Long Run - February 7, 2014

Justification

A guilty pleasure of mine is reading and watching shoe reviews online. I love seeing why each incarnation is better than the last and what makes that shoe the got-to-have shoe of the moment. I could compare running shoes to hotrod cars, but I don’t know enough about cars to make that comparison other than they excite me.

Just like shiny cars gets me all revved up, so do a brightly colored pair of Mizunos, Brooks, or Sauconys. Heck, I even get excited when I see a new pair of Ascis or Nikes. And like any kid in a candy store, I want them all. Alas, I can’t afford that when the average price of a quality running shoe is going to be upwards of $100.00. I think the best deal I ever found was for a pair of Brooks Ravenna; they were $95 at aSports Authority.

Typically the shoes I want are around $125-$140, but on a single income every expense has to be planed for, or cleverly justified. The last pair of shoes I bought have been hurting my feet. They cause blisters, numbness, and even a black toenail. I know it’s the shoes fault, because I read somewhere that your shoes can sometimes shrink if they get wet. And the last marathon I ran, my shoes were never dry. For six long hours, they were soaked with sweat and water; yuck.I also read that running causes your feet to get bigger and wider over time. They can grow up to a full size larger.

Between shrinking shoes and growing feet, I am left with no choice but to look for and purchase a new pair of running shoes. Coincidentally Brooks just released their new shoe line called Transcend and our local running store just happens to have them in stock. Also my birthday is this month, so odds are I might be able to justify (weasel) my way in to pair. I’ll let you know how it goes. 

Arctic Strides would like to know what is your favorite running shoe?