Week 13 (54k,kind of)

This week has some things to talk about. Yes, I reached 54k which is what I was aiming for (7,10,7,10,20)and I am happy about that, but it didn't come about exactly like I expected it to and I thought, right up to the end,that it wasn't going to happen.
Those aches I felt in my feet became way more intense. By Tuesday last week I was feeling dull aching all the time, both feet, like in my sleep aches. It got me to thinking, both feet? For real!? Which got me to thinking, both feet? hm, problem solved, I need new shoes. While in Tokyo I went to the Asics store, which was way over staffed and really really busy, but also hit the nail on the head for me. There I took a little test where they popped some sensors on my foot then stuck one foot at a time into a box and scanned them as I stood. They took readings of how my feet are shaped and how I was standing. Presto, information. So I pronate, and my left foot is a bit flat, and both my feet are narrow! I knew about the pronation, but wow, I feel like I huge jerk for spending all this time running and not taking the time to do this very simple, and free, test. So I broke the bank and got some new shoes that they recommended, hoping hoping hoping that these would help the pain in my feet and maybe be nice shoes to boot. I just got 6 more weeks, I can make it! (right?)
Long story short, they are awesome. I got the Asics Gel Kayano 16's which is funny because I was just reading about them this past week. I can say they are good because I have already put 27k on them (its wed night) and my feet have no pain at all and haven't from the moment I slipped those on.
Second story, I didn't exactly get 54 within the confines of the week, I did my long run Monday instead of Sunday because Sunday I was too hung over to get up in time to run around the palace which is awful, I know, but let me explain. I went to Tokyo to meet up with my friend Yoshitsugu, whom I met on the farm in Shizuoka, the farmer's son. We promised to meet up in Tokyo. We did, and I met a few of his friends and pretty early on I decided it would be better to have a good night with all of them then run the next day. You have to understand, for a foreign person living in the country like I do, finding a good Japanese guy friend is like finding a coelacanth swimming in your bath tub. So I didn't run Sunday, but I put 20 in Monday on the new shoes, then 7 the next day, and today I biked and lifted weights to give my walking sticks a break. Tomorrow 12, then 7 Friday, 25 on Saturday, 7 Sunday, I hope. Feeling good, I hope it lasts.