So I got these new shoes...

and I love them. Meet my new Mizuno Inspire 5s.


They have magical superpowers.

Yes, these are running shoes. And yes, I have a neglected blog called Erin Hates Running. And yes, I bought these in a specialty running store (Fleet Feet) where I had to tell the man fitting me that I don't actually care for running when he asked me if I was training for anything.

But, that being said. I love them! And they must have superpowers, because Monday night at the ab camp class I took I ran 8 laps. Me, who prior to this could only run 4 laps in a row without a break, ran 8 without stopping. 8 laps happens to be a mile on the indoor track at the fitness center. My goal was to run 8 laps by January 1st, gradually working up to it by adding a lap each week or two. Oh, and I did it without my ipod. I had only my very labored breathing for company. And then on Thursday, I ran 9. And today? 8. Combined that's more laps than I ran all of last month.

But back to Monday night. When class started we had to run two warm-up laps. But then after that, the instructor told us we were starting with a 1-mile run. Um, seriously? That's exactly what I asked him. I told him I don't run in miles. I run in laps. As in 4 of them at a time. Then I started to run. Well, jog. I only have one speed when I run, a slow and steady jog. Lap 4 is usually when I start to struggle (which is an improvement, b/c it used to be around lap 2) but this time instead of struggling, I was just trying to figure out what lap I was on, I'd lost count. Crap. So I started to looking around to see if anyone else in the class was near me. Two laps later, a girl in my class that I'd started out running next to passed me just before the start mark. I asked and she was on lap 7, which meant I was on lap 6! Six! I couldn't believe it. How did I get to six? Well, I couldn't quit then, I only had two more to go and I did it. When I finished it almost seemed too easy (although it wasn't) and I felt like I'd cheated or miscounted but a guy who started when I did finished right after me, so I really did run 8 laps!

For me, this was huge. I was so excited that after class I immediately called my husband and then my friend Lisa to tell them. They hear me complain about running enough I had to share some actual good news about the activity.

Now about the shoes. Over the last couple months we've been doing a lot more running in boot camp. We've had classes where we run up to 16 or 20 laps (non-consecutive) in a class. My right knee had started to hurt. This wasn't new, it bothered me in college when I was a server but until I started running more often, I'd forgotten about it. But now it hurt. It ached. It felt weak. I was getting shin splints. And my right foot hurt. I don't have a strong arch and my foot sort of falls in because of it. (When I was in middle school, my mom bought me leather arch support inserts for my shoes because of this. But I kept losing them. So she stopped buying them.) After talking with one of my instructors and some of the girls I work out with, I decided to try getting fitted for running shoes. Until now, I bought workout shoes at Kohl's based on how cute they were. This time, I bought shoes that fit, and the color wasn't a priority, because really, if it were up to me, they'd be pink. Or orange. I like orange. What a difference a good, supportive running shoe with an added arch support makes. After those 8 laps my knee didn't hurt, my feet felt good and no shin splits.

In case you're wondering about getting fitted for running shoes, let me tell you about it. I felt a bit weird going in, knowing I'm not a runner and being completely unfamiliar with anything in that store. I felt out of place. But the guy who helped me was great. First he measured my foot (Shoes and socks off. I should've had a pedicure. Lisa had. She had cute pink toes. I didn't.) both sitting and standing plus the width. Then I had to walk the length of the store so he could see my arch and gait. He asked about any injuries or problems. Then he brought out three different shoes for me to try. This isn't like at Kohl's or Dicks where you look at the wall of shoes and choose which to try on. Instead they choose shoes for you based on your foot and needs. He brought me a pair of Asics, Sauconys and the Mizunos. Once you tried the shoes on, you had to run in them to see how the fit and felt. That was kind of weird. I had a narrow foot, and the Mizunos are a narrower shoe compared to the others and fit my foot the snuggest. Because of my lacking arch, he suggested arch supports. I got a medium support (in pink!) that was custom cut to fit my shoes. This replaced the support that came with the shoe. What a difference that made. I had Nikes before, but they never felt as good as these Mizunos felt. I highly recommend getting fitted for a really good running/work out shoe. It makes such a difference.

While I work out a lot, and enjoy doing so, I have never liked running. (Hence the workout/lose weight blog titled Erin Hates Running.) It's always been hard and the one thing I dreaded. But maybe, just maybe, my magical shoes will make it a little easier and maybe just a tad enjoyable. Maybe.