Sunday, April 29, 2012

Ugly Shoes, Beautiful Workout

(Image from here.)

After last week's run, my feet hurt like I'd just spent 18 hours standing in line for Star Tours at Disneyland wearing three-inch pumps. Painful!

It was a valuable lesson stressing the importance of proper footwear when running. My pretty black and pink Nike running shoes I got at The Rack last September for about $40 are serviceable enough for short work outs, but when it comes to the long run, they're more than inadequate, they evolve from cute gym shoes into instruments of torture.

Which goes to show, footwear should not be selected on aesthetics alone - functionality is far more important.

I knew I couldn't put my beloved feet back into the shoe-version of the Iron Maiden - it was past time I got fitted for running shoes.

For runners of all experience levels, being fitted for running shoes is a must. The proper foot wear ensures proper alignment of your body, decreasing stress on your ankles, knees, and back. It corrects your stride and provides support for your feet, preventing blisters, calluses, and other foot-related injuries. Whether you run every now and then, or all the time, you want to make sure you're wearing the proper equipment.

You wouldn't strap a two-by-four to your feet for downhill skiing, or jump out of an airplane using a bed sheet for a parachute; it follows that you wouldn't want to go running without wearing the right kind of shoes, either.

I decided to go to Road Runner Sports on the recommendation of a friend and, conveniently, there is a store located only a few miles from my apartment. I know there are other great running stores out there that also perform this service, I just happened to have had a great experience with Road Runner.

What getting fitted entails:

1) First, they get a little back ground information on what kind of work out you're doing - marathon training, hiking, walking, etc - and what kinds of discomfort you may be experiencing - lower back pain, collapsed arches, etc.

2) Your shoe size will be measured, naturally, which means taking off your socks. Word to the wise, don't go in with dirty feet. You'll be embarrassed and though the customer service rep will keep a professional air, they'll probably be grossed out. Luckily, I had a charming guy helping me out and he ensured me that I had "beautiful feet". I'll be getting a lot of mileage out of that compliment!

3) Next, your arch type will be measured by standing on a pressure-sensor pad. It will tell you your foot shape and where you place your weight. I've always known I've had high arches, but I did not realize how high they were until this text. I didn't even have a foot print - I had two splotches, one for my heel and one for the balls of my feet, and nothing in between. The assistant went on to explain that this is what caused the terrible pain in my feet, as my shoes have absolutely zero arch support, the arches in my feet are collapsing when I run. Which hurts, a lot, let me tell you. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you need arch support if you have high arches, but I've never even tried to utilize Dr Scholl's shoe inserts, let alone have some customized to my feet. I also discovered that I place most of my weight on my left heel. Not only do I have high arches, I don't stand correctly. I'm the Leaning Tower of Nikki, which is why my dream of becoming a ballerina would never have gotten past the barre - I'd probably give my partner a concussion on the first lift attempt. Plus, Natalie Portman-like ballerinas scare me.

The following is an example of the type of scan they perform:

(Image from here.)

4) Following your arch measurements, they will have you run at a comfortable pace on a treadmill, barefoot, while a camera records your feet while you run. This is to determine what kind of pronation you have - basically, are your feet straight or do they bend inwards or outwards while running. If your feet bend out or in, it forces the bones in your ankles and legs to bend, diminishing support, creating tension on your joints, often resulting in shin splints, or causing your ankle more easily. Not good. I was shown to have a perfectly straight left foot and a bit of an outward pronation in my right.

What does this all mean? Between my high arches, the pressure on my left, and the pronation on my right, I need two different shoes to support my feet. Now, you don't usually have to buy two different pairs of shoes and only wear the left from one and the right from the other - the solution is to have shoe inserts form-fitted to your feet. Completely customized to you.

