Farewell, old friends.

Tis the season to get your ducks in a row for all the gear you might need for your next race.  Usually that means replacing your shoes if they need replacing.  Depending on the shoes and the runner, a good pair of shoes should usually last you the 18 weeks of marathon training, followed by the marathon.  After that, you have usually reached 500 miles, and they are ready to retire.  (Of course some of the thinner minimal shoes wear out much faster.)

As i am no speedster, i wear pretty average shoes, and usually say goodbye to them once i finish whatever marathon i bought them for.  That usually puts them around 550.  Luckily, since i seem to run fairly evenly, there usually isn't severe wear and tear, and the only indicator that they are dying is some minor knee pain when i run in them.  For my last marathon i ran in my Mizuno Elixirs.  I hadn't trained with them the whole time, so they probably could have handled at least another 100 miles.  Then IT happened.

My lunch popped open and spilled giardiniera all over my running shoes.  I'm talking a fine shellac of super spicy oil and chopped peppers.  A tragedy, as you can imagine.  

I cleaned them up, and have even run with them a few times since, but i just can't get over the fact that i smell like an italian beef sandwich every time i run (especially indoors where there is less ventilation!).  The oil also never completely washed out and keeps staining my socks.  Life is so hard.

So, with that, i bid you farewell dear friends.  Like a candle in the wind, you have been extinguished too soon, all because of my love of spicy, oil-based condiments.   You will be missed...

Have you ever had to say goodbye to running gear before it's time?  
Are you accident prone like me?  
Should i get better tupperware?  
Isn't giardiniera AWESOME??