One broke runner

Some of my raggedy running apparel

   Tonight was another run night and the only thing much different was the fact that I had decided to run 4K instead of 3K. I didn't think it was necessarily a good idea to bump things up by a whole K so I decided to break the run approximately in half and walk for a minute.
   I had my usual pre-new-thing trepidation but I've sort of come to take this in stride (no pun) and didn't let it deter me. At the rate I've been doing 3K I figured that 4K would take about 30 minutes so I set my timer at 15 minutes and headed out.
   About a minute into my run I am still on my street and another runner comes out from a side street and then runs past me, going in the opposite direction.
   Now, this guy was a runner. He had new shoes, a running jacket, gloves, running tights and a toque. He also passed me twice as fast as I passed him.
   Me, I had on a couple of old ball hockey jerseys, a frayed Nike cap and an old pair of sweat pants. My shoes have holes in the toes.
   Granted, I am a neophyte runner. This and the fact that right at the moment I am also broke. Well, not broke for important things but I am broke for running stuff. It just ain't a priority. So I don't maybe look good when I'm running but I hope that I'm at least running effectively and moving forward.
   I was window-shopping at the Running Room here in London just the other day, to get an idea of some of the stuff I could be buying if I, indeed, was a buyer these days. I sort of concentrated on cold weather items as it is November here in Canada.
   I could easily have spent three to four hundred dollars on clothing and assorted accessories. This may happen some day but not any day soon. In the meantime, I am happy with the runner I am right at the moment, regardless of the raggedy appearance.

"Cotton is Rotten"--but warm...

   In the Learn-to Run clinic, they spend a fair amount of time telling you what to wear and what not to wear. Their credo is "Cotton Is Rotten" and runners are directed to principally polyester materials which "wick away" moisture (sweat). It's a funny kind of setting because you sit there in class at the back of the Running Room store, they tell what to buy and all you need to do after that is stand up, take four steps and there it is! All ready to buy! Unfortunately, "Cotton Is What I've Gotten" at my house and it is the principal layer next to my skin, particularly now that the weather's getting colder. So far, though, so good.
   As far as the run went, it went fine. The timer went off about where I thought it might, I walked for a minute, and then started running again. No real problem finishing the 4K. At this point, my plan is to do this another two or three times and then try a whole 4K running.
   Next stop after that---5K!