Old and busted, new hotness

Finally broke down and got new kicks. I've had my old ones for about two years, and they've got a few hundred miles on them. My legs and feet were starting to get a little more wear and tear on them than I'd like, so I figured it's about time for a new pair. When I got the last ones I was working towards running a 5k, now I'm working towards a half marathon! Hopefully these green babies will help get me there. The colors sure are... vibrant. I'm calling them my hulk shoes.

As far as running progress goes, I've hit a bit of a wall this month. We've been going pretty hard since January and making wicked progress, but lately, it's been rough. I've been suffering from serious allergies, like worse than I've ever had. Ever. Breathing has been challenging to say the least, especially in the last week. Between that and the increasing heat, our runs have been shorter and slower and rougher. We squeezed in a slow six miles this week, but that's the longest we've run in a while. Yesterday I managed a depressing two miles before I, literally, wheezed to a stop. I hate these allergies. Hate, hate, hate. It's so bad it's almost like a cold or bronchitis or something evil. It's migrated from my head to my chest in the past week, so I'm hoping it's on it's way out? I don't know. It's making me sad, and it just needs to go.

And dear lord, running in the heat and humidity is a whole different ball game. And it's not even summer heat yet. I'm hoping we'll acclimate at some point (I mean, it has to happen right? It has to get easier?), and then this fall when it cools down we'll be speed demons (HA). I'm trying really hard not to get to disappointed and down about how much harder it is to run lately. I'm thinking of the summer just as a training season. I'm not sure if I'll be able to increase my mileage, much less hit that elusive 13.1, but I'm going to keep on running. Boogers in my chest or not. And that can only make me better, right? I came across "JFR" (Just F-ing Run) while researching places to get shoes (Rogue Running!) and I've been using it for motivation. Feels like hot soup outside? JFR. Worked 13 hours today? JFR. Can't breathe because you're insides are coated in boogers? JFR. Here's more.

And on an unrunning related note: Here is Sophie, squeezed in my shoe box. It was empty on the floor for a good 45 seconds before she got into it.

Fluffy fat kitty, you're so silly! JFR, y'all.