I hate running shops ..

[Seafront Plodder]

For the first time in a long time my weekend longee was, well at the weekend. 5.5 miles along the seafront in one direction - stiff breeze in my back and getting pushed along. Followed by 5.5 miles into the same stiff breeze. That’s 11 miles that is.

The return leg was akin to running through treacle, and after a while the noise in the ears from the wind becomes almost impossible to bear and you’d give anything, just to get into some shelter for a few moments.

I felt somehow empty on the drive back. It’s difficult to explain but none of the usual post-run exhilaration was there. The lower back was still giving me jip and my ears hurt.

It wasn’t until half way through the first beer that I talked myself into believing that, yes! It was a success. A hard run, hilly and windy as it was, and the longest of the year!

After the third beer I made a decision. I had had (wording especially selected for Antonio) my shoes since last August, and since they got me through training for Dublin, the race itself, and every yard I’ve run since, they were probably shot to bits.

The chap in the running shop concurred…………. I left his shop with a spanking new pair of Saucony Grid Hurricanes, a bright yellow lightweight wind-jacket thing, a new pair of thorlo socks, enough SIS powder to make 26 litres, and £150 lighter. Did I say I hated running shops?

I can’t wait to go out again tonight to try them all out. I only intend to only do 5 miles! Totally unscheduled, but just far enough to see whether ……………..well you know.

[Antonio247]

Congratulations on your long run and good luck with your new running outfit, Andy!

I hope the wind won´t be so noisy at Brighton half. Good luck!

Greetings from another seafront plodder.

Antonio

[Riazor Blue]

What with the wind, sounds like you should have bought one of those headband thingys aswell. Where's your seafront, Brighton? I used to run from Adelaide Terrace in Hove, down past the nudie beach and back when I was a whippersnapper working in the telephone exchange by the cricket ground. 1988 I think was the year.

[Seafront Plodder]

My usual seafront is a little east of that, but yesterday I started in Hove, ran east through Brighton, past Roedean and into Saltdean....







and back.

[El Gordo]

Excellent run, SP. B***ard....

Tell me, how did you choose your shoes? Are they the same as you had before or did you get some gait/foot analysis of some kind? An appealing combination of colours? Or just too damn cheap to ignore?

I'm very happy with my New Balance 854s. I'm on pairs 2 and 3 (I like to have two alternating pairs for some reason), and have just bought pairs 4 and 5 which will remain undisturbed under the bed until called upon. (Bought cheaply from the NB factory shop - £35 a pair.)

I've not run 11 miles since I did the GNR in September. Will have to be reaching for that quite soon.

[Nigel]

Good going, SP. That wind was very stiff heading west along Eastbourne seafront as well, where I was cross-training by marshalling kids' bicycles and pushchair for 5 miles. The sunshine had lured us for a winter's stroll at the seaside, but eventually it was a relief to dash inside for a hot chocolate and much warmer views of the sunset from the Wish Tower cafe.

[Seafront Plodder]

Yes it was bracing wasn’t it, and damn hard to run into it was too. Oh yes, we’re not all like these nancy boys from West Berks, who use a light waft of air to justify taking a week off.

Re my choice of shoes, the place I use is a specialist running shop, staffed by runners who really know their stuff, all they say is take in your existing shoes. Some sort of analysis obviously takes place as they all take turns to look at you walking, before turning into a huddle to murmur. Apparently the veins on the ankles are also a sign of something-or-other as well.

I thought I knew what I wanted, (same as last time), but they still had me try on around half a dozen other pairs, even encouraging me to run down the road in them!

I tried on loads when I bought my first ever pair, and Saucony immediately felt right. On Monday again I tried on loads, but kept coming back to Saucony. Devil you know I s’pose.

[Seafront Plodder]

Bit of tennis cross-training last night, so tonight I broke in my virgin shoes and Ron Hill jacket with an unscheduled run.

Not much, just a gentle 4 miles. Sufficiently far though, to tell whether the back would stand up to the assault. It did, and I'm pleased.

I intend to do a hilly (and hopefully not windy) 13 miles on Sunday, so it was important to get an opening run out of the way and road test the shoes.

Back on schedule tomorrow.

[El Gordo]

Originally posted by Seafront Plodder
... they all take turns to look at you walking, before turning into a huddle to murmur....

Yeah, I've heard that you Brighton chaps do a lot of that sort of thing...