoe on the arch side and not attached on the outer part.  This is nice so you don't have to really worry about it sitting on the top of your foot straight and putting weird pressure on your foot.  Also, the lacing is not "straight" up the foot either.  The lacing is slightly off center.  Pair that with the type of lace and I found I was able to pull the shoe tighter in one area (around my arch) while still leaving it a little more loose around the toe.   Love!

One of my favorite things about new shoes is the smell.  I love how new shoes smell. So those are my new friends.  

Born to Run

I recently finished reading the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.  It was about ultra extreme distance runners and this tribe of runners--who are basically barefoot.  There is a lot of science thrown in the book too about barefoot/almost barefoot running that really got me thinking about my own running and how it has changed over the years.  All the people in the book run because they love to and not because they have to (I can relate).  The distance runners are all pretty much top level athletes at ultras here in the states and despite their crazy miles are hardly ever hurt (the way they approach running).  I loved reading the book and my dad even enjoyed reading the book.  It was nice to have read the same book as him so we could talk about the different parts of it.  

My running has evolved from wanting super cushy shoes to wanting cushy shoes but with minimal heel to toe thickness change (think flip-flop instead of wedges).  I've noticed that I really feel more comfy in shoes that are minimal and I ache a little less and feel faster (I bet  I could be faster if I took the time to put in some effort at the track).  If you've got some time and want to know what the barefoot thing is all about I recommend picking up this book.