The Ruby Slippers

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A friend posted a picture of her new shoes on Twitter the other day... and I was smitten.

I coveted.

I needed.

While my current running shoes are far from run through, and while I do have a second pair of the same waiting in the wings, it really is only a matter of time before I'll be needing another pair of running shoes. Right?

Buying running shoes based on how they look is ill-advised. Different bodies have different biomechanics requiring different shoes. I used to work in a running specialty shop so I actually do understand this ;-)

I was certain that because these shoes were so perfect-looking, they would be the wrong sort of shoe for me, and I would be left simply longing for something ill-suited to my needs.

I was wrong.

The Mizuno Wave Rider 15 Limited Edition...Oooooo....Aaaaaahhhhhh...is a neutral shoe!

Of course, the fact that they are 'rare' adds to the mystique.

I have never worn Mizuno shoes, so I knew I wanted to try them on before dropping a whopping sum of cash. I headed to the local running store to see if they had what I needed. They did. They felt a bit small to me, so I sized up a half size from normal and fell head-over-heels in love.

I knew I could get them online cheaper, but in the interest of supporting the local economy and small business owners, I opted to buy them in the store. Add in the tax... awesome me, contributing to the state and city coffers... and the one dollar to the city parking authority (for a savings of $57 had I opted out of the meter and gone for the ticket instead)... and I was a well-shod, model citizen.

These shoes are totally different than the Saucony ProRide 3 I am currently wearing. The Mizunos feel like a lower profile, firmer shoe. I wore them for the cool down portion of my run last night. I can tell they will require some getting used to so I will not be racing in them any time soon. But WOW! Love the way they feel!

Aren't they pretty?

Click, click, click...

If I feel like it's taking too long to get to the finish line,

I can just click my heels together three times...

Another item I have had my eye on would be arm warmers. Not so sure why these appeal to me so much. I've never had a pair. So much has changed in the decade and a half since I was last running. Arm warmers and calf sleeves... who'd've thunk?

Given that I broke the bank on my fancy shoes, I knew low-budget was the direction to take for arm warmers. I had seen some made from tube socks with the toes cut out on other blogs. But I particularly wanted mine for Vegas and so ugly white, clunky tube socks were not going to be near glam enough. 

Enter: two-dollar knee socks at Target!

Sleek, color choices, patterned...

I went with black :P

I didn't cut the toes off because I like the optional mitten-effect.

I cut a small slice through the arch of the sock. This way I can cover my fingers or not.

The extra flap tucks up into the wrist very nicely.

Last night it was chilly, so I tried them out. They worked out perfectly!

And that was how the run went, too!

Three-mile tempo run at half-marathon pace after a two-mile warm-up and followed by a one mile cool down.

Warm-up:  2.25 miles @ 9:39 avg. pace  (21:24)

Tempo:     3.2 miles @ 8:39 avg. pace    (mile splits: 8:45/8:43/8:30 + 0.2 @ 8:00)

Cool down:  1 mile  @ 10:34 avg. pace

Sadly, I think I was pushing the pace a little too much. I wish I didn't feel that way. But for the sake of honesty, I need to come clean. The 8:45 felt really good...maybe if I had been able to just sit with that, I would feel better about it. If anyone has suggestions or advice, I'm open to hearing it :)