New Shoes!!!!

Firstly, thank you to those who offered me advice and support yesterday, the  positive thoughts sent my way really helped and gave me that little boost to keep my chin up and not give in as easily this time. 

Also, yesterday I got my new shoes!!! I'm so so excited, I hope I love them as much as my first pair of Asics because those were the best shoes I've ever had, I didn't have to "break them in", I never got a blister, they were amazing. Annnnd drumroll please, here are the new girls (added bonus the sales support Breast Cancer Research)

They are so bright pink it *almost* makes my eyes hurt, and I love it! They came with silly black satin laces so I had to go swipe some real laces from my old softball cleats in order to use them. Since it was my "off" day from my C25K program I decided to just test them out on the elliptical, I just did an easy 30 minute workout to get myself moving and see how they felt. So far so good but tonight when I do day 3 of week 2 on the treadmill will be the real test if they are worthy. 

I got a new cereal to go in my breakfast bowl, this time it is the 80 calories Honey Squares, I like it a lot, it pairs nicely with the yogurt and fruit, not as strong a flavor as the chocolate. 

I was at home for lunch because I needed to bring the bf to the airport, so I whipped us up some black bean quesadillas, which was a couple tablespoons of these black beans with lime, chopped up green peppers and a tablespoon of reduced fat colby jack cheese, dipped in salsa. YUM

For dinner I was still craving protein, not sure why, so I made a salad and an egg white sandwich, I actually made a bunch of these 3 Point Plus breakfast sandwiches and froze them for future mornings when I'm not feeling the fruit/yogurt thing.

How was your Tuesday? 

What kind of running/workout shoes do you like? 

People Who Run

So I need some help and advice from people who run, I have some questions and I don't feel like Googling them, I just want someone who's smarter than me about running to help me. 

I started this Couch to 5K program last week, I've done running stuff before, but I've never ever considered myself a "runner". I've never had proper running technique, I've never done any races, I'm just a person who uses a treadmill to try  not to gain any more weight. But now I have gone and convinced my friend that we should sign up for a real life 5K at the end of April. I'm not sure you heard me...THE END OF APRIL. That's like not very far away. So I'm having to stop being a baby about this whole running thing and totally do it for realz. So here are my questions.

1.) I have had my running/workout shoes for like almost 3 years. I don't use them every day of course, but that's a good long time. They don't hurt me, they aren't falling apart, but internet tells me I need new running shoes every 6 months! Is this true life? Do I really need to drop $50+ every 6 months if I'm not a hardcore marathon runner?
How do you know when it's time to get new shoes?

2.) I have pain! in my shoulder when I run, it's not like I hurt my shoulder and now it hurts when I run, its like INSIDE my shoulder, like cramping kind of or when you get a stitch in your side, except it's in my shoulder...Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

3.) Heart rate monitors: I have a chest strap with a watch and it took my gender, age, height and weight and now it tracks my heart rate when I run (which I assume is pretty accurate), the time I'm in my "zone" and how long my workout is...but it also tells me how many calories I burned...but my treadmill that doesn't know me from Jill also tracks my calories and they are VERY DIFFERENT. I assume the watch is more accurate because I told it all my secrets but is it really accurate? Did I really just burn 500 calories in an hour? or is it tricking me to think I'm making a difference? 

SO PLEASE HELP ME people who run...or tell people you know who run and are smart to help me. K Thanks.

Also, this is what I did yesterday...that's pretty much almost 3 miles there...yes I walked a portion of that, but still..I was gonna just push to 3.0 miles but I thought I'd save that treat for myself another day.

And I also ate this stuff:

Yogurt, fruit and Fiber One Chocolate squares

Shredded chicken, refried beans and a cut up red bell pepper.

Pre-workout snack: Apple and PB

Dinner, I found this whole wheat gnocchi and made it with Trader Joe's veggie meatballs, marinara and some peas. The bf told me gnocchi looked like cat vomit so I made him regular pasta with his. lol Thanks for that mental image...yum. Actually, it was yum.