Weight Loss Wednesday: Everything Seems Possible Until-

You get injured.  

It's the strangest feeling, one that is so, so new to me:  the feeling of ability and desire...co-mingled with weakness.  It's also the biggest downer ever.

I haven't posted much about running recently, mostly because I'm afraid to jinx myself.  Here's the thing. 

I think I cured my shin splints. It's actually embarrassing to say how, but I will in case there's some other beginner runner out there wondering what the fuck is going on below the knee.

Biggest rules of starting to run: get fitted for shoes and go slow. I did both.  I went to my local running store and got fitted for a pair of Asics Gel Cumulus 13.  They felt cushy, almost luxurious on my feet.  The associate recommended that I order a half size up from my normal size 9.5. Then came my first set of shin splints, when I bought Superfeet inserts.  Are you counting, now? I've broken $150 by this time. The inserts + two weeks off got me running injury- free...for about two weeks.  

I:

-iced and elevated.
-did strengthening exercises.
-rested.

I also took my azz back to the running store, like wtf? Typical beginner injury, they said. Change surfaces.  This proved to be tough because, well, I live in a city and I run in the weeeeeeee hours of the morning.  Switching surfaces would mean running in park- like places, which any city- dweller knows you just don't do before sunrise.  Nyap. If I'm gonna be a runner, it's going to be on well- lit asphalt or concrete. 

Try a compression sleeve, they said.  So I did.  It helped, sometimes.

Try these new shoes, they said. After two weeks of rest I should have been fine, but I wasn't.  The pain started only minutes into my runs. But I kept trying. Still counting? $220 now.

And so finally  I bought some cheapie New Balance neutrals in my "street shoe" size for $40.  I've been running just over two weeks with no injuries or pain (knock on wood). Dare I start to train for my 10k again?

I have no idea what I'm doing, but  I suppose continuing is the most satisfactory answer...