Monday, April 8, 2013

Body.

Bodies are crazy. They are capable of so many things. There are so many things that can go wrong with them. They are so complex  and yet, as owners of our bodies, we tend to simplify our actions by not being more aware of what each action requires.  Typing, in our minds, means putting our fingers on keys and moving them. But it is so much more than that. So much happens within our bodies that we cannot even begin to comprehend.

My body is constantly reminding me of it's power over me. Reminding me that no matter what, I don't really have control over it. I make some decisions regarding where my body goes, what it does, what goes into it, how it moves, but if it - at any point - doesn't want to do any of those things, it will protest.

Last week, I had an amazing week full of skinny days, strong days, fast days. There were several days where I felt really good about my progress, about my weight, about my agility and strength and speed.

Today, I had a really shitty run. It was jolting to think that I had been taking those miles for granted or perhaps being overconfident in my abilities.

I would like to blame my new sneakers for this shitty run, but what if it's not the sneakers? What if it's me? What if my body just couldn't run today, for whatever reason? Strange to think about.

Now, on to my sneaker review.

So I have owned my Reebok Realflexes for a bit over a year. I have really enjoyed running in them. They are lightweight, comfortable, and very flexible. They are not good for hiking or biking, but they are great gym shoes. I had read that you should get new sneakers every few hundred miles and thought it might be time to retire the old gals. Plus, new shoes are fun.

Throughout my running career, I have battled with shin splints or general calf pain. I stumbled across the Asics Neo Gel 33 running shoes, which had 4.7 star review averages with thousands of reviews, which I thought was pretty impressive. They were also touted as being really good for relieving shin splints, due to the cushioned gel sole. I thought I would give them a whirl.

They might not look that different to the naked eye, but I couldn't believe how incredibly different they felt. The first time I put on the Asics, it literally hurt to jam my foot into them. The tongue is kind of weird and kept getting twisted and putting pressure on the top of my foot, which was awkward. By my third time wearing them, this has somewhat resolved, but is still an annoyance. Additionally, they are much heavier and much bulkier than the Reeboks. They are higher off the ground, more cushioned, and have a wedge-like heel.

What this means is that my gait has been altered - a lot. I don't know what I normally look like when I'm running, but I FEEL that I look like an idiot when I run in the Asics. It is so hard for me to keep a steady pace because I'm not just very comfortable in them. I feel clumsy, out of shape, and worst of all - my legs are killing me! They feel tired and sore and more splint-y than they have in a long while.

I am going to give them one more week to redeem themselves and to allow myself to properly accustom to their step, but if I am still having these issues at that week's end, I am going to retire them to a life of bike riding and walking and invest in another pair of Reeboks.

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I went for an outdoor run today and it was nice to be out in the sun, in the fresh (warm!) air, enjoying the scenery. I discovered some back roads I hadn't known about and it was nice to explore and take in the pretty houses and see all of the people working outside and also enjoying the first taste of spring.

I did end up walking a majority of this route because I felt terrible, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I encountered some really crazy hills -- one that I thought about turning back on since it was so long and steep and tiring. I think I may have to take my bike around here at some point, though I'm not sure I would make it up that beast!

Heading to the gym tomorrow and for my first bike ride at Cheshire on Wednesday...here's to another week of fitness!

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And, on the topic of bodies...got my first tattoos this weekend:


:)

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