Skirt in the suburbs-Part 3: foot issues

Have you ever given up on something before you even began? I have four days until I have to start officially training for the marathon and I am already ready to give up. Pathetic. I blame it on my legs, more specifically my feet and knees.

I am afraid of shoes. Last week I wore a cheap pair of shoes (that I had worn before and never had issues with) and my feet started hurting. Later that day, the minor foot pain rapidly turned into a full-blown injury with limping and crying. A week later, I am still nursing the remnants of the foot injury with intense soreness and additional pain in my ankle and knee.

All because of cheap shoes?! Everyone always says "Wear good shoes!!". What does that even mean? Most "good" shoes are ugly and expensive. If anything, I could turn into sporty spice and wear my running shoes and skirt 24/7 but I don't think people would appreaciate the smell of stale sweat as much as I appreciate functioning feet. I simply do not want to go find "good shoes", mainly because I can't afford them and also because I really have way too many shoes already. So fine, I will try to wear my "best" shoes...rather than the cute cheap ones made by underpaid small children or old people in India.

So after the shoe fiasco, some rest, and A LOT of ice and pain killers...I am back on my feet (my sore feet) again. I went for three runs this week and during each one I realized that I simply can not give up before I even start.

Run #1: I went running on the boardwalk at the beach on memorial day weekend...late afternoon in the burning hot sun. Memorial day weekend at the beach = thousands of people strolling along on the boardwalk at the same time. I spent my entire run speedily dodging babies with ice cream, hot pink sun burnt teenagers and half naked hairy old men. In my long skirt of course. At the beach, people run in bikinis, not in snow suits.
I can do anything, in any temperature, with any amount of people getting in my way.

Run #2: I went running at noon. The sun is at its hottest at noon so I wore a tee shirt and I liked it. No one looked at my upper arms or elbows, thank G-d. This must mean that I can do anything.

Run #3: It was hot again, almost 90 degrees out and I survived to write this blog. I was nauseous and dehydrated. And my foot still sorta hurts. (Yes next time I will drink water and stretch in advance, thanks mom) I am pretty sure now that I can do anything. (with G-d's help of course :) )

So it turns out that the training program is 20 weeks and I counted wrong. My training officially starts the last week of June. So rest up little feet, soon it will be time to conquer the world...one step at a time.