Cookies and Shoelaces

Before my run this morning I dug into my stash of strawberries and blueberries that I snagged from the Farmer’s Market on Saturday.

Food combining rules say fresh fruit is supposed to be “eaten alone or leave it alone”. I have found that *just fruit* is the perfect pre-run/workout fuel. This works perfectly before a run because obviously my stomach is empty from the night before and when eaten alone fruit leaves the stomach in 30 minutes. (45 minutes for a banana.) It gives me a nice little energy boost and by the time I’m dressed and ready to hit the pavement I don’t have to worry about running on a full belly.

I set out for 4 or 5 miles, I hadn’t exactly decided. About 10 minutes in my left foot started to hurt and my toes were going numb and I realized I hadn’t fixed up my laces on my new sneaks!

I have to loosen the laces up by the toes, almost to the point where you think they would be too loose. My toes need some wiggle room.

When I first started running I beat up my feet pretty badly until I got that figured it out. Blisters, numb toes, a black toe nail that eventually fell off. It wasn’t pretty. I finally went to get fit at a running shoe store and learned that running sneakers need to be a half size up and there are different ways to lace them for different reasons.

Because I loosen the laces at the toe I have to tie them in a way that makes them stay put and keep my foot from slipping around too much. Too much foot slippage means rubbing that leads to blisters.

I use that second hole at the top of the sneaker to make a loop, and then stick the other lace through the loop that I just made.

This makes it easier to tie the shoe tight at the top but without having to be tight around my entire foot.

Running got a lot more comfortable for me when I got the shoe thing figured out.

I stopped to fix my laces and then was on my way again. I ended up doing my 5 mile loop and was back home in about 40 minutes.

Last night as I was getting ready to prep my breakfast cookie *dramatic twist* Zak said he wanted one on too. I had visions on my run this morning of taking pictures of our breakfast cookies together, walking hand in hand down the beach into the sunset.

But my vision was shattered when I got back from my to find this.

At least he liked it. What a typical man! Here’s my girl breakfast cookie, all alone. (And where I throw food combining rules to the wind.)

But still fabulous, nonetheless.