Here in the metroplex we have a shoe store chain called Luke's Locker. I found this out from the 5Ks that I've run cause they are one of the sponsors (usually). Anyway, I'd been needing a new pair of running shoes and I had some Christmas money to spend...so I decided that a new pair of kick would be what I spent it on. I checked out the selection at Hibbet and Academy, but just wasn't sure exactly what I needed and the people that work there don't know what you need either. Heck, you're lucky if you can ever find them to get a shoe to try one. So I asked Jim to take me to Luke's since they are a running shoe specialty store.
I walk in expecting to do what I always do...look at the selection and pick out the "pretty" one and hope it's practical for my needs :) NOPE! There is a shoe selection on the wall, but they weren't there for me to choose from. The salesman met me almost immediately once I got past the running clothes section. He asked me to have a seat so he could look at my feet!...ok... then he asks me to walk away from him and then back towards him. He's checking out my feet the whole time. And I'm afraid he's looking at my nasty toes that are WAY past need of a pedicure! But he wasn't interested in my nasty toes, he wanted to see how I walked/stood so that would help him grab the correct shoe from the back. Then he asked me how much I ran, intensity, and what I was training for. After he gather all my info, he took off to the back. He came back with a variety of shoes and colors. None were what I asked for, but what he said would be best for my foot and it's needs. I about flipped when I saw that he brought me a 10!! A freakin 10!!! I've wore an 8.5-9 shoe since high school. Now this guys telling me I'm a 10! (At this point to tell me that ANYthing on my body it going up in size is an insult!) He tells me I've been wearing the wrong shoe size for a VERY long time. Well, low and behold he was right...I wear a 10 :( But the shoes he brought me were like wearing clouds! It was hard to narrow down which one I liked, but I was advised to try closing my eyes and NOT look at the shoe but to just determine which felt the best...despite if I thought it was ugly or not.
Well, lucky for me the shoe that felt the best is pretty spiffy. They are Saucony Ride(s). And they are wonderful! Now when I run, if anything ever hurts...it's not my feet anymore!
Anyway, it was a new experience for me and Jim thought I should share it. If you are a runner or thinking of becoming a runner, I urge you to try out a store that specializes in running shoes and make you go thru this process. Cause the right pair of shoes is like having the right pair of tire on your car/truck! And in running, the wrong shoe can make you hate it or hurt you :(
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2 comments:
Those places are great huh?
Aaron started jogging when we lived in Duncan and was having alot of knee pain - the physical therapist sent us to a place in OKC like this. He even stepped on a little mat that showed his pressure points on his feet. And your right the new shoes helped his form and knee pain!
I also like that they actually carry widths. It cost a little more but worth it :)
Ok now fancy shoes -- go win another race :)
that is so cool that they took the time to figure out what shoe size you really are. I would be with you when he said you wore a bigger size than you thought. I would have thought he had lost his mind.Glad that you found some good running shoes. Happy feet makes for a happy runner/mother/wife! lol
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