Got in 2 workouts today. Everything is coming along nicely, and I am planning on ramping up the bike workouts and tapering back on the lifting/Crossfit workouts. I have been questioning how the full winters worth of that work was going to go, but I am feeling really good about it. I have been on the trainer twice in the past week, and I feel way ahead of where I was last season. I am going into this season without a major long distance race to train for, so focuses are different.
I got some new equipment last week as well. I knew I was going to need to relegate my Sidi Dominators to townie commuter usage (weird thing to say huh?) so I ordered up some new ones. I was really questioning the white SWorks Mountain shoe, but quite honestly, the shiny white really doesn't stand out as much as you would imagine.
Well there was a little problem. The SWorks shoes are a synthetic plasticish outer. The problem I ran into, was even though my feet measure average for their size, I have a hard time with shoes that are too narrow. I had to size down on the SWorks, and they definitely were narrow. I wore them around with no change to their width.
I broke down and mounted up some cleats and my mountain pedals on my road bike. Hopped on the trainer to get them warmed up. I have been doing a little research to see what sort of stretching techniques you can use, but I did not find much info about stretching synthetics, especially plastics. So I thought about water, hot water, water and alcohol mixture, but none of that seemed like it would work.
After about 5 minutes on the trainer, it came to me. A toe warmer! Not only would it simulate extra width, but provide extra warmth directly where I needed and wanted it. Well after around an hour on the trainer and an hour sitting around my shoes are stretched and ready to go. One or two more sessions to ensure they are just right and I am golden.
Exciting I know, but these are awesome shoes. After feeling the comfort of the BOA closure and the stiffness of the sole, I knew they would have to work one way or another.
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Sweet idea on the shoe stretching. I've got a new set of the shiny black S-works sitting in the basement that I haven't put on yet. I'm thinking they may need a slight stretch in the toe box too. I just wish they'd offer that shoe in a wide width like they do for the pro-carbon that I'm currently using.
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