Brooks & Online Shoes heal?

As you know, I've been battling plantar fasciitis since March 19th (took too much on, too fast, I KNOW BETTER!, but I was being a knuckle-head and now I'm paying the price for my love of speedwork on the track). For weeks, I've been thinking...

• I'm seriously going to lose my marbles from not running. I can't stand it!
• I should be cross-training, why can't I get motivated to consistently cross-train while resting my foot?
• I'm going to lose my marbles.
• Wait, I've already lost my marbles. 
• Ok, that does it, I'm going running today. I can't wait any longer.

And then I would get up from my desk and wince as I walked to the water cooler cursing this PF. Need more rest. Don't want to end up at 'square one' again.

Well this week I really couldn't take it any longer and I taped the heck out of my foot, put on my shoes (the ones I'd biked to work in!), and ran a slow, painful mile. OUCH. Didn't feel good. Then, I biked home and oddly enough...walking around the house that night, my foot felt a little better. What? Cautiously optimistic.

The next morning (being the knuckle-head that I am), I laced up my new Brooks Glycerin 10's, and ran one slow mile on the treadmill. Unlike the previous day, it wasn't painful. It wasn't totally normal but it wasn't bad! CRAZY! In fact, the most painful part was my out-of-shape legs!

Glycerins heal!

The only logical conclusion is this: Brooks shoes truly do make you RUN HAPPY and they have magical healing powers.

Thanks to Brooks & Online Shoes, I will be recovering in this great pair of Glycerin 10  runners. Although I've been running in Brooks shoes since ~2004, I'm new to the neutral shoe scene and had never tried this model. I started in the Addiction then ran in the Adrenaline for YEARS. Last year after rebuilding my stride to use a mid-foot strike, I tried my first pair of Ghosts as a wear-tester and fell in love.

I think the extra cushioning in the luxurious Glycerin will be the perfect shoe to help me build up my miles and keep the PF at bay (along with the icing, rolling, calf raises, Graston, hydrotherapy, towel scrunches, taping, etc.). I've got two half marathons in October to train for, remember?!

Once I'm feeling a little more confident in my foot strength, I'll be sporting...

Brooks PureProject Cadence (sorry for cutting off your head, Harmony!)

these hot pink lovlies that Harmony is modeling. These PureCadence are SO bright, you gotta wear shades! They provide a little extra support but will help me lighten up for shorter runs and facilitate a mid/fore-foot strike.

I'm so grateful to local Seattle companies Brooks & Online Shoes for sponsoring the Girls Night Out and giving some lady bloggers the opportunity to learn more about their business philosophy and meet the behind-the-scenes people with both companies.

Ladies Night Out!

They fed us, gave us great schwag bags (Brooks tech tee, Online Shoes cooler, water bladder, notebook, and more), educated us, and then they let us in on a little secret...

The Agenda

Brooks presentation

 ...a new PureProject shoe coming out in January 2013.  

Pure Drift

The 2013 Pure Drift will be the most minimal shoe in the line and comes with a removable sockliner that brings the shoe down from a 4mm to 0mm heel-to-toe drop. Earlier this year, I'm pretty sure I lab tested a version of this shoe, which I affectionately called "the aqua sock."

This shoe features the split toe sole at the big toe like the current PureProject shoes as well as an additional split that allows for more flexibility and movement of the other four toes.

In the next six months, I'll be getting my feet trained up my current PureFlow (purchased in Feb) and my new PureCadence so that I'll be ready for the PureDrift in January!

(FYI - they'll be priced @ $100).

After learning about Brooks' big secret, we were directed to the wall of shoes where we were allowed to touch, drool, ooh, ahhh, and then SELECT TWO PAIRS TO TAKE HOME.

I can't wait to put some miles on my Glycerin & PureCadence runners and kick this PF to the f'in' curb!

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND!