Dreaming, running, and fish

I'm on vacation this week, and I've been taking a break from blogging. I won't lie--my fingers have been itching to get on the keyboard. But it's been a really busy, fun filled week and it was good to take the break. It's raining right now, and seems like a good time for a blog post.

Especially because last night, or rather early this morning, I had the strangest dream.

I'm a pretty deep sleeper and I don't normally remember my dreams, but I woke up to rain in the middle of the night, and when I fell back asleep, I had some vivid dreams. Worlds were colliding--running, Florida, and real life.

In this dream, I was shopping at the mall for a pair of running shoes. This mall wasn't one I'd ever been to in real life, but I've been there before in my dreams. Whenever I dream about shopping, I'm shopping at this mall. Weird, I know. I was shopping with a friend--I think it was Sara aka Cheesy Runner Mom-- and we went to a futuristic store where running shoes were sold.  Have you ever been to Niketown? That's what this store reminded me of. While the amount of products are pretty sparse, the store has some pretty elaborate displays hyping the merchandise. The store in my dream had a shoe program similar to the Shoe Dog application that Road Runner Sports uses to help runners choose the right shoes. I provided the clerk with all my information and he entered it into the program.

I assumed that the program would choose my beloved Asics Gel Nimbus, because I've had such great success in those shoes and had been wearing them for years without problems. But no, the program found another shoe for me. The store clerk took me over to the shoes that I should be wearing.

I looked at the shoes, stunned. Yes, they were Asics. But these shoes were the newest model, the clerk told me. Apparently I had been wearing the wrong shoes all this time. The uppers were clear purple, made of some type of synthetic clear plastic material. The sole was hot pink. There was nothing to them, really. There were no other colors to choose from, but next to them on the display was a similar pair with high heels. I showed them to Sara and we laughed. The clerk told us that the high heel model was in high demand with those "in the know".

The closest thing I could find to the shoes in my dream. Not Asics, these are Nikes. Would you run in these?

The ones that he showed me were called the Fishity Fish. I kid you not.

While the shoe clerk went to get a pair in my size--he told me they run "long"--, I noticed a big sign next to the display. There, on the sign was a picture of Dimity McDowell, of Another Mother Runner fame, along with her endorsement of the Fishity Fish shoe. I kid you not. Well, I thought to myself, if Dimity is endorsing these shoes, I have to try them.

Dimity, triumphant at her Ironman. I don't think she ran in the Fishity Fish shoes of my dream. I believe she's a Saucony girl, tho.

I was trying the shoes on, and I noticed that they were really light. The new minimalist shoe, perhaps? While I was trying the shoes on, we heard the overhead speakers calling a code blue. Sara and I saw paramedics wheeling a gurney with a hairy guy laying on it. "Did you see him laying on the floor?" she asked me. I shook my head. More randomness.

Weird, indeed. I slowly woke up at this point. I laid in bed for a while, thinking about this dream. This dream was so bizarre that I tried really hard to remember the details. I got up, made coffee, and grabbed my laptop, to record some of the details. Even now, as I flesh out the text of this blog post, I barely remember much of the dream.

Did I buy the shoes? I don't recall. I think I woke up before I paid for them.

What prompted this dream? Although I have been running on vacation, I've been busy with other activities too. I actually don't dream much about running. My oldest son has spent most of his time this week fishing off the pier. We've been sunning, swimming, and kayaking. We've been eating a lot of fresh fish, particularly grouper and shrimp. And I haven't given work a thought, so the guy needing CPR was pretty random. My running route here on the island does take me past the fire station. I've seen the paramedics heading out a couple of times. Maybe it was that? Who knows. Funny what your subconscious will do.

And just to keep the bizarreness coming, on my run this morning, I did a double take when I saw a clown driving a minivan. Florida is full of characters. Apparently I'm one of them.

Have you ever had a dream so strange that you write the details down, just to remember what happened? Do you have recurring themes in your dreams, like I do with the shopping mall? Do you dream about running? Anyone care to share their weird dreams with me, so I don't feel alone here... !

Linking up with Tuesdays on the Run...Marcia, Ericka, and Patti! Check out everyone else's dreams...