New Zoots

My new shoes arrived today. Yep, bright yellow. Not because I like yellow - I don't - but because that's the only color they come in.

I needed a new pair of race shoes because the ones I've been using have a ton of miles on them and they're, well, a little nasty. Zoot just came out with a line of shoes designed for triathlons so I figured I'd give em a try. What makes them so special, you ask?

They don't have any seams on the inside so you can run with no socks without tearing up your feet. They also have a quick lace system so you don't have to tie them, just give the elastic laces a tug and you're good to go. The back of the shoe is taller than most so you have more shoe to grab to put them on quickly in transition. They also have holes in the bottom so water will drain so your shoes don't fill with water...good for those of us who have a hard time taking water from someone while running and actually getting some of it in our mouths. Best of all, they're super light. I can't wait to get out and take them for a test drive. I'll wait for the snow to melt first.

I did try them on and walk around my apartment a little to see how they feel, and they're great. Very light and comfy. I think they're going to be a great race shoe, but they don't have much support so I don't think I'll be wearing them for the Ironman. Transition times aren't as important in an Ironman so I don't mind taking the time to put on socks and tie my shoes, so I think I'll probably stick with my regular shoes for IM.

I learned something new this winter: you can get a tan in February in Wisconsin. It takes time, but it can be done. I've been running at lunch with a stocking cap on, and Dennis (co-worker) noticed that I have developed a tan line in the middle of my forehead from my cap. Since then I've run a few more times and the tan line has gotten worse. The top of my forehead is bright white, and the middle down is slightly tan. I look ridiculous.

This week is recovery week so I don't have much training to do. I'll probably do about 9 hours vs the 18 hours I did last week. I've gotten so used to training a few hours a day 9 hours a week feels easy now. That's crazy because 9 hours is still a lot of training.

Recovery week is also test week, so I have to do a threshold test tonight on the trainer. The whole ride should take about an hour, and the actual threshold test is only 20 minutes...but that's 20 minutes all out and that hurts. Plus, I now have higher expectations than I did before so I'm all set up for disappointment. Good times.