Alia and the Amazing Techni-color Dream Shoes

(Hi friends! Alia and I try to swap off and I didn't realize that she was the last one to write! I feel like a fool but decided to make it up so everyone by writing a new blog posts. I'd like to get in the habit again, like a nun.)

So, strange as is seems, there's been a run of crazy dreams. Not like magic dreams, or even mundane dreams, but the abstract ones like "I'm going to run a lot this month" type of dreams. The dreams that get in your head via the corner of your eye, so you can never quite get around to them.

Those of you familiar with my health situation in the past might know that I had knee surgery in the spring. The year leading up to that procedure and following it until mid-summer (night's dream?), I wasn't allowed to run at all, which was frustrating. In the past, I would try to get Alia to run, and occasionally a jog or something would happen, but it was hard to get anything going considering I couldn't do anything with her anyway!

However! I was able to discover her muse, the pied piper for her cute little feet. She needed REALLY BRIGHT SHOES.

It's quite simple, you see. Bright cool (minimalist) Nike shoes are hot and sexy. How hot? So hot, in fact, that they pretty much force you to run, the brightness and intensity of the color reflected figuratively (maybe literally?!?!?) powering your legs until you become the next Ted Corbitt......... The FATHER of American Ultramarathons......

Anyway, we picked up Alia a pair of snazzy shoes. Got some cute shorts, tanks, etc all in order. Next thing you know she's a running machine!

It's been pretty fun to watch, honestly. She has gone from having very little faith in her running ability (and lung capacity) to pushing herself and beating her best times and really tripling or quadrupling her runs. 

I basically think it's awesome, and I'm happy we found the perfect way to motivate. Once she has rundown this pair, we can find even BRIGHTER, SEXIER shoes. Maybe by then, she really will be like Connie Gardner. .....  the 24 hr US women's record holder (149 mi).....c'mon.