5) It's pretty easy - the assistant will heat up the insoles and while you stand on a cushy piece of foam, they will place the insert on your feet, mold it to your feet, and then have you pressed down it while it cools and takes on the shape of your foot, filling in all the areas where you need support - like your St Louis-like arches. This means the good looking assistant will have his hands all over your feet, so getting a pedicure beforehand isn't necessarily a bad idea.

6) You also have the option of getting new shoes that are geared to your needs as well. The inserts can be put into any shoe, but for maximum effect, it's good to get a new pair of shoes that are designed for your type of feet. For me, I was recommended to get a "Neutral Plus" shoe - this is basically a standard shoe with a bit of extra cushioning, since the inserts will be taking care of my arches, the shoes will mostly be reinforcement. After a long and thorough examination, trying on several different pairs, and probably walking half a mile around the store, I settled on probably the ugliest pair of shoes I've ever owned - the Mizuno Wave Creation. My assistant commended me on choosing practicality over the better looking Asics, which were a sapphire blue so beautiful, they would've caused my Nikes to need years of therapy to overcome their resultant inferiority complex.

I want to state for the record that you do not have to spend a stink-load of money on expensive running shoes if you don't want to - there are excellent quality shoes at reasonable prices - what is important is finding the right shoe for your needs, one that will provide proper support and allow you to run at your most maximum efficiency.

For me, I decided to Go Big, or Go Home: I bought the inserts, the shoes, the Road Runner Sports membership, all told, a lot of money. But, the inserts are good for 1,000 miles and the ugly shoes are going to be my saving grace on Run Day. Running 13.1 miles is daunting enough, knowing I don't have to worry so much about my feet giving out clears up a lot of head space to worry about other things - like fitting in a photo op with Tinker Bell and out-running all the other women for the bathroom behind the Alice in Wonderland ride.

It's important to break in your new running shoes. The Road Runner Sports assistant instructed me to wear them for twenty minutes the first day then in twenty minute increments for the next two days, before wearing them on a big run. I wore them for a short workout on Wednesday and I was a little worried, as my feet did not feel great afterward, though it was hard to tell if it was the shoe or the lingering pain from Sunday's run. I continued breaking them in by wearing them all day on Friday. Since my work is mostly a desk job, I'm off my feet for most of the day, so all told, I probably only got in an hour's worth of breaking them in - putting me right on target according to the instructions.

I woke up early Saturday morning, ready to take my new inserts and shoes out for a test run (haha) and I am proud to say that I cut ten minutes off of my time! I ran the same 5 mile loop as last weekend and clocked in at 1:06:02, with an average pace of 13.2 minutes per mile. My ultimate goal is to keep a 13-14 minute mile and so far, so good!

Granted, my Mizunos aren't winged shoes that will help me fly like Mercury or run like Usain Bolt. I'm still the girl who identifies more strongly with the Tortoise than the Hare, but there is a difference in my running. My feet feel great, allowing me to run longer, and by relieving a lot of the tension in my legs, I am economizing my steps and expending less energy when I run, giving me the energy to go the distance, so to speak. Last week, I was dead on my feet after my run - this week, I had enough spare energy to vacuum my entire apartment right after running and then go spend the next ten hours at Disneyland.

If you're unable to go into running store to be fitted for a shoe, there are great online resources to help you select a shoe. Here is a good resource, with shoe recommendations suited to different types of feet. It is also important to keep your feet healthy - wash and dry them daily, keep your toe nails trimmed, and if you experience any persistent pain, have your feet checked out by a podiatrist sooner rather than later.

Next time on the agenda: must do something about my knees.

Happy Running!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Taking it to the streets

What's this? A blog from Nikki? I thought she fell of the face of the earth.

At least, that's certainly what the last couple of weeks have felt like. Some changes have happened at work which have hugely impacted my free time and extra-curriculars, making the last month or so feel a lot like this:

(Photo from here.)

The beauty of life is that it is ever changing, as unpredictable as the weather or Lady Gaga's next wig. Which means that we must always adapt to its challenges, or, like the elephant above, end up with our heads in the sand, praying for the waves to drag us out to sea.

