I submitted this for a contest for a free entry into the San Francisco Marathon. I really enjoyed it and thought that I would repost it here, I do concede that I was inspired a bit by the movie Fight Club.

I am Kevin’s first pair of running shoes. I ran with him run on his first mile, his first 5K, and his first 10K. Sure he dumped me for a new, younger, flasher pair of shoes for his first ½ marathon and beyond but I will always be Kevin’s first pair. I supported him as he started his running journey at 262lbs down to 219lbs by the time he retired me. I am his first pair, definitely not his last pair. To this day I think that I am the only pair that he actually cleaned. And although my running days with Kevin are behind me, he still takes me out for the occasional walk through the park with his wife. You know what they say is true: “You never can really forget your first”.

And this was my wife's submission:

“His + Hers” Most runners have many pairs of shoes in their homes but I have twice as many in my closet as I am not the only one who runs in my house. I run with my husband, my running partner. We have run all our races together starting with our first 5k all the way up to our first ultra last summer in these shoes. For almost three years now we have been running which means many pairs of running shoes and even more miles logged. We’ve had a few different shoes over the years but I think after a few trial and errors we have found our “meant to be shoes”. We both wear Mizuno’s and plan on continuing to run, train and race together. Our plan is to race a marathon together in as many states and countries as possible. We will continue running as long as the shoes hold up and the body allows us! -Kirstie

Ankle Update

Swelling is down but still there, and most of the discoloration has left. I did go to the hospital after work today to have some x-rays done. My doctor believes that I probably fractured the fibula in my left leg. It has been 10 days since I have run on it and it is starting to drive me mad I tell you.

With the free time that I have found since being injured I have volunteered at two local raced, the Fools 50K and 25K Race, and the Kent State Black Squirrel 5K. Different types of runners at each but both looked like excellent races. If you were at the Fools Race, I was working the aid station near Pine Hollow from 6:30AM till about 4:30PM.  I did manage to take a couple of hundred photos some of which I have posted in a public album on Facebook, the others I will forward to the race director.

The Black Squirrel Race was thankfully shorter, but for a first time event was very well put together. I took about 400 photos at that event those are being given to the race director this week. That will be a race that I plan on doing next year. Heck, that was a race that I planned on running this year (I love inaugural races). 

Well, hopefully the x-rays come back clear and I will just have to wait until the swelling is completely gone. And then I can get back to this activity that we call running, but a lot of people call punishment.