Post-Holidays Wrap-Up and Weigh-In

The holidays are over. December is crazy, with my birthday, millions of Christmas parties and family dinners. 3 family birthdays, new years. It feels like a month long celebration of food and drink. Last year I way over did it and finished the holidays at 143lbs. Its difficult for me to walk the line between enjoying the occasions, celebrating and way overdoing it. With all the craziness going on it is also tricky getting my runs in. 

I had to laugh when I filled out my running spreadsheet. When I'm training I usually run around 50miles a week. I was running more than that but got injured and now I'm trying to stay around 45-50. My miles dropped steadily from November to the week of Christmas. But, this is the "off-season" for me and I think your body needs a break before ramping up again. I have 2 off-seasons where there is no races and I relax a little on the running. The Nov-Dec one and June-July. 

I weighed in on December 15th at 134.8 which is up a little for me but not too bad. Then I just did a final post-holiday weigh-in on Dec. 27th...

I can handle that...up 3.2 isnt too crazy (for me) and it puts me in a much better position for the Vancouver Island Race Series. The first race is Jan 22nd so I have about 3 weeks to bust my butt and get back to racing weight. I'm excited. I love those races and the competition and am ready for off-season to be over and to get back at it. I registered already for the 4 races I will be running. 

Race Re-Cap - Westwood Winter Solstice Half Marathon

I decided to run a half-marathon about an hour before it started :) A friend at work had told me about it the day before. It was a mid-week Winter Solstice Marathon, half-marathon and 10k being held at Westwood Lake. It seemed like the perfect opportunity since I had missed my long run on the weekend from being sick and the run was being held on the first day of my Christmas holidays. It was also a fundraising event for LGBTQ youth in Nanaimo which is a cause I feel very strongly about. I was told it was a small, casual event and was given the Facebook link. I looked up the race and saw there could be two problems. One of them was that due to the amount of snow and ice they were considering cancelling the run or holding it and recommending everyone have Yak Trax (metal cleats) that strap on your runners. The other problem was that I had been up most of the night before with a puking child. So I wanted to see how the night went and only go if I got some sleep. But the FB page said they didnt want anyone to do morning of registration. So I resigned myself that it just wasnt going to work out. 

The next morning I woke up and saw a note from the event organizer that the run was on and they were going to allow same day registration. She posted that the trail was full of ice though and still recommended Yak Trax. I dropped my kids off at daycare at 8am and the race started at 9. I decided to go and check it out and if it was too slippery I could always just go for a run somewhere else. I whipped home, got bundled up since it was -2C, stole the $20 race fee from daughters allowance jar :) 

The sun was just coming up when I got there and it was cold but beautiful!

I saw only about half the folks there had metal cleats and the other half was just in runners so I decided to go for it. I paid my entry and warmed up a little bit and chatted with the rest of the folks. I put my predicted time at about 2hrs, giving myself an extra 30mins due to the conditions. Lots of folks had signed up for the half and were down-grading to the 10k. There was actually 2 or 3 people who had started early with the intention of doing the full. 

We got to the start-line and I think there was probably about 30 of us racing. My racing bib was a 1/4 piece of ripped up paper with my name written on it in pen lol. Timing was approximate, as were the distances. But I didnt care, I was just running for fun and to get out of the house. 

We started out and turns out they were upgrading one of the boardwalks so we had to detour down this road to get around the area being repaired and back on the trail. That entire corner was black ice and we all had to stop and walk carefully over it so we didnt bail!

Most of the trail was compacted snow that had turned into ice. You had to watch every step so carefully and there were sections you had to just walk and/or slide down. But it was fun, we laughed at the craziness of the situation and then continued on.  

There were some bare patches but never enough that you could get any speed up. 

The lake was completely frozen over and it was so beautiful! I had to stop and take a few pictures. 

 I felt great! Half way through I seriously considered switching to the full...silly endorphins! This photo totally depicts a happy hopped up on running adrenaline Jess :) 

That lasted till about 18k and then my legs got sore. Running on so much ice was tough! The impact was hard on the knees and I felt like I was constantly bracing my core and quads with every step so that I didnt fall. You couldnt just zone out and run, it was mentally tiring! Watching every foot placement so you didnt hit a root or ice patch. 

