It is Time for my New Pair of Runners

A pair of runners should be changed after using them for about 700 kilometers. According to my math this is around 6 months after the date I started using my current runners; which means that I should start using the new pair in October. Lately, I have been feeling that my runners are not doing their work properly, they don’t feel that soft anymore and the cushion has definitely worn out. Today, before leaving my house for my 16k run, I thought I should use my new runners. I kind of felt I needed a good cushion for this long run, but when I picked out the window and saw it was raining, I said to myself, “nope, I don’t want my new runners to get wet. At least not the first time I use them.”

So I wore my old ones, and as I was expecting, by the time we were on the 12th kilometer my knees and IT-band started hurting. It was the kind of pain that, I already know, is a sign of lack of cushioning and time to change your shoes. I was able to finish my run without a lot of pain. When we were stretching Ron complained about his runners. He said it felt like it was time to change them. The funniest thing was when he said, “I was going to wear the new ones today but since it was raining I did not want them to get wet on the first time I wore them.”

How crazy are we? We all have this weird thing that comes inherent to running (we don’t do it because we copy people, we just do it because it feels right), that we never want to wear our new pair of runners, for the first time, on a rainy day. As if they will never get wet, muddy and dirty!

So, Tuesday, when I run again I will use my new pair of runners, and my old ones? Well, they will go straight to charity.

I always find hard to give away my old runners though. I know I can’t run with them anymore. I know I won’t use them for anything else. I know the only thing they will do, if I keep them, is taking space off my closet. But I always find myself attached to those old guys. They have taken me through kilometers and kilometers, through rain, heat, and paved roads; and these ones, specially these ones, have taken me through 4 half marathon races. That is a lot. These shoes helped me getting there and a piece of me is leaving with them: memories, sweat, doubts, pains and personal bests. But at the same time I can’t wait to try on the new guys, and see the new places, kilometers, and personal bests they will take me to.

Let the new cycle begin.

My Animal Lover Note: