Jenni-isms: A trip to the Mojo Store

Lately I've been feeling a little down about my running progress...I've been getting really nervous about the 1/2 marathon. Running has been tougher the last few weeks, maybe from the cold weather and the damn hills in this town. I realized last week that I was running too fast...this 1/2 marathon training is more about slowly increasing my distance and NOT improving my pace just yet (good advice from one of my online running buddies, Jason). I've also been feeling more aches and pains than usual. My stride has begun to feel awkward and I know my form is in need of improvement. All of these things have affected me mentally. I started feeling defeated, worn out, and a little lost.

Last night I hit the trail for a 4-miler. I tried out a new area and ran through some pretty neighborhoods. The weather was in the 40's and clear. I was wearing my new running tights and they are awesome! The run went really well and seemed to fly by...I'm guessing because I was paying attention to my route and not how tired I was. I did notice a pain in my right leg, between my shin bone and my calf muscle. I have also noticed lately that I seem to be curling my toes inside my running shoes. So after my run I decided to stop by a specialty running store in my neighborhood. It's called Elite Feet and they are THE BEST. I can remember not wanting to go inside when I needed new shoes a year ago...I was overweight and felt so embarrassed. Ridiculous, I know. But I finally went in last night just to ask if perhaps I needed a smaller size shoe (since I've lost a lot of weight I figured my feet may have gotten smaller). Well, I ended up getting a full foot analysis! It was really cool--they know what they are doing. The gal messed around with my feet/toes, assessed my old shoes and the tread wear patterns, and she watched me walk. Turns out my shoes totally sucked!! She put on a few different pairs of shoes and had me run outside of the store to see how they felt. It was so nice to have someone wait on me like that, using a shoe horn and everything! :) And the shoes were so comfortable. I ended up buying a pair that I would have never picked out for myself!! You may remember when I boasted of some new running shoes not long ago...well, those will now be walking/everyday shoes. But these babies will be on my feet every time I run...Mizuno Wave Creation.

I discovered I have not been stretching correctly either. I told her I suffer from shin splints. And she proceeded to explain things to me. The pain in my right leg is what she called a "true shin splint." Most people confuse the pain in the front part of the leg as being a shin splint. But a true shin splint causes pain on the front inside of the shin bone, which is what I've been feeling lately. So when I feel pain on the front part of my leg, it means I am simply not stretching my calf muscle enough. But the new pain between the calf and shin bone is a shin splint. She showed me how to properly tape up my right foot. As soon as I stood up I couldn't believe what a difference 2 little pieces of tape could make! Here is the lovely picture...oh, and the lack of a pedicure is just part of being a runner! And if you're curious about my peculiar pinky toe, read this.