Run: Trails and kicks

First of all, behold my new KICKS! They are the Adidas AdiZero Tempos. They are much lighter than my old Sauconey's and they hug my foot in a wonderfully soothing way. So far, they've felt comfortable, light and supportive and my knees feel pretty good too. I just LOVE getting new running shoes... or any shoes for that matter. Don't you?

Sometimes I catch myself smiling at them, admiring their wonderfulness. I even show them to my friends, my non-running friends, with enthusiastic glee, "Aren't they rad?!" And the said friends agree -- because they're my friends.

 

Second of all, I did some trail running today. I mean, for the first time in my running career, I meandered away from the asphalt, sidewalks and that cushy, weird pavement-like material found near a lot of city parks, and hit the trails.

Needless to say my new shoes are already quite dirty.

Ah, but it was so wonderful. I ran through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve through a rocky set of paths named "Dreamy Draw." The preserve was relatively vacant, the trails were narrow, rocky and packed with hills, rivets and rocks and storm clouds were bubbling over the horizon. It was perfect.

And I man-handled those paths. I did. I ran up, down and side-did and I pretended I'd been trail running for years. I sucked in that beautiful, clear air and I soaked up the scenery consisting of cacti, rocks, dirt and Palo Verdes. It was freeing, really. And if it wasn't already beautiful enough, I ended the run just ahead of the storm but right in the middle of the calming sprinkle.

Ahhhhhh, picturesque.

My knees, however, might spitefully turn on me and kill me in my sleep.