New Toy! Trainer review part 2

The evening run has just been completed.
Happy face :-)

It was not my best run by a long way, but hey I was feeling a bit wiped out before I began so I won't blame that on anything but me.

Back to the trainers - the brand spanking new Asics Fortes, the choice of big runners.
Yes, we do exist! Not all runners are skinny and you don't have to be thin to run. Where do you think earthquakes come from? That's when we fall over.
Ahem, rant over, back to the shoes.

(as modelled by the resident agent of Chaos who managed to put them on before I was able to get near them)


They are now officially christened with a 2 miler to the village and back.
Purists would say they are heavy, but then you can be a minimalist or have support and cushioning, I prefer the later so a few extra ounces aren't a minus as far as I'm concerned.
They certainly have more bounce than my old trainers (although that's probably just age related - erm, the trainers not me, I think) and I felt cofortable in them. They were a little snug but I'll be very surprised if they don't loosen up after a few more miles.
I really hope they have the longevity of the old trainers.

Thumbs up to the Fortes.


Thanks to some surprisingly clear logic from the other half (thank you darling) I will refrain from the ceremonial binning of the old trainers and instead keep them for use at least in the Pretty Muddy Race for Life so as not to destroy my trainers so soon after getting. And closer to the time I will choose which to wear in the other events I enter this year.

There be Kobolds in the countryside, beware.
They are not just in the house causing mess, they are also in the fields.
Ewes and lambs one side of the road, fattening calves on the other, that's the rule on my run. So why today had two ewes taken their offspring on a trip across the road into the calves field? I can only assume the Kobolds chased them there while trying to catch their dinner.
We will have to get the exterminators in to clear the infestation before it gets out of control.


FraidyKat runs - with Chaos in her wake

New Toy! Trainer review part 1

Or should that be new toys?
I was supposed to go for a run yesterday but I delayed it until today so that I could try out my new acquisition - brand new trainers!
So seriously overdue it's not funny.
Thank the deity of choice that I am strong in the ways of Google-fu.
I badly needed to replace these:

 Note the worn through heels. Once upon a time they were bright white too.
They don't actually look too bad here, but trust me they are worn out.

Once upon a time I wore New Balance trainers. They were good quality, comfortable, runners but the ones I had (don't remember the model) just didn't have the support I needed.
When I went for the above Asics GT2170s(as previously noted they were expertly advised by CoventryRunner) I discovered they were worth every hard earned penny so I wanted to stay with them.

A few hours on Google (in between the usual chaos distractions of family feeding fenzies and goblin infestations) lead me to choose a range of Asics trainers specifically designed for what they rather diplomatically call "larger-framed runners". Since I am, regrettably, in this category it seemed a prudent choice. Since I am also a definite overpronator the Gel-Forte was the logical choice.
 Slight problem - the bank has decreed that my pennies are few and the rrp for these beauties is £115, far in excess of budget.

Time for more Google-fu...
End result -
A pair of last season's Gel-Fortes (oh, fashion disaster my running shoes are the wrong colour! Naturally people will laugh at me for this as I stumble and wheeze by) for the princely sum of £39.99 plus £5 express postage.
These I got from the sale section of Start Fitness, a shop I had not heard of before, but that's no surprise when their physical stores are in Newcastle and Durham (too far north for this FraidyKat, I was born and raised well south of the Thames).

But I shall not let the north-south divid get in the way of a bargain and the delivery was good (DPD are fast becoming my preferred courier, they can actually find my home), quick and there was no damage to my order.

Anyway, now the trainers are on my feet and I declare them comfortable.
I'm glad I went for the wide fitting. They are pretty true to size and I have wide feet.
This evening I will go for my run and give a more in depth verdict but first impressions are that they are well cushioned and supported.


That's the serious stuff out of the way, now I can go back to wondering about the really important things, like the nutritional requirements of an agent of Chaos.
How much does a miniature demonic entity need to eat and do they really need to eat me out of house and home every day?
Either I am housing a Chaos agent or a battalion of hungry kobolds.
There is enough noise for both and enough mess. I need to design a conclusive test to discover which it is.


FraidyKat Runs - for new shoes!

Dirty Masochist Vampire Hunter

Yep, FraidyKat is a dirty masochist.

I come to this conclusion having seen these events:

• Mudderella
• JCB Mud Run
• Mucky Races

And gone "Yes, that's for me!"
But I am sure there is more than a touch of sadism there too because the very next thought was "who can I con into doing these with me?"
Dearest partner must have a bullseye painted on him, he was the first victim. There will be more. Mauwhahahaha...

So, mud, obstacles, running, pain, blood, sweat and tears.
No, not chasing a toddler round the garden (although the description fits), running in one of the above events and the of course in the Tough Mudder in October.
Does anyone else think they sound fun or is it just me? I hope it's not just me.


Beyond the thoughts of future pain, there is much less present pain than I expected. I must be acclimatising to the DefenceLab workout; it's still kicking me but it's producing less gremlin food - must try harder.

I will be heading out for another run this evening. Is it weird that my aim for today is to get passed the Cemetery?!

My next aim will then be to choose my next pair of trainers. My poor old Asics have finally given up, I have now worn through the heels.
Not looking forward to getting a new pair, they're so expensive, but it needs doing.
To get my last pair I went to Coventry runner, a little shop on an uninspiring parade but the man there who served me got it exactly right. He got me on the treadmill for a gait analysis, measured my feet and then climbed up a ladder to find the trainers among a box of hundreds that I have spent the last two years wearing.
It turns out I'm an overpronator and my feet are so wide it's a waste of time even looking at ladies shoes (girls aren't allowed big feet apparently).
On the very first run in my £100 (eek!) shoes I was converted. I haven't had shin splints since then and it's bliss.


We have established beyond doubt (?!) that nano-gremlins love the taste of lactic acid and zombies hate it, but does this work with vampires?
Just wondering...
It's nothing to do with those strange noises in the night or the fact we are now sleeping with the window open (our little saviour moggy likes hunting mutant killer mice at night and keeping the world safe from their designs on world domination), or on how tired I feel in the mornings even after a full night's sleep.
But if they didn't like the taste why would they enjoy the hunt so much? The tormenting of innocents (and not so innocents) with blind panic and much running.
Hmm, perhaps they actually love the taste of adrenalin and endorphins.
Maybe we should all be running with neck protectors and collections of stakes.
Think about it, every runner is a brave vampire hunter using him or her self as bait to lure out the beast and keep everyone else safe.
All hail the runner.


FraidyKat Runs - with Van Helsing