I wasn’t quite ready to give up on my shoes this morning, so I told Charmaine not to take them back to the store… that I would do it later. Then I read a bunch of stuff about how running shoes are supposed to fit, how to break them in, how to lace them up for this issue or that issue, etc. I made a few adjustments, put them on again, and jumped on the treadmill. It didn’t take long to realize there really was a problem. My right foot was pretty good, but my left foot really wasn’t. When I was running or jogging, it wasn’t terrible, but if I paid attention I noticed it. When I walked it was really bad. It was sloppy enough that I didn’t think I could live with it long term. Every time my weight shifted to my left foot, I could feel it slide around inside the shoe. That’s not cool.

So I hopped in the car and drove back to Runner’s Corner. They were really nice. They let me try on anything I wanted and made it super easy to exchange them. I went home with the same shoe, but in a size 12 (instead of a 12 1/2). I’m still not 100% sure who makes this shoe or what it’s called, but I like it. I think it may be a tiny bit too bouncy for me, but it’s not a big deal… plus it will probably diminish over time as I pound these babies into the pavement all summer. The shoes say “Brooks” on the back, but I’m not sure if that’s a manufacturer, brand, trim-level, etc. I guess it doesn’t really matter.

Now I have to figure out how to run more distance without walking. Maybe these shoes will never have to walk. Maybe they will never need to know that kind of defeat. We’ll find out soon.

Jumping jacks: 50
Push-ups: 100
Treadmill: 2 miles walking, jogging, running (experimenting with the shoes)