I finished the race at just under 10 mins miles...about 35mins slower than my last road half. But I had a blast and ran for the joy of running and not caring about time. Everyone who had signed up for the full ended up bailing at shorter distances, it was just too rough out there. 

The race finished and I got to enjoy some baked goods and hot chocolate. I also got a very cool medal with a rainbow strap :) Fun day and awesome way to start my Christmas holidays!

Wacky Weigh-Ins

Monday morning I got up and hopped on the scale and almost fell off when I saw the number. 137.2. I was expecting to see around 134. Cue the confusion and melodramatic freaking out... :)  I re-jigged my meal plan a bit and planned to run hard this week.  I did 6 miles at lunch at a medium pace which felt good after the race. I also got my weights done. 

 Tuesday I woke up and was down 2lbs and realized that some of that extra weight must have been post-race water retention. I knew that was an issue with some of the longer races, but I didnt think a 10k would impact me like that! 

It was a field day which involved a lot of hiking and clambering over trees. I had hoped to get back in town in time to do a quick speed drill but I got home with 15 mins to spare. I did hop on the treadmill for 10 mins which is better than nothing I guess! 

(sometimes I love my job!)

Wednesday I weighed in at 134.0. Down another 1.2.  Lesson learned, do not weigh in the day after a race unless you want to unnecessarily freak yourself out! I took the day as a flex day. I was excited to get out for a longer run and had planned on doing 13 miles. I ended up leaving a little later than expected and it was really cold out. It took me a while to get warmed up and moving at a decent speed. I headed downtown and then turned around to come back and was hit with a really strong head wind. My stomach was growling at that point and even pushing hard I was barely managing 10 mins/miles. I decided to cut the run short and would have stopped to walk except home was where the food was and I was desperate to get back and eat! Not a fun run at all!

Thursday was speed drill day. The plan was to do a tempo run of 12 mins warm-up, 20 mins fast and 13 mins cool-down. I warmed up and felt pretty good. The 20 mins fast started and I gave it my all. I was with my running buddy and knew I was pulling ahead of him a bit. Sometimes I pull away at the end of longer speed drills but usually not too much. I finished the 20 mins and turned to look for him. I didnt see him and ran back over the hill. I still couldnt see him and started to panic. He struggles with breathing issues sometimes and I guess he ended up having to stop because he felt light-headed and then ran into a bear on the road. Best running buddy ever right here...head down trying to make my speed drill pace, while he almost died and/or got eaten!  

 But I killed the speed portion and did 20 mins at 6:54min/mile :)

Friday I woke up and weighed in officially:

So down almost 5lbs in 5 days...wtf?!  Oh well I'll take it...lol

Also I saw this mug at Chapters today...I think it was totally meant for me :) I've got such a weakness for hot chocolate...that and chips!

Race Re-Cap - Ladysmith Cinnamon Bun Run

Despite my concerns that I was going into this race at a disadvantage it ended up going really well! I had my oatmeal at 6am and then at 8:00 I had a piece of toast with jam on it. I downed a couple glasses of water and 2 cups of coffee. I got the race in good time to settle in and get in the zone. Despite going there alone I ran into lots of people I knew running the race so that was nice. 

3 of my coworkers were there (Cinnamon buns will bring everyone out!) and few other random friends. I knew it was chilly out so I decided to really get into the cheesy warm up they do so that my legs wouldnt be so cold. Its a very non-competitive/fun race so when it came time to line up I went right to the front so I wouldnt be dodging walkers and jogging strollers. I realized that I was probably a little over caffeinated when I got to the start line and tried to take a selfie and my hands were shaking so bad!

 (blurry photo - too cold and hopped up!)

Apparently while I was waiting they made an announcement about not being allowed to wear headphones...which I didnt hear because well...I had my headphones in :) This is a predicted time race so no watches, heart-rate monitors or phones allowed. 

We started out and I could count 4 others that took off ahead of me. It was cold (3 degrees) but not too bad. I felt like I was dressed properly for the chill. I got to the bottom of the first big hill and turned to look and see if my running buddy was behind me. He was maybe 10 feet behind me so I gave him a wave and continued on. I'm really competitive and one of these races I know he is going to beat me but I'm going to make him work for it :) I put my head down and booked it up the hill. Its a steep one but once you make it to the top its flat for a bit and then a long stretch of downhill. I'm much better at down than up so on that stretch I ended up passing two of the other runners in my little group. I knew at that point there was only 2 people ahead of me. 

