The Great Shoe Mix-Up

As many runners do, I own several many pairs of running shoes. I have my favorite model of shoes, so all of my five active pairs are two different models.  Each of the models had one color option at the time of purchase.  To differentiate between pairs, I have utilized the every handy sharpie marker.  I wrote a number corresponding to how many of that particular model shoe I have on the heal of each shoe.

Seemingly genius, right????

Because I'd worn my Red Launch pair number 3 to speed work this week, I'd decided I'd wear my other low mileage Launch, number 4, for my 14 mile long run this morning.  I was the first one awake in my house, so I didn't turn on the big bright bathroom light, just grabbed everything I needed and headed downstairs to get ready.

I even made a return trip upstairs when I saw the temperature today (20*F, feels like 13) to get an extra layer for both the top and bottom.

I ran my 14 miles with my running group, it was cold, but still glorious.  The trail was icy, but no one fell.  The sun was periodically shining through the trees.  We were all talking, laughing and enjoying life.  All so innocent.

Sounds about as perfect as these homemade cookies Mommy!

I stopped for breakfast, came home, looked at the back of my shoe to log my dailymile entry (it's how I keep track of how many miles are on each pair), and I'm momentarily confused.  My left shoe had a big ole 3 on it.  Thinking I'd just goofed up about which pair I'd picked up, I went on blissfully unaware of my mistake.  Chatted with my husband until I started shivering and realized I needed to take a hot shower ASAP.

And that's when it happened.  I took off my shoes and saw, horror of all horrors, THIS.

Horror of all horrors!

The OCD person in me, quickly ran to match the correct shoes with the other pair before paying enough attention as to which shoe was from which pair, i.e., so that I could make the same mistake in the opposite manner another week for logging purposes.  Which no fewer than two people have suggested I do.  HA!

All through my shower, I couldn't stop thinking about the Great Shoe Mix-Up.  The GLORIOUS, HOT shower.  I swear, there is nothing more fantastic than a really long, really hot shower after a cold long run.  But, I digress.

I came up with a solution.  Hot showers are good like that.  Immediately after my shower, I sat down with my launches and my Newtons and switched out some shoelaces.  I took the shoelaces from Newton 2 and switched them with the shoelaces on Launch 4.  Now, I'll have to be even MORE blind to make a similar mistake.

Ta-da!!!!!!
The blue on the red looks a tad silly, but the yellow on blue, not so bad.

Crisis averted.

Lady, THAT is not a crisis.  THIS is a crisis.

Do you have more than one pair of running shoes?  Do you rotate as I do?  How do you tell them apart?

Has anyone else have this experience: realizing how much you didn't fully appreciate hot showers until a hot shower post a cold run?

Anyone else ever run with a mismatched pair of shoes?  At least for me, they were the same model and color, so perhaps, I am the only one that noticed!  Well, until this post anyway.