Mama needs a new pair of shoes

Well, not anymore. Until yesterday I had been running in a year-old pair of sneakers intended for cross training, which I wore to many step aerobics classes. They are comfortable, have lots of cushioning left, and I thought they were fine for running. But then I noticed my feet were often sore at the end of the day ..... hmmmm. And then I got a $10 off coupon from local running store Pacers in the mail. I figured that was a sign to invest in a real pair of running shoes.

Normally when I shop for shoes, I check out how the shoes look, and how much they cost, before I even try them on. But this time I bit my tongue and didn't ask the price, and I made it a point to not look at the shoes. The most important thing -- the only important thing -- was how they felt on my feet.

The salesman was very helpful. This kind of service is probably not surprising to those of you who have been running a long time and buying appropriate footwear, but it was a real treat to have someone measure my feet, watch me walk, suggest shoes that would be good for my feet and gait ... and, when I couldn't decide between two pairs, suggest I try on one of each. (Brilliant!)

I walked out of the store with a brand new shiny pair of very comfortable running shoes, and tried them out that night. That's when I realized that there is more to running shoes than cushioning. These are much more light and flexible than my old crosstrainers, and my feet are thanking me already.