Tuesday, May 17, 2011

I'm So Pretty!

So, thanks to my income tax refund, I was able to afford my new running shoes!
YAY!

I ordered them Sunday night and they arrived today. Zappos was super nice and upgraded my 3-5 business day shipping to Priority Overnight shipping for free! Holler! (I'm officially a Zappos fan). Anywho, my Saucony Progrid Kinvaras came in and they are BRIGHT pink! I think I'm in love!

Aren't they Sassy?!
As soon as I got home from work and saw the box on the table, I tore it open and put my shoes on. They fit wonderfully! I wasn't originally intending on running today as the rain has been brutal, but by the time I got my shoes on, the rain had slowed down enough that I had time to do a quick 2+ mile run. The shoes feel much different than my last pair. They are a somewhat minimalist shoe (not as intense as the five finger shoes though) with a mesh ventilation on the top and sides of the foot, and is a neutral for those of us who under-pronate. I paid close attention to my feet as I was running and I noticed that there wasn't as much pressure on the outside of my feet as there used to be. Whether that's because of the fact that the shoes were specifically designed for supinators or whether it's because they are minimalist and my feet are just naturally hitting differently, I have yet to figure out. But, all the same, my pinky toes were grateful to not have to be the main pressure points for my push-offs anymore. I will do a full review after I've worn them for a few longer runs, etc
In my spending spree, I also ordered two Bondi Bands to try out. I saw on Facebook that they had a Whirly colored band on sale for almost half off, and I've been wanting to try one, so I figured what the heck? These are the two I got: Pink Whirly - Bondi Band and Keep Running (pink ink) - Bondi Band
They are both pretty and I figure the Keep Running one might help to keep me motivated while training. I mean, how awkward would it be to wear that and be walking on the side of the road? Bwah Bwah.  My Bondi Bands shipped today so I'm hoping to get them in by the ed of the week. More photos to come!
During my run tonight I had another upset stomach. Any ideas as to what can help that? It's starting to get annoying, especially because I was going at a good pace and my legs felt good. I had to stop because my tummy was cramping so badly though. Darn stomach!

Questions of The Day:
1. What are your favorite pair of running shoes? Why?

2. What are your feelings on minimalist shoes?

3. What do you do to help get rid of an upset stomach?


9 comments:

Unknown said...

Cute shoes!!!
I really want to get a pair of the fivefinger shoes, I am so curious of the minimalist concept.

Unknown said...

1.Those shoes are super cute. Love the pink. My NEW favorite shoe which I tried on today and will not be buying any time soon due to the INSANE price is the Mizuno Prophecy. They are black and pink too. Expect a blog post from me soon on those, ranting on the cost and the coolnees of them.

2. I am not down with the minimalist shoes. The Prophecy is the anti minimalist at its best. It is actually the heaviest shoe that my local running store sells. As a former gymnast, I have an rather large amount of scar tissue in both of my ankles and have done extensive therapy on them. I should do it every day but don't. I would need to do it everyday if I wore a minimalist shoe. If I wear a nice sturdy, "Range Rover" type shoe, it allows me to be lazy on my ankle strength and focus on being fast and gain more endurance. That is just me though. As I get older, my shoes get squishier and squishier, and that is the way I like it! (I do ice my ankles everyday). I did try on some 5 fingers today, and they actually do not come small enough for me. My reeboks are a bit lighter than I am used to (I got them for free), and I did just fine in them. They are gore tex, so I just use them for the winter b/c they get hot.

3. You could try to reduce the amount of fiber you eat close to a run. You want high fiber in your diet, just not right before a run. Also, you might want to try reducing your gluten intake. Gluten can be known to irritate the stomach in SOME people, not all people. You sort of just need to experiment a bit. I can drink a glass of milk before a workout, but it makes my friend puke just thinking about it. Don't eat whole wheat flax seed brownies before a long run (like, the day BEFORE). That will give you a major upset stomach.

Lisa said...

Hi I'm a supinator too - there doesn't seem to be many of us out there - wanna create support group? HA! Seriously girl, I want to hear all about your shoes and if they help your supinating!!!!!
The pink whirly bondi band is rockstar CUTE! I'm ordering one right now!
I think you might consider keeping a food/drink diary on days when you run so you might be able to identify trends in what or how much you eat/drink prior to your runs. Just a suggestion. Also, I'm not like a lot of people, but I've been known to take some meds pre-emptively either tums or immodium depending on what your upset stomach causes. Good luck!

Lauren said...

Super cute shoes! I think I'm gonna get a pair of Saucony Grid Type A4 soon.

Nej said...

Hmmm...favorite running shoes would have to be the ones I have now. Mizuno Wave Creation 11's. But...I've been completely fascinated with the vibram five fingers! I tried on a pair one day, and now I'm even MORE interested. My PT about went through the roof when I mentioned possibly trying them for running though. :-)

Minimalist shoes opinion. I'd have to say, if you like them, then they're great. If you hate them, then they're not. Not everything works for everybody. :-)

KT80 said...

I easily get upset stomachs because of GERD. I always keep Maalox or Tums around, to help. I find that my tummy issues of heartburn often manifest as nausea.

Kurt @ Becoming An Ironman said...

Here's a video going over a bit of why your shoes are considered "minimalist."

http://www.saucony.com/store/SiteController/saucony/staticpage?content=Kinvara_saucony&CID=google_saucony_progrid_kinvara

In my opinion, the term "minimalist" is becoming too wide a definition. I wouldn't consider these minimalist shoes from the way they describe them. I think too many companies are trying to capitalize on the booming "minimalist" running boom.

CupCake@ Bigger Girls Can Run Too said...

@Kurt- I rather agree with you. When I first started researching these shoes, it was solely because I was looking for the best neutral-based running shoe. My first pair of running shoes were Saucony and I really liked them, so I initially searched the Saucony line again. Asics had a really good neutral shoe I was looking into getting as well, but the reviews for Saucony were a little bit better (plus I already knew I liked the brand).

When I pulled them up on the website the other night to do one last review, I noticed they were listed as minimalist. That threw me for a loop considering they do have a relatively thick sole on them, which I think automatically disqualifies them as minimalist.

Fruit Fly said...

Fabulous shos!

1. My favorite shoes are my adidas - not sure of the model. I feel like they are lighter, more ventilation and super cute!

2. Vibrams freak me out. Not gonna lie!

3. If I am having a tummy issue, yet I am hungry - mashed potatoes is my wonder cure. Not that it is a cure as much as it is comfort food! And when I was little my mom told me to curl in a ball .... I still do it to this day. Just did last weekend!