When we came to the half-way point one of them turned off as he was only doing the 5k. Down to 1 guy ahead of me and I couldnt even see him. It was weird running and seeing no one ahead. I remember thinking that I felt really good and I was trying to figure out if I felt good because I was running slower than usual or if I was just having a great race! Not having your paces available really messes with you!  

 After a couple blocks the route doubles back on itself and you pass all the other runners. Being the first female coming through for the 10k I got a lot of cheers and support. I will admit that I love that...its a great feeling and just amps you up even more. I got to the second run up the steep hill and my legs were definitely feeling it. I got about half way up and the third place guy who had been close behind me for a while pulled ahead. I actually panicked for a sec because he was all in black and I thought he was running buddy coming to take me down :) I put my head down and passed him and focused on getting a better lead on the down hill.

The next couple km's went by quickly and I was hoping I was doing as well as I felt. I love running a 10k right after a half. It feels so fast! With about 1km to go third place guy passed me again. This time I let him go ahead, but not too far. I knew my legs werent tired and I had a strong finish left in me. So I stayed behind him no more than 15feet and tried to decide when to make my move. I totally spent about 500m plotting when I was going to take some poor old man down...lol. I mentioned the competitive part right...? :)

We turned the corner and with about 200m I went for it. I passed him and sprinted towards the finish line. The race ends up a short hill and I just went flying up there. I crossed the line and he wasnt even close. I love this pic...neck craned to see my time :)

44:35 was my official time. First female, second over all and only 9 seconds off my PR. Pretty darn pleased with that one, on a hilly route, up a couple lbs, not knowing my paces and without even going for a PR. Gives me hope for a new personal best at Cobble Hill in January. The third place guy came over to shake my hand afterwards and say congrats on a great race. A woman I've never met also came over to tell me what an awesome finish that was. I love the high of finishing a good race. It makes me feel so pumped up and happy. Its worth the training and speed drills and meal planning and attempts to get to/stay at racing weight.

My running buddy also got a new PR so I was excited for him. Even with making a wrong turn and having to back track a bit! My other co-worker also came in under her goal so everyone did really well. Then we got to eat delicious the most amazing cinnamon buns! So freaking good!!

No prizes for the first finishers as its a predicted time race. So the top three winners finished 1.3,2.2 and 2.23 seconds off their guesstimates. I guessed 46mins so I ended up 97th in the prediction placing. But I dont mind that...I'll take being speedier than expected anytime :)

Race Morning

Today is race morning! Other than it being pretty darn cold out (1 degrees C in Ladysmith) I'm pretty excited. Last year it was -3 so I guess I cant complain :)

Thursday was the last run I did which was a decent 6 mile run. I think we went faster than intending because it was so cold and at one point started to snow a little. I was running in capris and not super impressed by that lol. 

I took Friday and Saturday off to rest for the race. It always feels a little weird not to run for 2 days in a row! I didnt have any drinks Friday night and limited it to 1 last night. Drank a lot of water and didnt restrict calories so my body should be feeling good to race. Not that I think much of that matters for a 10k, but its nice to feel really ready to go and not have tired legs from training all week. 

Have a little bit of a head cold...darn snotty kids. Also started my period just in time for race day. That part sucks about being a female runner/racer and dealing with the timing of that. The first two days your estrogen and testosterone are rock bottom and you lack iron. All three cause feelings of fatigue. Nothing like going into a race knowing your body is like "hey lets not race...lets lay in bed instead...you didnt get pregnant now I'm going to make you pay..."  

I've actually thought about going back on birth control so I can time it around races, but then I decided that was a little crazy :) I had to remind myself I am not professional athlete :) This is a hobby and I dont need to pump myself full of hormones just to minimize going into a race on a hormonal deficit a few times a year!  

Okay time to go get ready!

Happy Week

So thankfully "sad weekend" has morphed into happy week! Monday morning I went in to work and found out I get to keep my tech. Despite a busy day I got my weights done at morning break and ran 6 miles at lunch. I knew that would help my anxiety regarding my presentation that night. I even managed to sneak in a quick walk in the woods at afternoon break. 

(definitely need a new heart rate monitor...sigh)

That evening my presentation went really well. I felt really nervous the first few minutes but then settled in well. I was able to speak clearly and explain things well (I think). I spoke for about 40 mins and then had a question and answer period. What a relief to be done!!

