Thanks to Brynn being in school, Camryn being with my mother-in-law, and the DMV experiencing technical difficulties "statewide" today, I had some time to peruse the running store as thoroughly as I wanted, for as long as I wanted. The number of sports bras I tried on reached the double digits, but I found one I think will get the job done. Who knew that "encapsulation" would be something I'd find really appealing about a sports bra? I also found a pair of running shorts that a) do not make me look like I'm wearing a diaper, 2) do not sit so tight on my waist that the muffin top I've worked so hard to eradicate magically reappears, and d) won't (fingers crossed) chafe my thighs until they are raw and bloody (try taking a dip in the salty ocean with chafing on any part of your body...yowzas!!!). Running in place in the dressing room can only tell you but so much, so tomorrow's run will be do or die for this polyester pair.
And for the coup de gras, I wandered over to the shoe section to find what I was really looking for...the pair of sneakers that would get me through my next 300-400 miles. I'm not sure if you've seen the latest trend in running shoes, but they're pretty hideous. It's like the 80s threw up in a Nike factory somewhere. For a girl whose favorite color to wear is gray, this is a tough sell:
Of course function is more important than form here, but I just can't put those things on my feet! I told the expert assisting me the type of shoes I've had success with in the past, and she brought me these:
The orange is a bit brighter in person, but I could handle this pop of color, especially when my legs take on the golden hue of a summer tan. One lap to the front door and back and I was sold. She asked how they felt and all I could mutter was, "I. Love. Them." I was so excited that it didn't take trying on a half dozen pair to get it right that I paid for my new gear and drove home feeling like my life had been changed forever. I was in a state of euphoric bliss, envisioning how delightful tomorrow's miles would be, running on these new cloud-like shoes. Then I got home, looked at my receipt, and felt like those very clouds just unleashed a downpour on my parade. What I hadn't realized in the store was that my new, perfect, heavenly shoes cost about 50% more than I normally spend, and I knew immediately I was going to have to return them. I once had to return a kitten to an animal shelter because my husband had no interest in the responsibility of having a pet at the time (or at any time, for that matter!)...returning these shoes might feel worse. Having test driven a Cadillac, it's going to be really hard lacing up a pair of Pintos. The good news is I can probably find a slightly inferior shoe to get me by until these angels show up on clearance when the newer version arrives in a few months. But I'll never forget the time we had together, sweet, beautiful Asics. I hope you find a home with someone who appreciates your comforting sole, and when the time (or in this case, price) is right, I hope we can be reunited and go on long strolls together at dawn. Godspeed, dear friends.
