The perfect shoe

The perfect shoe: it's not for two.
It works for me, but not for you.

The last time I bought a pair of running shoes, I took along a friend who is not a runner. She seemed baffled by my evaluation of each shoe that I tried on. I asked questions about each pair, making comparisons based on fact and feeling, comfort and credibility. My last thought, as I made my purchase, was how the shoe looked.

Like I told my friend, if I'm going to spend so much money on one pair of shoes, it sure as hell better last me a couple hundred miles (at least), whether it sparkles, shines, shouts, or shimmers. The perfect shoe for a runner is one that bounces back with every step you take, can handle the heat and holler of every terrain, compliments your arches, hangs onto your heels, stabilizes, neutralizes, or controls the motion of your foot (depending on your foot type), and helps correct your gait (the way you walk, or run). Furthermore, the perfect shoe for an athlete depends on the types of workouts one conducts: speed, long distance, on the road, on the track, on the field, with a jump or a leap, cutting, sliding, kicking, and on and on and on.

When I run, I don't even want to notice that I'm wearing shoes. I've had shin splints far too many times to trust just any shoe or brand. Just like people, the prettiest shoe isn't always the nicest. My shoes are like armor, protecting me against the evils of the running world, the mighty stress fractures, the dreaded Iliotibial Band Syndrome, and the ferocious, ruthless, merciless runner's knee, while providing the flexibility and breathability that my toes and feet desperately need. As materialistic as this may be, your running shoes should become a part of you, otherwise you'll find nagging issues with them, particularly blisters.


Every foot is different, like snowflakes!