Hot Pink Splurge!

Yesterday, I mentioned I made a running-related splurge, and it is time for the big reveal ...

Not only are they FABULOUS to look at, but if you just glance
at the name, it looks like they're saucys ...

Big-paw kitty approved. Or not. Her vote doesn't count anyway.

Before I start, I need to say that I appreciate everyone who has put up with my obsessive worry and/or nit-picking about my shoes. Seriously. I mean, they're shoes. But, it's probably not going to stop in the coming years since styles get discontinued perpetuating my issues, so I also thank you in advance for your listening.

And, now, I gush ... did you look at these shoes? I mean, really look at them? How could you miss 'em?! They're fabulous!! I'm a gal all about color, the more the merrier. I've not grown out of my little girl/teen obsession with all things rainbow. So, having shoes that make a color statement? I'm in!

There are a handful of factors that have kept me out of the color game for running shoes. From my first specifically-for-running shoe purchase late Fall of 2008 when this whole gig started, the thoughts have gone like this:

• I don't want to draw attention to myself with my shoes
• get something neutral to wear with other things when no longer being used for running
• my brand doesn't make ones with colors anyway
• brands that make colors are too expensive
• my new brand makes colors but I won't be able to wear them with anything else later
• I still don't think I should wear the colors; I'd feel like a poser
• my brand makes colors but they're out of my budget
• I don't care about the other colors because my Asics come in my favorite purple
• crap! my favorite shoes have been discontinued
• the crazy color shoes are still more than I want to pay
• *sigh*

Did you catch the very first thought? It's true. When I began running, I wanted no attention drawn to myself. None. Zero. Drawing attention to myself meant exposing my huffing and puffing, and I wanted none of that.

Clearly, I've evolved. And, I wanted awesome shoes!

So, the story is this ... throughout yesterday's long run, I both paid attention and tried to ignore how my feet felt. It's a fun trick to do that simultaneously, but I needed to really get if these shoes were going to take me through the Half without killing me -- all the while trying not to look for evidence that they're a problem. My final verdict was they'll be fine, but they'd be retired after the Half. (My issue? Unexpectedly, there's too much room in the toe area. My toes are literally swimming around ... okay, not literally, but whatever. Evidently, the ol' toes prefer to be close friends and support each other because the roominess is not good for my feet. This has been a problem from the get-go; I felt the roominess at the store, I just had no idea it would be a problem because my focus was on whether or not they slipped on my heel. SO MANY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.)

So, while we were at the shoe store getting PC#2 some new kicks, the above hot pink Sauconys screamed at me to check 'em out! (See how bright they are? Yup, that's their scream!) I put them on, and you could almost hear my feet say, "Ahhhh ..." especially around my toes. I wore them around the store for quite some time while debating the merits or lack thereof of PC#2's shoe possibilities. Then, I ran them around the store where I could feel the breeze zipping around my feet. That felt awesome, and, I suspect, it will keep my feet pretty dry!

I did spend a moment weighing the pros and cons of buying new shoes already until my most supportive hub said, "You know, you've been complaining about the ones you have for some time, so give me a break from hearing about it get these, and, if for some reason they don't work out, they'll be awesome to just wear around!" Gosh, with that kind of support, what choice did I have?! The neon green laces from my current pair will go into this pair, and holy moly, they will be awesome!! I'm also hoping for some rainbow laces in my Easter basket, but that remains to be seen.

Are they awesome or what?!?!

The idea was most definitely to take them out for their first romp tomorrow morning, but I think they will first get acquainted with the treadmill because check out what we woke up to:

No matter the day, it's so very pretty ...

A friend of mine reminded me that the ground hog predicted an early Spring. She wondered if the ground hog has been fired. I told her I'm pretty sure I saw what happened to the ground hog when I was out running yesterday morning ... just sayin' ... ewwww ...

Once the snowfall diminished, I had some work to do ...

I use that headband for running, but that's
not the right coat nor hairdo ...

... and, that definitely is not the right
foot wear nor running pants (although I
love my fleece snowmen and wear them
with pride every time it snows).

Personal Question -- Of which am I most proud to accomplish this weekend: Running 12 miles on pace, or shoveling the driveway the day after running 12 miles on pace?

Take that, driveway! Booyah!!

Either way, my hair looks almost as good after shoveling as after running:

It looked way worse in person. That or PC#2's super-cuteness is
spilling over onto me!

(By the way, while I was out with the shovel, PC#2 was at the cookie making thing again):

Umm ... this brand of deliciousness and running are not a
great combination ... didn't I already make that clear?

Two good things here ... I overdid it to enough of a degree last week with the cookie consumption that I'm kind of over it. (Last week's had chocolate chips and M&Ms ... a killer to resist. These are just plain, old chocolate chip, so I'll pretend that makes some kind of difference.) Second, she made these for our cousins, so they should be in the mail before we eat them all. (We said that about the last batch, too, but whatever.)

All kinds of good things came from this weekend! Thanks for coming along with me and my shoe adventure! Make sure you do something good for yourself before the weekend wraps up, and I'll see you after the morning run!