Running & Workouts Lately and I'm Back in my High School Running Shoe!

Hello and Happy Tuesday to you!  This is use to be a running blog, but you wouldn't know it lately, would you?  My leg/hamstring/back of knee area hasn't gotten any worse, but it hasn't gotten much better.  I will tell you this - It didn't bother me at all while I was out in California, even though I spent each and every day walking for hours in flip flops.  But when I came back, it began to ache again.  I guess the only conclusion you can draw here is if I ever want to run again I'm going to have to MOVE TO CALIFORNIA.  Right?!

For the past several weeks, I've eased back into running though.  Mostly doing run/walk intervals, where I run a mile, walk a mile, for 4 miles.  But recently, I've progressed to 3 to 4 full running miles.  The problem area bothers me much less on the treadmill.  I think the hills in my neighborhood are partially to blame for aggravating the hamstring.  But I miss running too much.  Even just a few short miles once or twice a week is making me happy right now.  If it becomes terribly bothersome again I'll back off but for now I'll take what I can get. 

Throughout all of this I've maintained my workout schedule, simply swapping my run days for walks.  I'm also trying to focus more on strength training, which I'm hoping will address any underlying muscle imbalances which may have led to this.  So here's what my weekly workouts look like lately:

Run or run/walk - 2x week
Strength training - 2x week
Other cardio/Class at gym - 2x week

In addition to adding more strength training in an effort to address the (unknown) cause of whatever is going on, I decided it was finally time to get some new shoes!

The Hokas I had been wearing just turned a year old, which is WAY too old for running shoes.  I had planned to get a new pair in the spring, right after my half marathon, but then I started saving money for my trip instead, and then after that, came down with this leg injury.  So I've been running on old shoes which is just no bueno.  I've been waiting for the running store to have some kind of sale since the Vomeros and Hokas I usually wear are close to $150.  That hasn't happened but as fate would have it, I recently got an email from Nike about their clearance sale on past season running shoes.

Last season's Pegasus was on there.  The Pegasus is the running shoe I wore in high school (TWENTY years ago!) and it's also one of the most iconic running shoes on the market.  It was introduced in the early 1980's and has been around ever since, now currently in it's 32nd iteration!  It's been a trusty trainer among long distance runners for decades. 

I upgraded to the Pegasus's cushier (ie. pricier) cousin, the Vomero, many years ago and haven't looked back.  But I needed new shoes and couldn't pass up the clearance price on these.  Original price is $100, and they're currently on sale at Nike.com for $65, plus I had a coupon (from retailmenot.com) that brought the price down to $55 plus free shipping!  Best price I've ever gotten for running shoes.  Just thought I'd pass that along for anyone else that runs in Pegasus.  Go get them now!

They're so pretty!

So what do I think of them?  I LOVE THEM!  I ordered the size I normally wear in Nike's (6.5) and they fit perfectly right out of the box.  There was no break-in period.  I took them out for a run and had 0 issues.  No rubbing, no blisters, no hot spots.  I've tried MANY, many brands of running shoes over the years, and none of them ever fit me like Nike's.  We all have our preferences, but these have worked for me for years. 

The Pegasus's are cut a bit narrower than the Vomero's in the toe box, but I had no issues with this.  I can tell they have less cushioning than the Vomero's, particularly in the forefoot, however, they ran so smoothly and the feel was similar, if less plush. 

Night Running.  Because it gets dark so DARN EARLY now :(

 

All in all, I'm ecstatic I have new shoes and that I found these at that price!  Since I'm not running high mileage right now, I feel the cushioning is quite adequate.  I know many distance runners wear Pegasus and put tons of miles on them so I think I'm safe with my current 7 miles per week!  When I'm able to run more, I plan to get another pair of Hokas or Vomeros to alternate with these. 

Sooooooooooooooo, that's where running and I are at right now.  We are in a committed lifelong relationship so I'm not too worried that we're currently experiencing a bit of distance. I know we'll be all over each other again soon. HAHA  Also, wearing these shoes makes me feel like I'm 14 again, and that's a good feeling!

(*Obviously, I wouldn't recommend most people order running shoes online!  Only do this if it's a shoe you've worn before and/or been fitted for at a running shop!)


What's the current status of your relationship with running?

What other workouts are you into lately?

What shoes are you running in right now?