Thursday, August 14, 2008

Out with the old, in with the...HEY!!!!

I turned 46 on Tuesday. Yep... 46...

It was a pretty low-key birthday this year. Walter and I went out to a new wine-bar in town. He and the kids gave me some fabu gifts including two beautiful necklaces and Dance, Dance, Revolution for the Wii, which I stink at, but which also may count as cross training, so I'll keep on dancin'. It's been a pretty low key birthday for this girl who used to celebrate not only birthday WEEK, but birthday MONTH. But we have lots of other family, and work-related things going on in our over-booked, way-too-busy, lives right now to do anything more. And I'm OK with that. Perhaps I'm growing up...

But today, I'm thinking about being 46...geez...I know it's not REALLY old...I mean look at Dara Torres. She's a rock and such an inspiration. And in fact, when I tell people my age (or they guess), most say they'd guess me to be about a decade younger. I don't THINK they're just trying to be nice.

I DO think they're misled due to my relative immaturity...and my hairdresser who does just a kick-ass job on my roots...and heredity of course.

Examples of my immaturity?
  • Whenever someone says, "I'll put a message in your box." I giggle. (hee, hee, hee, she said, "box")
  • Actually, whenever I hear anybody say anything that could have a double-meaning, I giggle.
  • On Monday, even though I was one of three presenters at a workshop, my notes include this gem spoken by one of the other presenters: "It doesn't go very far or very deep" (hee, hee, hee).
Seriously...I'm going to faculty meetings all next week. I can hardly wait.

On the other hand, there is some evidence of me getting old and cranky and having less and less patience with things that don't go my way.

An example of my crankiness?

Every single time, I've fallen in love with a running shoe, they get discontinued and I have to go on a search for a new shoe to fit my fat foot (hey, two pregnancies in which I gave birth to 10 pound babies...and then this running thing has taken its toll on my feet...I didn't always wear a D- width). I mean just look at this thing.
You try to find a shoe wide enough to accommodate THAT! I've tried several. Some of my favorites have been

Asics Gel Kayanos were my first running shoe. It was like running in butter, and was great until I started running longer distances...but since I over-pronate all over the place, I needed a shoe with more stability. Plus it's been DISCONTINUED so I went to...

Saucony Hurricane 9 - LOVED this shoe. Stability, but cushion-y...almost a perfect shoe for me. Then about a two months before the Rock and Roll Marathon, I wanted to get another pair...DISCONTINUED AGAIN...I try the newer version, the Saucony Hurricane 10. It doesn't have quite the same wide-toe box as it's predecessor, even in the D width. I almost break my foot running in them...which led me to...

New Balance 1223 - The widest shoe there is (for women, unless I go into a men's shoe...but then there'll be other issues). It's not quite as cushy as the Saucony, but it has an enormously wide toe box... This pair has probably close to 500 miles on them (including all the long training runs before the marathon). And I can tell that they're not giving me the support they once did. (I've had some tenderness in my Achilles for the last month, which I suspect is a result of this). So last month, I go to purchase a new pair as I'm training for the AFC 1/2 marathon and again THEY'RE DISCONTINUED and worse, the new version WON'T BE AVAILABLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER and even worse, because I wear a size 9-D, my local running shoe SUPERSTORE is SOLD OUT (and won't re-order)...ARRRGGGHHHHHH!

So, I'm stuck. Do I continue to train and even run Sunday's AFC 1/2 marathon in these old things? Do I search for a new shoe? Do I do an Internet search to look for these online and have them shipped to me, paying a fortune in shipping and handling? GAH!

Luckily, there's a smaller, family owned shoe store that was willing to call the New Balance rep and special order a pair for me. (HOORAY...Note to self: Shoulda been going there all along instead of the running-superstore!) Today they arrived...

TA DAAAAAAAAAA

Aren't they purdy (new color, same shoe)?

So, I'm out with the old New Balance (at least for now) and in with the new pair...at least for the next few months until the NEW VERSION, THE 1224'S come out. Hopefully they won't be that different and will still accommodate my fat foot.

Old and new...some old things have gotta go, that's for sure. Some, you keep around cuz they keep on getting better with age.

Here's to hoping that I fit into the latter...

19 comments:

  1. Hope the family owned store was Movin Shoes as they have awesome kids at your old place of employment AND support the heck out of the track program!

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  2. Yay for new running shoes!

    Belated Happy birthday!

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  3. did you just question whether you were running the AFC 1/2? I didn't read a dang thing beyond that. Let's make this clear.. birthday girl.. .... if you don't run on Sunday, I'll come over there and kick you butt back into 1965 - the first time you got your first butt kicking! And I'll use my heels on you also!

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  4. Huh? Of course I'm running in MY NEW SHOES OF COURSE. I was questioning whether or not to run in MY OLD SHOES... But now I have NEW SHOES

    Does Betty need reading glasses?

    Not run? If evah...

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  5. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! from the late bus!

    I hear they are changing my shoe (I have super wide feet and no babies to blame them on! Dammit) the Asics Gel Fortitude, so I may have to change too. Not cool!

    Can't wait for the race report! Run Bitch Run!

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  6. Happy Birthday!!! And good luck this weekend we are expecting not only a full race report but a report on the new kicks too.

    Kick BUTT!! And thanks the visual of that "fat foot"

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  7. Belated birthday wishes! Maybe you can wish for a running shoe that lasts a lifetime next time you blow out the candles. Hope the new shoes get you in and out of the AFC in no time (he he he he).

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  8. Happy Birthday! I have that urge to giggle when i hear stuff at meetings like when someone says "it's their duty" haha, get it? sadly when i laugh others give me that librarian face.
    i hope you break in the shoes before your long run.

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  9. Happy Birthday!! I can't help but laugh whenever has reason to say, "I just can't get it in" or something to that effect. Cracks me up inside!

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  10. happy belated you SPRING CHICKEN.

    and, alas, Ive no running shoe advice (Im the only one I know who actually runs in the Air Rifts) but the feet? the polish? LOVELY!!

    my feet are NOT so pretty.

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  11. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! ;D ;D ;D

    Oh girl it won't matter if I'm 80, I'll be the SAME way. Sitting in my rocker giggling when someone says "box" HAHAHAHAA

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  12. Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoyed your day! i am glad that maturity level doesn't change with age....because I laugh anytime "box" is mentioned as well.

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  13. Well...how did the Americas Finest Half go??? How was it???? How were the shoes??? How was the race?

    And happy belated birthday!!! I hope you had a great birthday and a great race!!!

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  14. I'm contemplating coming down for the 4 mile Fire run next sunday!

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  15. Hope the race went well. Love the new kicks!!! Hope they worked out well for you.

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  16. Someone ran a race yesterday and I don't see a race report. [said in an annoying, sing-songy voice for added effect]

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  17. Congrats on the new shoes!

    And, Happy Belated Birthday.

    I always order my shoes online, but I wait for the free shipping. That's small town living for you- no choice! Every time they "update" my shoes, it's a crapshoot.

    *remembering to be thankful that I work with a bunch of immature men*
    I fit right in.

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  18. Happy Birthday and I'm so jealous of your Wii Dance, Dance~

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  19. Happy Belated Birthday!


    Way cool new running shoes!

    I'll never figure out why they keep messing with a running shoe that fits great. I have my long list o' shoes, too.

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