Kicked My Kicks to the Curb

           So I had a pair of casualwear Pumas for quite some time.  Okay fine, for seven years to be more precise.  Those were my go-to shoes on a regular basis especially when I was running errands so needless to say they were pretty beat up.  To make matters worse for my already flat and wide feet I also rocked these shoes at the gym when I made the occasional appearance.  Unsupportive and exponentially deteriorating, I knew it was time to retire my favorite obnoxiously pink and orange shoes.  After doing a little research I discovered a good rule of thumb is to replace your sneakers every 300-400 miles. Since I was already at the point of no return, I had to force my frugal self to dish out the money for this investment.   Hello Nike Shox!

          Before making my purchase, I checked out numerous company websites as well as consumer forums to get the inside scoop on what sneakers would be best for me.   Although part of me just wanted to pick up the first cute pair of pink sneakers I saw I knew doing the research would be more beneficial to me in the long run.  For example, did you know there were three types of running shoes – motion controlled (flat/low arches), stability (medium arches), and cushioned (high arches)?  Well if you didn’t now you do! 

        After narrowing my choices down to five different shoes I ventured to a place I frequent quite often: the mall.   I tried on the final five, and I instantly fell in love the Nike Shox.    They had great arch support, high shock absorption, and were extremely comfortable with my wide feet.  I had a Cinderella-esque moment in an athletic shoe store.

      Nowadays, I don’t get shin splints and/or joint pain due in part to my old shoes’ lack of cushioning, shock absorption, and stability.  It's amazing to run and not be in total pain – did I mention it was worth the money?  Moral of the story is don’t sell yourself short in getting great quality shoes – your body and feet, in particular, will thank you with a more efficient and effective workout!