If Crocs made Running Shoes...

I have long joked that if Crocs made running shoes I'd buy them.  And I was very serious.  I love my Crocs and own over 30 pairs (they aren't all just those hole filled beach ones either!).  Well, I have heard great things about a brand of shoes called Altra and was wanting to try them.  They boast of a roomy toe box (love that about my crocs, no squished toes) and being a minimalist shoe (I love my minimalist shoes with a 4mm heel/toe drop or less).  Well, someone in a running group was selling a pair in my size and with shipping I figured the price was right to give them a try.

 I headed out the door on an easy run day and took the pink puke peptobismal colored shoes for a 6 miler.  Oh my gosh I fell in love with the shoes within minutes.  It felt like running in Crocs without the heel slippage.  My feet were very happy.  At the end of my run I had to take a little pause and wait for those creatures to cross the road so I could finish up my run.  Yup, two deer crossing the road.  This happens regularly by the way.

 So these are my "new" shoes and I love them.  They have very minimal decoration/details on the toes and it is like wearing a sock with a hard bottom.  The pink across the toes is rubber and across the top of the foot is mesh.  Wearing the shoes is like walking around without shoes because they are that comfy and un-restrictive.  Oh, and that little dot on my right leg is a lovely scar from the Disney bus marathon morning this year.

Looking forward to more training runs with my Altras and hopefully finding another pair or two in the near future.  I will definitely want to go to the store and try on several of their different types to find one that I "love" but these are pretty amazing.

Shoe Collection!

Bakers dozen.  That is how many pairs of running shoes sit in the closet.  To be fair one pair is my Manfriend's.  I think I have enough shoes to get me through a rainy spring and then some.  Looking forward to some warmer weather now that we had a little teaser.

New Shoes and I'm in Love

First off let me just say that this is my own opinion and what works for me in shoes does not work for everyone.  With that totally random disclaimer there without further waiting my new shoes:

 They are the Books Pure Drift.  Oh, and apparently they are the old style.  I tried on a different pair in the regular aisle of DSW (I know my running style so I shop where I can, if you are unsure of your running needs then I highly recommend a running specialty store to get properly fitted) instead of the clearance section.  I found these in the clearance section and they definitely fit differently, in a good way for me.

 They are super light, flexible and very minimal.  I've found that I really love minimal shoes.  While this is a preference for me it is not the right type of shoe choice for everyone.

 Hey, those kind of remind me of another pair of shoes that you have?  That is because they are about as close to them as I can find since the Brooks Green Silence were discontinued.  Here they are side by side.

 Similar shape and asymmetrical lacing style.  Lots of fabric and not much else on the upper.  This makes for a very comfy shoe in my opinion that feels like a sock with a hard bottom.

 The treads on the shoes are different but both very flexible.  Lots of grooves allow for the shoe to flex and for my foot to go through its natural range of motion.   Lastly, the two shoes have a low profile (the heel isn't huge), which allows for me to land on my mid-foot and continue through my natural stride.  The Pure Drift does sit a little closer to the ground but the overall feel is very similar.  I love new shoes.

The smell of brand new sneakers fresh out of the box--can we make that into a car air freshener?

More New Shoes

I love the smell of new shoes and figured with the training I plan to do this summer to prepare for the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare that I should have 2 or 3 pairs of shoes.  I already have some Puma Yugo's (discontinued) and Brooks Green Silence (discontinued) that are more for racing in instead of the miles I plan to put in.  That being said I am still really drawn to the lightweight, nothing there shoes because of their comfort.
Mom and I went to DSW because I know what I like when I try the shoe on, and according to her my face lights up and she can tell it's my right fit shoe.  I tried on just about every pair of running shoes they had in the store and it came down to 2 of the last about 7 shoes that I tried on (as always, the last pair).  Between the two shoes I went with the Saucony Cohesion 6.  The other pair I was on the fence about because they were more cushiony feeling but were slipping in my heel a bit.  

 They have a little bit of my favorite lime green neon with a bold blue.   They lace like traditional shoes (I've gotten used to the asymmetrical lacing of my Green Silence).  Best part of the news is they are a "less expensive" shoe since they are so simple.  Grand total was just over $50 (probably the least I've spent on a pair of shoes, including past favorites that were on clearance).

 They have plenty of "grooves" in the sole that allow for a full range of motion and flex easily while running/walking.  I love me a comfy right out of the box shoe.

New Socks and Shoes

When I went to pick up my packet stuff for the Rochester Flower City Challenge Half Marathon at Fleet Feet I decided I was going to buy myself a new pair of shoes.  After trying on all the pairs the guy brought out for me that fit my "criteria."  My criteria is it be comfy like wearing socks and I told him what I had been wearing and that I wear crocs for just about everything else in my life.  The shoes were all nice, but not exactly what I was hoping for.  As I was about to go home without a pair of shoes I spotted my favorite shoe on the shelf. 

Hello beautiful new shoes!  I love the Brooks Green Silence and this is my 5th pair of the beauties.  They are discontinued (I went online to see if I could order a pair and they were all gone).  This happens every time I fall in love with a shoe.  After the guy went in the back stock room he came out with the lone pair left in my size and called the other Fleet Feet store in Rochester to see if they had a pair to hold for me as well (no luck on that).  I've read that having a pair of sport specific socks can make a huge difference in blisters and all that jazz so I decided to try out a pair of these balega's.  Still determining if I like them better than my Target 6 pack of cotton socks.  A few long runs will be the determining factor for the socks.  

 Currently I just finished up week 3 of training for the Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare and am looking forward to the workouts that start in week 6 and visiting my sister in Colorado for a good chunk of the summer (quality training with the altitude).

That's a Croc...

I love my Crocs.  I wear them if I am not in my running shoes and would totally be willing to try a pair of Croc running shoes if they ever make them... I even run in my clog-style ones here and there at practice (we're talking a few 100 meters here folks, not miles).  I wear Crocs when I go to work substitute teaching... my go to's are these with the gem (I own them in black)

 Or I wear the penny loafer style... I own these lovelies in black and brown.  People don't even know they are crocs and I get compliments on them all the time.  If you are going to wear them as part of your professional wardrobe I do suggest purchasing Croc Butter to keep them looking shiny and new, it really does work.

 I have been wanting a pair of boots to wear with jeans and have tried on many pairs.  I ordered these online at 50%+ off and I am loving them.  They are comfy, what you expect from Crocs but super cute and exactly what I was looking for.  Crocs may have gotten a bad name for their beach style clog, but if you go online you can find a boatload of super cute, comfy Crocs for your everyday life and your feet will thank you... even if you aren't putting in a ton of running miles like me!

my new boots

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.