Tuesday - I'm still here

Hmmmm - Havent posted for a while it would seem.
The lame excuse is that I've beeen really busy...the truth of it, as always, is Oh so much more complicated than that.
I said
"...Be true to yourself and true to those around you.
A simple ethos one would think.
This is my Journey..."
and that was the reason for this space in the first place - and somewhere along the line, I'd lost sight of it - in many ways. And the last couple of weeks have been centred around finding it again
Cryptic, I know, but my closest friends have felt it..
And sometimes, sorting out your life, the little things, and the bigger things, has to be the priority.

Following Beanz's observation that the taper thing was being taken to an extreme - like I EVER do anything in exremis!!!!!! - thought I'd better put the record straight!
Some running has been done. I wanted to do my last long run a week and a half after Cranleigh - so on Club night last Week.
Thing was, my arch has been uncomfortable - so decided to do a double instead 13.9 in the morning, and 9.3 at club.
That gave me a nice 23 miles for the day. But then with work and mr niggly arch, I didn't get out again until Saturday

5th April Morning

5th April Evening

Come Saturday, this issue with my foot was really getting on my nerves. My Asics are causing me a HUGE problem. Pain in foot by 4 miles on the morning run, and resorting to a pair of REALLY old NB 854's for the evening (which saw me run discomfort- free until the last ½mile) - decided that a trip to Sweatshop could not be put off any longer.

The poor girl who served me.... I did warn her that she was in for a long one!

Well - she started out with Motion Control shoes (told her that they were absolutely NOT what I needed, but hey, it was her time - I just wanted to find a shoe that I could actually wear!)
Nothing worked

Next she grudgingly moves to Stability Shoes - told her that she'd be lucky!
Guess what.....

Nothing worked

She SO didn't want to start on Cushioning shoes (my ankle pronates a bit, see)
All of a sudden, there were a couple of shoes that showed promise......

much to my consternation, the one I kept coming back to.........
was a.....

Oh no.. I can't say it.....

The shame is too much....

You're all my friends, right..????





I eneded up with a

Nike Air Vomero





Oh the shame - I'm gonna get mugged by some chav scumbag - and I'll have no credibility as a runner ever again.

Anyway...... said shoes needed a good trial, and so I met up with Training Partner Lady for a ''gentle 6 or7''
The result of which is below




So - initial impressions of said shoe...
Nice cushioned ride
No medial post or high arch support to cause any discomfort
Could almost forget about my feet for the first time in ages.
The lack wisdom of such a late change of shoes is not lost on me, but I really wasnt going to get around FLM in my old shoes.
And this is not a 'man-flu' worry. There IS something going on there, and I'll need to get it seen to. and If I can get Mr Soft Tissue Release to look at it as well (he might just know what's up and be able to tweak it for me).

My gorgeous kids are staying with me all this week - and they are the reason for everything in my life.
Yes - I don't always get it right
Yes - I hate it when they are away
Yes - I'm probably selfish in the needs that I have surrounding them

But that's the way it is

They are an integral part of who and what I am. That will never change
Now having just written that, I'm going to pop into look at them while they sleep.