Ran into a snag....

Well, Today is Sunday. I have many updates for you in this quest of mine.

The most important is the unofficial diagnosis for the pain in my right heel. I went to lunch with a client on Wednesday (after my 17 minute awful run) who is a track coach. She's not just any track coach, either, but has coached the male and female high school state champions for the past several years. And - she's a marathoner. I tell her I'm having problems with my right heel. Now, I am not exaggerating when I tell you that her face went from smiling to grave terror. Feeling a little nervous, I say, "Well, what do you think it is?". She says - "You need new running shoes before you seriously injure yourself and can't continue your training. There isn't enough cushion in your heel to accommodate your running style." I ask if she's certain and remind her that this is only my fourth week of training. She responds that it's even MORE important that I get new shoes asap.
Now - let me remind you all of the Gill Family Mantra: A Year Before the Gear. I knew I was eventually going to have to get shoes before the "year", but I really wanted to wait about 4-5 months - just to be sure I'm going to do this. Well, nothing like a little good-old-fashioned fear to get me ready to part with $100. I decided that if I didn't feel better after a day of rest, I'd go to The Eugene Running Company for an official diagnosis and a new pair of kicks.

So - I rested on Thursday (nice!) and cross-trained on Friday (30 minutes of cycling). Saturday morning, I had high hopes for a great run. It had been sunny and dry (and cold) all week and I was psyched to take an early morning 40 minute run.
I took heed from Nanci's post describing her run outside in 30 degree weather and bundled up, gloves and all. Now - reader - I need to caution you, just in case you find yourselves in Western Oregon on a dry winter day: It does not feel like it does back east. Dry cold is much different than cold in a humid climate. I was overheating after about 5 minutes. I'd taken off my hat and gloves, then shed my fleece and tied it around my waste.

I was running REALLY slowly. And I was still in a lot of pain, at least I think I was. At first, I really couldn't tell if the pain was coming from my knees, my lungs, or my shins. In fact, I was so distracted by nose running with all of the huffing and puffing I was doing, I couldn't keep track of how miserable I was.

After a while, I became quite used to the constant pain and suffering and began to look around. The early running crowd in Eugene is much different than that of the lunch time group. Whizzing by me were really fit looking people with shirts on that said things like "Boston Marathon, 2003", or "Portland Marathon 2006", etc, etc. Also whizzing by me (I am not kidding) were elderly speed walkers. Sure, they were coming towards me, not passing me, but they sure seemed to be moving quickly to keep up with their pint-sized doggies.

I had to take a moment to laugh at myself. Here I was in the early morning, WAY over dressed, breathing heavily, runny nose and barely keeping ahead of a pair of female speed walkers. I must have looked so pathetic that it was painful for others to watch me. Half way into my run, I was determined to get myself to Eugene Running Company to buy a new pair of shoes. I imagined myself hobbling sort of like Lurch from The Addams Family.

I ran/walked for about 40 minutes. I informed Greg of my route and he thinks I did about 4 miles. I'm not sure how far I went, but it was very entertaining getting there.