Ooooh, new shoes

Today I have defied my doctor’s orders, although I suspect more of a recommendation, guideline, suggestion really, that I shouldn’t run as I have a brand shining spanking new pair of Asics Nimbus in my possession and couldn’t resist wearing them in on the treadmill in the gym for half an hour.

My new Asics, terrible colours, amazing shoes

Despite my previous shameless attempts at luring the Asics marketing team into providing me with a new pair for free, nothing of the kind has occurred and it was down to the nice people at Up and Running in Bristol.

Had some great service there down the years with the added bonus of being able to chat to Bristol’s own running legend Nick Rose.

Today was no exception and I’m only flagging this up because I don’t think good service gets enough credit, not because I got any free stuff or anything like that.

Having ordered the Nimbi (is that plural?) a couple of weeks back I went in today to pick them up and the chap (should have got his name) who served me was genuinely interested in what I was doing in terms of running. I said about the training and it turns out he ran the Edinburgh Marathon last year so we had a good old chat about that, which was really nice. I do love talking about running with other people like that. It’s slightly paradoxical in a sense as running is more often than not a solo activity (certainly when you’re as slow as me and everyone has left you behind), but talking about it with other runners is great for bringing people together.

I have been in other running shops in Bristol in the Clifton area and have been made to feel as welcome as a horse dealer at a Tesco meat counter. Or, more simply, about as welcome as a fat bloke in a hallowed temple of running worshippers and fitness geeks. I hate those kind of amateur runners who look at you with that disdain as if you couldn’t possibly achieve the great feats of physicality they have just because they've done a few half marathons down the years and some orienteering probably - how to ruin running, make it like work. If Mo Farah gave me that kind of look I would accept it, he’s amazing, they are not. Although Mo Farah would probably have more respect for people. (Really not going to that shop again)

Anyway, couldn’t be further from the case at Up and Running, and for that they have pretty much guaranteed my custom for as long as I can keep running, for what it’s worth.

With my quite luminous new running shoes in hand, I hit the treadmill at the gym for 30 minutes, which was the first run since last Sunday as I have been good and doing as the doctor said and not run all week. The toe seems to be healing well thanks to the antibiotics, which is good as it was pretty hideous and painful a week ago, much as the pic illustrates:

It's horrible, I know, but much better now!

I wasn’t going to show that but couldn’t resist for some reason.

So, feel confident about my injury status and with my shiny new shoes I’m looking forward to a good long run tomorrow. I’m also really going to need to get some miles under the belt as I only lost 1 pound this week due to some indulgences this week, and we’re having our Valentine’s meal tonight, courtesy of M&S’s marvellous deal, which means wine is going to be drunk, and I might be too!