I have a few unwritten rules that I use for running and specifically racing.  As I get older more mature, my body is less forgiving of the required daily demands; therefore, rest days are a welcome relief must.  My biggest, unwritten rule is that I don’t run the day before race day.  Or at least, I haven’t EVER planned to run pre-race day until today.  You might ask what prompted me to consider breaking tradition?

It was Mel D. from Running for Kicks in Palos.             

Although there are a couple local running stores, I only use two.  Running for Kicks in Palos or if I’m heading to Indiana, Fleet Feet Schererville.  The majority of time I go to Running for Kicks for the same reason as 95% of their other customs……..Mel, Gail and a whole crew of RUNNERS who are waiting to help you and make your next run better than the last.  You walk into the store and I promise, it’s a family affair.   I can say this because I rarely go unless I am dragging 3/4 of my little family, which includes a little shit man who is trying to climb the walls.  The Running For Kicks staff never bats an eye regardless of how they really feel his antics.

Today Running for Kicks partnered with Saucony to host a trail run where you could try out the new Saucony trail shoes and then for 1 hour after the run, you could    1) win one of three pair of Saucony Trail  Shoes being raffled off and   2) get a 20% discount on any Saucony shoes/merchandise.  This is huge for me because I run in Saucony exclusively, except for 5K racing, and each pair of my shoes start at $100.  So by attending this event, I would have automatically been guaranteed a $20 shoe savings…..which for my cheap ass me was reason enough to secure a sitter, and “break the rules”. 

This fun run and shoes savings never happened for me today because my little man got the flu last night and we all know what that does to the house and the family.   For most of us, running is a hobby and that means it will always take a backseat to the family.  There was no way I was going to leave him with somebody else while he was sick regardless of my own plans/desires.  He seems fine now so back to running talk with lots of laundry, carpet shampooing, and bed changing  fun in between.

Did you attend the Running For Kicks/Saucony Trail Run?  Did you win the FREE shoes?  Have you ever participated in a similar event?  If you attended, or were lucky enough to win the shoes, let me know!  I’ll see you at the next event or maybe 13.1 Valpo if I’m not puking tomorrow. 

Update:  Gail R. let me steal a few of her photos!!  Here are the three winners, Joe W., Kelly W.  and George B.  congrats to all three of you!

Happy Running!                                                                                                                     Amanda – TooTallFritz