The 4WD in running shoes

On Saturday Steve, softshoeshuffle, JK and I met up at the Cotter for our weekly long run. We had arranged to meet at 7.15pm at the t-junction of Cotter Rd and Urriara Rd to make a decision about where to run based on the weather, just in case it was like last Saturday all over again. The plan was to get up early (about 5.30-ish), have breakfast and then head off to meet them at the designated time. Instead it panned out like this - alarm goes off at 5.30am, turn it off, lie there thinking about getting up, doze off, wake again at…what's that…surely not….6.40am, launch myself out of bed, mad dash to cupboard to find necessary running gear, sprint to the kitchen to make the absolutely essential coffee, whip up a blend of banana, milk and protein powder (breakfast), frantically grab miscellaneous items needed for running such as Garmin, ipod, cap, sunnies, shoes etc, etc, and I was out the door. Somehow I managed to make it to the meeting point on time (ok, maybe I was a couple of minutes late).

I hate runs that start with an uphill - this was one of them. And it kept going up courtesy of Mt McDonald - my calves were hating it with a passion. Lovely view at the top once the calf cramps eased off. I was also wearing my new you beaut 4WD in running shoes - the Salomon XT Wings.



"Looking for more speed and power? Try Salomon’s new top of the line all terrain running shoe, the XT WINGS. With solid foot support and excellent grip, this lightweight and versatile shoe allows easy running on a wide variety of terrain, from flat sandy fire trails to steep rocky singletrack. The new Agile Chassis System (ACS) provides a perfect balance of cushioning, stability and responsiveness. Quick-drying breathable mesh provides ventilation for the entire foot, while the soles of your feet remain fresh and odour-free thanks to a special anti-microbial treatment. Salomon’s innovative Quicklace™ system ensures the shoes deliver a snug fit with just one pull."

These shoes are amazing - rocky rough trails - no problem. Downhills - no problem. I am morphing into the Downhill Demon - a big turnaround from the previous Downhill Dunce that I was. Don't get me wrong, I still have a lot more work to do on my downhill running but these shoes have given me the confidence, so look out knees! Now, if only Salomon could develop a shoe that helps make uphill running easier!! (or getting out of bed in the morning a lot easier!)

So in summary there were hills, downhills, lots of talking and laughing (especially about Zits - a comic strip in the Canberra Times), lots of swearing under breath (from me as I was struggling up hills), music (when the going gets tough, the music goes on), muscles going lactic, a snake, standing in cool water, sunshine then cool breezes, and a coffee man who didn't hang around to take our orders (bah humbug).

I think we ran about 31km in around 3hr 10min (running time). Next week: Mt Tennent. Enough said…….