Black Shoes and The Weight

11 days to Eugene Marathon.  I’m not ready.  I’m not where I want my fitness to be.  Part of my concern is my weight, most of it is these black shoes.

The Weight.  It’s one of my favorite songs.  It’s also near an obsession.  I know I’m not fat.  In fact, I know it probably pisses most people off to hear me complain about my weight because I’m thinner than most people I know, including runners.  There is, however, no escaping the fact that the more I weigh, the slower I am.  Maybe it’s just turning the cause and effect train around.  The harder I train, the less I weigh AND the harder I train, the faster I get.  I always feel under trained from where I want to be.  I also know that somewhere in the neighborhood of 145-148 pounds is my ideal racing weight.  I’m going to be over 150 for Eugene, probably even 153 ish.  I can’t seem to get below 155 for more than a day or two.  I used to have a “5 pounds in 10 days” trick.  For the 10 days before a big race, I cut out all beer and bread.  In the past, that used to drop me from 152 to 147.  Hopefully this time it will drop me from 156 to 151.  The Weight doesn’t bother me on long runs, it just comes along for the ride.  It’s on tempo runs or speed work that I really notice it.  It feels like I’m pulling a cannonball behind me.

“Get your cannonball, now to take me down the line

My bag is sinking low, and I do believe it's time

To get back to miss Fanny, you know she's the only one

Who sent me here, with her regards for everyone”

The Weight, Band

I’ve worn the same Asics 2000 series shoes for 8 years now.  They change the model number every year, though the shoe itself doesn’t change very much, which is fine with me.  Every January I can usually find a great deal on last year's model and I usually buy a few pairs.  This “great deal” is usually $70 to $80, a new pair cost over $90.  This year when I went looking for last year’s model I couldn’t find any in the usual places.  I finally did find 1 pair, Asics 2160 size 8.5 EE....in black.  It might not seem I pay much attention to what I look like, but it doesn’t mean I’m unaware.  These shoes are hideous looking, but they were $49.  Now, I’m convinced they’re slow.  When my Mom used to take me to get a new pair of Keds, I would go outside and run and jump in them before she bought them just to affirm that they would, in fact, make me faster.  I think these new black shoes are only going to be used on slow runs.