Nu shooz: Brooks Ghost 7

Yesterday, two months to the day after I pulled my left calf, I hit the treadmill for a very short, five-minute run. I did so with a brand new pair of Ghost 7s.

It was time to get new running shoes. My Ghost 5s had served their purpose, and their wear may have been a contributing factor to my injury. Not wearing them may have been worse, though. A few weeks before I pulled my calf, I started running with the pair of Brooks Adrenaline I bought for everyday use. The Adrenaline series provides stability for runners who overpronate. I recently realized that I underpronate, so the shoes control pronation I do not have. Not good. Thankfully, they are very worn and I need to replace them ASAP.

It felt good to run again. Running on a treadmill is not exactly like running outside, but it is a nice way to ease back into a routine. I was a little worried about my calf but everything seemed to go well. I have been able to do 10 toe raises without issue, which, I read, is a sign that the calf has healed enough to start running again. It is a little sore today, which is a bit disconcerting, but hopefully that running misfortune is behind me.

Despite my doom and gloom prediction, and having not run at all in October, I did not turn into a tub of Crisco. (Crisco, I learned, is vegetable shortening. It is kind of like lard, but not made of fat.) Though my forced inactivity was unbearable at first, I got used to recovering — i.e., being lazy and inactive. A funny thing happened, too: I rekindled my love of walking. I started walking everywhere I would have ridden my bike and loved the slower pace. A long walk after work allowed me to not only decompress, but also admire the beautiful fall colors last month. I definitely needed that change of pace, that outlet for my stress. My life seems to have become much more hectic the past couple years, and over that time I have walked less and less. I need to make walking a bigger part of my life since it seems to have such a positive influence on my mental health.