Tuesday was dark, raining so hard and there was a wind warning in effect. I had initially thought about doing a speed drill but decided that just to even get out in that mess was hardcore enough. The run was great though and just made me feel that much happier that I got out and got it done. It reminded me of why I run. I had barely stopped running and couldnt stop smiling :)

Today was dress day at work....not like an actual "everyone has to wear dress" day, but just a day where I felt like looking nicer. But, regardless of attire I still got my strength routine done. Photo proof just for you Lucy... :)

(weights and push-ups)

This weekend is the Cinnamon Bun Race so I wanted to get at least one speed drill done before that. So today was a 10 mins warm-up, 7 intervals of 1 mins fast, with 2 mins recovery, and then cool down. We just went as fast as we could on the speed portions and had a couple of intervals that were sub 6 mins/mile! We ended up averaging 6:15 which wasnt bad for the first speed drill in a while! 

One more easy run tomorrow and then rest Friday and Saturday. 

Off Track Weekend

Its always so much better to write about when everything is going well, but I think its a bit cathartic to write about times your struggling as well. I felt so good to wake up Friday and not be hung over lol! I went to work feeling good, but as soon as I got there I got an email that I might lose my Rec Tech. I was really bummed and stressed. I had just agreed to a whole bunch of work based on having him around and looked like he was going to go to a different program area. Him and I work very well together and I didnt want to have to hire someone else, train them up and really I dont have time for that right now with a big project I have taken on. Also every email that came in seemed to be unhappy and piling on more work and more grumpy people. 

I was excited to get out for a run at lunch because that always de-stresses me and perks me up. I ran the Paper Chase race route with my running buddy at a nice leisurely pace. 

The run was good but I returned to the office with a serious case of the sads. This never happens to me, especially not post-run! I'm blaming being overtired still, overwhelmed and I honestly believe putting so much alcohol and junk in my system the week before had a negative impact not only on my physical health but on my mental health as well! 

I did not cope well with how I felt and ended up consuming a ridiculous amount of cake (seriously gross grocery store cake!) in attempts to cheer myself up. Oh and also a bowl of Kimchi, because why stop at just cake...lol. Then I just felt gross and sad...yay! I was trying to prepare for an hour long presentation I had to give Monday night but other work kept coming up. By the end of day I didnt really have it prepared and that stressed me out further. I am not a comfortable public speaker. I do it often enough as part of my job but I hate it and it gives me a knot in my stomach the few days before hand. I like to be very prepared for those kind of speeches as that helps me feel more calm about it. So having that unfinished did not help things. I felt on the verge of tears the whole car ride home. 

I got through dinner, got the kids to bed and bailed on the night. Crawled into bed by 8:30 cause I didnt want to deal with anything. So, yeah... Friday sucked! 

Saturday I woke up feeling a bit better. It was a busy family morning with skating lessons, and gymnastics. I arranged for a playdate for the kids so I could work on my presentation. It ended up taking 4hrs to put together so that took up the rest of the day. I didnt make the best food decisions on Saturday either. A muffin at Tim Hortons, half a bag of Pepperoncini chips... Once you eat crappy for a few days in a row its so hard to turn it around and get back on track even though you feel so much better when you do...so frustrating! Its like you feel bad and then your brain tells you to make yourself feel better by eating more bad food which then makes you feel bad again...brains can be jerks sometimes!

Sunday I finally got myself completely out of the funk I was in. I got up and got out for a long run. It was a bit of a mental battle as I didnt get my usual runners high and I forgot my gel. But I stuck it out and did the half-marathon distance.   

It was also Global Hug A Runner Day :)

(me and some of my racing peeps)

I got back on track food-wise and made healthy choices all day. Got the house cleaned, laundry done, groceries bought, made a big batch of soup for lunches for the week. Just felt like myself again. Getting a bit de-railed sucks. I know it happens and I try not to be too hard on myself. I just need to remember that cake is not a coping mechanism ;)

Party Like A Rockstar

Last week I went down to Victoria on Monday for my provincial meeting. I packed as many of my snacks and meals as I could so that I would only eat out for dinner. 

(my enormous cooler I use to pack all my meals when I travel)

I also packed a bunch of running gear because there is always a group of us that goes running in the morning. Rain or shine, no matter how much we have drank!

