Butter shoes


Over the past ten days my feet have taken a total beating. Two Fridays ago I rolled my right ankle, last Tuesday I received several wasp stings on my right ankle and then on Saturday while trying to shop for my 100 mile supper at the Farmer’s Market, I was stung on my left middle toe, affectionately referred to as my arthritis toe (any toe but this poor little piggy; it is so challenged to begin with). I had originally thought that my new runners were cursed, but each of the three incidents happened in a different pair of shoes…three, I guess if I believe what they say, my feet are now out of danger. Enough already with my feet, today I am all over them.

Although the swelling and bruising has disappeared from my right foot, it is still a little tender to touch especially the area just below my ankle (when wearing my runners the area in question is right under the outside edge of my shoe) and the stiffness of my new runners has only been aggravating it more. I know that I could do the wise thing and take a week off and let it heal, but today is the last sunny day of the week, I did take yesterday off, it was only a 5km run…I pulled out my old runners.

There always seems to be a bit of denial when it comes to getting new runners. Your knees, hips and ankles may be sore, you know that your runners are no longer providing any kind of support or cushioning, but they feel just so damn good! Worn in all the right spots, so many miles, so many memories. And when we finally give in and jump off our wallets and buy a new pair (usually the same as the last pair only in this season’s colours), we keep the old pair. I am guilty of it too.

So this morning when I put on my old runners they were butter…
1. Pronounced slowly in a slightly deeper tone bud-ah, as in perfect fit…my runners felt like butter.
2. Pronounced quickly and slightly sarcastically but-her, as in but her…nice outfit but butter shoes?
…both examples pertain to my old runners!

With relatively little discomfort, I enjoyed a sunny 27:25 5km hilly run and felt so good I added an additional 2km loop. I’m not sure how my knees and hips will feel tomorrow, but ankle felt fantastic today.