I Got 99 Problems, But My Kicks Ain't One

My Nikes were shot. And that's an understatement. It started during dryland at the beginning of swim season- I was doing girly pushups and scraped a hole in my knee. The blood flowed freely, right down onto my orange Dual Fusions.

A couple mishaps in the weight room involving carpet and newly-formed scabs resulted in a cool red polka-dot effect on the toe of Mr. Right Shoe, while my annoying habit of kicking myself while I run gave Ms. Left Shoe an aesthetically pleasing covering of blood spatter.

And that's just the blood. I put enough miles on those babies that my poor arches were begging for some new support. I took a field trip to Running Wild and picked up a pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12s:

Aren't they pretty? My last four pairs of legit running shoes have been the Brooks Adrenaline model. They provide good arch support, wear well, and are spacious enough for my big feet to breathe.

Every pair of running shoes is good for 300-400 miles. I fall into the category of people that doesn't actually track mileage, so I rely on feeling. If my ankles and shins feel like they are taking a beating, or my calves start getting tight on a run, I know to look back and say "Hey, I've had these a few months now. Maybe it's time for a new pair."

And then I scoot on down to Running Wild and drop several ten dollar bills on some sweet kicks. Can't argue with a 10% student discount! They also measure your feet and will watch you run to make sure they fit you with the right kind of shoe. This is an invaluable service.

Especially because of the recession and shoe cost-inflation. Especially because 300 miles is quite a long distance to run in a pair of shoes that doesn't fit correctly. Especially because you, my dear, are worth it.