(everyday clothes vs. running gear, about equal suitcase space!)

The first night was pretty crazy. It was the buy-out for one of the staff that was retiring and 3 other staff were buying in. Meaning the alcohol was flowing freely all night. My co-workers know how to party, they are loud and hilarious and crude and I know way more than I need to know about most of them after these kind of nights!  The conversation started with discussions about porn and descended from there. By the time the shots came out we had moved on to diagrams...

We started at 5:30pm and left the bar at 11:30. We walked from downtown to the hotel and as soon as we got back I decided I wanted chips. This meant three of us staggered all the way back downtown to 7-11. We must have spent 20mins in 7-11 buying ridiculous junk food. I got my chips and got out of there and then remembered the most delicious thing in the world is peanut butter cups. I started shouting at my poor Rec Tech who went back to buy them for me...classy boss right here :) I got back to the hotel room and devoured them. I woke up the next morning and my boots were whipped off by the door, clothes strewn across the kitchen, a trail of peanut butter cup wrappers leading into the bedroom and then some random scarf on the bed that I found and wore home...geez! But for the record they were the best damn peanut butter cups I have ever eaten!!

I remember seeing 1:30am when I crawled into bed and then my alarm went off at 5:30. Because the sucker for punishment that I am, I refuse to call off a run.  I put my gear on and stumbled outside. The cold air felt good at least. 

(outside my hotel looking pretty hurtin)

I ran down to Swans which is just under a mile away and where I was meeting a couple other runners. I ended up getting there 15mins early and texted them to get there ass downstairs.  

(waiting for the others to show up...wondering why I'm doing this). 

We went down and ran along the water. We always run a similar route and it was actually nice. I was probably still a little drunk so the cool air and exercise sobered me up. I ended up actually doing almost 12k. Not bad on 4hrs of sleep and the most drinks that I have had since....well the last provincial meeting!

Plus this route has the most beautiful sunrise to watch so you cant beat that :)

I would like to say that I learned my lesson and reigned it in the next night but no such luck. I only see these folks once and year and thank god! I cannot handle that much alcohol. The next night was worse. One of our new staff bought at least 5 rounds of shots. I actually had to leave the bar because I couldnt take anymore and ended up sleeping on the bathroom floor with the spinnies. I havent had that since college! I'm sure my body was wondering what the heck I was doing to it.  This mom cannot party like she used to lol. I was so glad on Thursday to come home and recover. My bed felt so good that night!! 

Weekend Wrap-Up

Saturday I "slept in" till 6:15...lol. I am an early bird to the core. Kids or no kids I cannot sleep in. I dont ever set an alarm and am always up between 5:45 and 6ish. Last year on my birthday I partied till 2am...up at 6! Most of the time I like it but sometimes the idea of lounging in bed and sleeping in sounds appealing. But, I have the most energy in the morning, I open my eyes and immediately want to get up and have a coffee and start doing things. My eldest daughter is the same way and we have a rule that she cant get out of bed until 6am. That being said I turn into a lump about 7:30pm and like to be in bed by 9!  

Saturday is focused on family things. Yesterday was laundry, skating lessons, gymnastics, groceries, errands, took the kids for frozen yogurt and then made skinnytaste stuffed peppers (yum!). It was go, go, go all day long! I'm trying to commit to keeping Saturday as a day for family stuff and not running, but that being said I had 30 mins while dinner baked and Tegan said she would like to go out for a little bit. 

My daughter likes to run for about a mile or two when we go out and I love spending that time with her. She does a sprint-walk interval and I'm amazed at how fast her sprint is. At one point I almost got panicky because I was going full-out and she was pulling ahead! Thankfully she cant sustain it for that long and I always catch up. I have no doubt that one day she will be faster than her momma though :) 

Today I woke up and wanted to get my normal Sunday long run in. It was pouring rain and windy as heck though. I checked the forecast and it didnt look like it was going to clear at all so I headed out. It was pretty miserable at first, every time the wind picked up (~25km/hr) the rain was whipping me in the face and it was hard to run more than 9mins/miles. 

I debated cutting it short but I can be a bit stubborn and I hate not finishing a run once I've set out. About 5 miles in I jumped into the bushes to go pee. I wasnt really paying attention and ended up scratching my legs all up and landing in a puddle that was up to my ankles! My shoes and socks were full of water and I had blood dripping down my legs, but that just makes me hardcore right? :) 

The weather and run got better as I went on though and I was able to get out for a decent stretch. 

