Good gate, bad gait

Some one did say that when you start training for the marathon, you learn lots of new things about yourself.

So far i have learnt the following:

1) I don't like running outdoors (damn)

2) I need more music to run to

3) I need new trainers

The good news is that two of these are damn good excuses to go shopping. Cue a short trip to Nike Town in Oxford Circus and a slight disturbing conversation with local shop assistant 'Dwayne' ("Buy the blue ones mate, they're cool man,").

Fortunately my friend K, who knows what it is to run properly (i.

e. not for a bus), told me about the wonderful Marathon Shop in Covent Garden where you can be measure for a proper pair of running trainers, specifically selected to match something called a 'gate'.

I have since learnt that this is in fact spelt 'gait' and not 'gate'. (Figures).

A short visit to The Marathon Shop later, and after 5 mins running on a swanky computerised treadmill-type thing, i learnt that i have a pronated gait. At this point i was forced to admit i didn't know what a gait was, let alone a pronated one, and did i have to go to the doctor?

For those not 'in the know' this is not a pronated gate:

This, however, is a pronated gait (apparently you can have supinated gait as well, which actually sounds better, and less like it can be treated with natural yoghurt):

Apparently running 26miles on a pronated gait is slightly difficult, so the options are:

a) hop my way around it

b) spend a shed load on some swanky new trainers.

I went for option b. 

And also threw in a new running shirt, new socks, running gloves (v important) and running hat for good measure.

Hoorah. Who knew training for the Marathon could be so much fun?