A decent day overall, best news is that the old Ford Ranger is back in the drive with two new front hubs, although the bank account is quite a bit lighter, it was worth it. I didn’t realize how bad the bearings were until I got in drove off from the garage.

What a difference!

However, when Mary dropped me off to pick up the truck, she asked if I was going to the gym? I said you don’t mind if go for a run. She basically said of course not. Gotta love a wife who supports your running. At least until she sees the charge card statement for my monthly running shoe addiction. hehehee.

One problem, I really wasn’t expecting to run before I got home and while I had on running clothes, all I had for running shoes with me were a pair of Hoka Clayton 2’s that I took out of the closet yesterday after my last fiasco run in my Altra Duo’s, just so I could have something to comfortably walk in.

I have had these shoe for a while (Sam W at Road, Trail, Run gave them to me back in May 2018 and have never run in them. While I walked a few times in them to see how they fit, they just didn’t feel right, but at the same time I haven’t wanted to get rid of them either. There is something that kept telling me to keep them.

After running in the Carbon X last Wednesday, it reminded me of how I really love the feel and run great in Hoka shoes, but until I ran in the Carbon X, I had never had a pair that really fit decently – the toe box has always been too narrow for my tailor’s Bunionette. Which always sucked.

I figured that I could go run on the Kennebec River Rail Trail and just turn around if the Clayton 2’s started to bother.

Planned Workout Description: Today was supposed to be speed work day, but I didn’t feel like getting on the treadmill today, with crappy weather coming. I decided to try for 5-6 miles on the Rail Trail and see how the Clayton 2’s did.

• Day: Tuesday
• Time of Day: 11:14a
• Course: Augusta Rail Trail & Capitol Park
• Distance: 7.02
• Time of Run: 1:00:27
• Pace: 8:36
• Rating: 3
• Running Streak Day #: 4
• Weather: Clear/Sun, 50*F, Feels like 50*F, Humidity 76%, Wind 2 mph NNE

Variables that impacted the run: Running in the Clayton 2’s that I had never run in before, the bottoms of my feet were hurting before the run from Saturday and Monday’s runs in the Duo v1.

Comments: I started out comfortably and was pleasantly surprised at how good the Clayton 2’s were feeling. At about the 3/4 mile mark, I decided to see how they did when I picked up the pace and decided to go up to Capitol Park.

Which meant that I got to do the Augusta KRRT climb Strava segment. I was able to easily pickup the pace and somehow or another I got my segment CR today. No, it is not really the fastest I have gone up the hill by the YMCA, but for this Strava account that I created when I turned 60, it is.

A pretty good start to the run and using the C2’s.

After that I just stayed pretty comfortable and went up the hill past Hallowell to the 2.75 mile marker. Yeah, I was feeling good enough in the Clayton 2’s that I was going to try a 7.0 miler in them.

The feet were not uncomfortable like they had been in the Duo’s and I just felt confident that I could do the distance without too many problems.

Coming back through Hallowell, the bottom of my feet were starting to get uncomfortable. Nothing bad, but more of a re-irritation of stuff that had been messed over the past few days. However, when I got to the 2.0 mile marker, I might have picked up the pace a bit and I kind of forgot about how the feet were feeling.

Because I was working a little harder on maintaining pace, form and all that other good stuff you need to do to run faster. You know – like breathing. 😉

I did pretty good the rest of the way and could have picked up the pace even more if I had really wanted to.

Shoes Worn: Hoka Clayton 2 – (7.02) No issues with the shoes, they were quiet, comfortable and while I think wearing thinner socks would be better, they didn’t really bother my Tailor’s Bunionette as much as I was afraid that they would.

The discomfort on the bottom of my feet was more a left-over from other shoes that were giving me a problem than issues with the Clayton’s.

7.0 Miles for a first run, with a Strava segment CR and a couple of second fastest segments is pretty good.

Sometimes there are good reasons why I don’t get rid of some shoes, but it seems like it is the Hoka’s that I tend to keep hanging around the house in hopes of someday being able to run comfortably in their shoes. I have 3 pair in the closet that I just can’t get rid of and well, I guess it is time to see if my feet have changed enough to fit comfortably into them.

If not I have a feeling that given how much I do like the feel of Hoka shoes, the I will break down and get a pair of Rincons or Carbon X in the near future…err Bennie, whatcha getting me for Christmas this year? 🙂

How did this run move me towards my goal(s)? A nice 7.0 miler, where I was able to pick up the pace decently the last couple of miles.

Cardio Total: 3.02

Non Running Comments: This afternoon was more getting ready for winter. It is coming and I would rather have stuff done than be doing it with 3-4 inches of the white shite on the ground getting in the way.

So today, we put away all the little decorations, gnomes and stuff. Then I got busy mowing leaves, which is a helluva lot easier than raking the damn things.