Please leave my shoes alone

I have four pairs of shoes in the rotation right now. I have long run shoes, two pairs of daily recovery run shoes and a pair of speed work shoes. I am no expert, and probably in need of only one pair for all types of runs, but my over indulgence helps keep the shoe industry alive…I just want to help.

I have five boxes of new shoes in the closet and two nearly worn out pairs of 5k-10mile race shoes. For a recreational runner this seems excessive, even for me. The trouble is that they just won’t leave my shoes alone, and finding a pair that is just right brings out the Goldie Locks in me; I have to get as many as I can (at a great price of course). When my current supplies are gone I have to face the task of finding a replacement again, and we all know that the right shoes, in good repair, are one of the best ways to prevent injury.

The shoe reviews in Running magazines help because they often say things like “If you liked so and so, then you should also like such and such.” That was not an actual quote so I’m not sure that the quotation marks were appropriate.

I tried a running store in Portland OR one time where the guy had us run across their parking lot so he could evaluate our strides. While my daughter’s stride received the evaluation that she was “very neutral and had a beautiful gait,” I received “hmmm,” and “hmmmmm.” Direct quotes all.

Another store, Fit Right Northwest, had me run on a treadmill barefoot while they filmed it. We evaluated my stride in slow motion and decided on the best type of shoe for me. I have since worn a neutral and fairly well cushioned shoe like the 2002 Pegasus, before they messed with it and produced the completely unsatisfactory 2007 Pegasus. I used to find deals online and buy four or five pairs, but they are not so easy to find these days since the shoe is so old. I do support my local running store with some of my purchases because we need them to be there to help out, but I also support Internet sales to keep the prices where they ought to be.


I think that the treadmill evaluation of my stride was the best because it gave me a definite idea of the type of shoe I needed. After that it pretty much takes trying them on to see what fits you the best. And be prepared to stock up if you find a deal on “your” shoe, because next year someone will “tweak” it and you’ll be on the hunt again.

Run, always run.