I don't know about you, but when life starts getting rough, I break out my new favorite adage: "Keep calm and organize." With the new hours at work, I've had to re-evaluate my work out regimen, my writing schedule, when to fit in chores, grocery shopping, laundry, etc. and it's been rough. But the last two weeks of experimenting have definitely taught me one thing: To-Do Lists are wonderful!

I love lists. I will add things to a list solely for the satisfaction of being able to cross that puppy off. There are few things so satisfying as visual affirmation of having accomplished something. Since I create a lot of lists, I go through a lot of paper - usually scraps, but still waste - and I wanted something a little more permanent. Enter Pinterest. I found a great and simple make-your-own dry-erase board and voila:

Yes, that is my green ruler from elementary school, stamped with my name in case anyone is confused who it belongs to.

I used the same paints from this post ($1.99 each), since I like uniformity, and found some really pretty scrap book paper from Michael's, $0.39 a page. I have a handful of old, inexpensive picture frames bought from Target during my college days, so being able to re-purpose one of them is a bonus. I would recommend using the Sharpie on the back side of the glass, as I've since discovered that erasing the dry-erase marks sometimes removes the Sharpie marks as well.

Happy Listing!

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Now to my next topic: running. Due to the past couple weeks' craziness, I've only managed to fit in one 2.5 mile run. It was not pretty.

Yesterday, I was invited to join a sunrise boot camp down at the Santa Monica Pier, run by Slim Body Fitness. Having not had a decent work out in two weeks, I was surprised that I didn't die there on the beach within the first twenty minutes. However, it did give me a swift kick in the rear and a fat knock to the noggin'. Running is not enough, I need to work on my core strength as well. My new resolve is to run on the weekends and hit the gym for interval training during the week, focusing on strength training and cardio.

Up til now, almost all of my running has been at the gym on a tread mill. Tread mills are great, but they can't substitute for the real thing. It's not only important to take your run to the streets (or park, beach, trails, etc) for the fresh air and interesting scenery, but to get a real idea of how to keep pace. It's a lot harder keeping pace when you don't have a machine to drag you along when you get a little tired.

Today I got my first real taste of long-distance running. Thanks to Map My Run, I found a 5 mile run at a local park that I decided to take for a spin this morning:

It went fairly well, save for when I got lost inside the park, when I was supposed to stay on the periphery, which led to a little bit more walking than I wanted while I was climbing up hills to try and figure out where I was. At the end of it all, I managed to do 5 miles at a 15.48 pace. Not too shabby!

It seems like Mud Runs are all the rage now. I'm always learning about new runs, ever since I participated in the Warrior Dash, and I've come across a few interesting ones:

For the Zombie enthusiasts, there is the Run For Your Lives race, where Zombies jump out at you from practically nowhere and try to take your "life flag".

For those who enjoy getting messy, but maybe not muddy, there is The Color Run, which looks very cool (and pretty) indeed!

And for those with a more militant bent, there is the Spartan Sprint, where "Gladiators" await you with fake-jousts to try and knock you off the course. My brother, ex-Marine that he is, decided this was the run for him and it didn't take much convincing for me to join in. For the Southern Californians out there who want to participate, the race is the first weekend in December, plenty of time to gird your loins and sign up!

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And now: writing.

I am proud to say that one thing I have successfully implemented in the last two weeks is writing every day. I take my moleskin and my lunch and chill in my car with the windows down, making the most of the SoCal breeze while it lasts, and spend a good 50 minutes writing on my lunch breaks. On Sundays, I bring it all together on my computer to tweak and edit.

I'm nowhere close to where I want to be in my writing, but I feel good about it. I'm learning as I go and have only to go up!

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Progress Report:

Words Written to Date: 6830 (28.45% of Weekly Goal)

Miles Run to Date: 53.05

Average Pace: 14.03 minutes per mile

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