Just did the math and that means I did 50k this weekend :)

Weigh-In and Running Gear

I think I'm going to try and get back on board with posting my weigh-ins for a bit of accountability. Last year around this time I really went off the rails. December is my birthday and Christmas which means lots of big dinners/desserts, family time and less running. I ended up weighing in at the end of December last year up 6lbs. Which doesnt sound like that big of a deal...I always expect a bit of weight gain around the holidays but for me racing season starts Jan 22nd with the Vancouver Island Race Series. 

This meant last January sucked as I busted my ass trying to lose the weight and by race day I was at 139 which is still higher than I would have liked. I find a notable difference in my paces when I hit about 3lbs gained. I'd like to do well in the race series this year and beat some of my previous PR's. This means I cant go crazy and eat all the foods in December...lol

By summer of 2016 I managed to drop another 8lbs or so. So now my weight varies between 130 and 134. 134 is my "crap I need to reign things in" number. For the record, I like the way I look at 134 it doesnt have much to do with that...its just, like always with me, about the running...

So here we go...current weight:  

Not too bad. This was after a good week, lots of running, no big indulgences. Next week will be tough. I head down to Victoria for a 3 day conference that is a total food and drink fest. It is always a bit of a shock to my system :) The upside being there are a couple runners there so we try to get up early and run in the mornings. The downside is that in no way accounts for the excessive alcohol consumption! Oh well I will pay the penance when I get back...

And by request...my current running gear stash :)

Pants - 1 pair that are lined, 1 not. I do not like to run in pants, it needs to be pretty cold for this. I find regardless of size or style they slide down when I run which drives me crazy. 

Capris - 4 pairs, if its above about 5 degrees they are my go-to. These I'm willing to spend good money on. I think I have bought them all at FrontRunners which means they were stupidly expensive. 

Shorts - 5 pairs - it has got to be damn cold for me not to race in shorts...I find them so much easier to run in. I also find even the cheap ones comfy. Its a constant joke among runners that the longer you run the shorter your shorts get! For me this has been so true...covers my ass cheeks - check, doesnt chafe - check, costs only $15 at Superstore...even better :)

 

Running Skirt - 1, kinda cute, but they have to have shorts under them anyway so its really just extra material for fashion sake I guess. 

Long Sleeves T's - 5, only 1 that I really love, the rest are race t-shirts. To me these are totally worth paying good money for. The one I wear the most was probably $90 at FrontRunners but the comfort and breathability (apparently not a real word but you get what I mean) are way above any of the cheaper material race day shirts you get. 

Short sleeve T's - 3, also only one that I like and two race t's, same deal as above also worth the money in my opinion

Tank Tops - 5, my preferred running shirt unless its really cold out. These I also dont mind buying cheap. I have a few $50 ones from FrontRunners and I think I prefer the $10 Walmart tank tops. There is minimal material so you dont need to worry that much about how they breath.

  

Sports Bra's - 7, mainly because I went through a spell of getting to Port Alberni and I had forgotten to bring one so I had to go to Walmart and buy one. Same as tank tops for me. I have $50 ones and $10 ones and dont notice much of a difference. 

Running Jacket - I only have one of these and its from the Marathon I ran. I really enjoy running in just a jacket and sports bra so this might be on the list of things to purchase soon... :) Plus the one I have is lined and I overheat quickly so I need something unlined (see all the rationalizations going on here...)

Accessories: 

An arm band for my iPhone that I love except when it got really hot in the summer it was annoying and so then I bought a flipbelt which worked better for me in the heat. 

I have a water belt for training runs over about 20km that holds two small water bottles with a little compartment for running gels or I have my camel bak which holds 40oz. 

I also have a running hat, gloves and ear warmer. All of which are great at the start of a run, but I never last with having them on. As soon as I warm up I want them off and then am usually stuck carrying them the rest of the way....

Lastly I'm still on the quest for the perfect running sock (and runners for that matter)! This has been a source of frustration. Running socks are expensive! I hate spending $20 on a pair and realize they slide down or give me blisters or are too small. I've worn out the heels in so many pairs! Its also annoying that you cant try them on in the store, although I guess I dont want someones gross foot fungus...

Hmmm....and they say running is a cheap sport!!