A slow, sluggish run this morning with my Fleet Feet training group. We did 8 miles, and it was cold outside, but I fell way behind.
At the end, I was looking at my running shoes (Brooks Ghost) and realized my tread on the outer right side of both shoes had worn down considerably. I got the last pair back in Sept - surprised they had worn down so much but I have been piling on the miles.
I bought a new pair (same model), and trying them on I could tell the immediate difference. Looking forward to the next run (and the extra hour of morning sun we'll get with daylight savings Fall Back).
Here's an interesting article on what it will take for a human to break the 2-hour marathon record (Spoiler - it's not EPO).
http://rw.runnersworld.com/sub-2/
How important are "good" running shoes? I'm probably about ready to graduate to a new pair, and I've never given it that much thought I guess.
If you're putting in a lot of miles, "good" shoes can have a very positive impact. I'd recommend visiting a specialty running store and having yourself measured (size - measure at the end of the day, arch, gait - foot fall rolls from inside out or outside in, etc.) And test a few pairs based on their recommendations for your running type. I try to replace mine about every 500 miles...generally just get the same shoe, now that I've found one I like. You can find the right pair in the store, then shop for discounts online.
Wait, wait, wait . . . there's a kind of shoe called Brooks Ghost? That's too perfect.
Off of the internet, they're called "Daneekas".
Here I thought I was being original.