Adventures in Sneakers

I LOVE new workout gear, especially sneakers.  But when it was time to turn in my old, faithful Brooks Ghosts (the first real running sneakers I’ve ever owned) I was skeptical to say the least.  So, with the recommendation of a few of my fitness friends who I knew would not steer me wrong, last Saturday I headed out to Jack Rabbit to buy a shiny new pair of what I assumed would be an updated version of the exact same shoes I had.

I walked into the store with the thought that this would be like any other shoe buying adventure- I’m sure that those of you out there who have had the full Jack Rabbit experience are thinking about just how wrong I was.  I worked with an incredible sales person who explained EVERYTHING and I mean everything in detail to me.  For anyone who has never purchased new running sneakers at Jack Rabbit before, it is quite the process. Let’s just say that by the time I left I felt like there could not possibly be a better pair of sneakers for me out there than the ones I purchased.

Step one was to put on a pair of “neutral” sneakers, which allowed the sales person to see if my gait was straight.  They took a video of my feet while I ran on a treadmill and guess what? It turns out that despite 10 years of running around a gym with no shoes on (which I assumed was ruining any chance my feet ever had to be normal) because of colorguard, I have a perfectly straight gait.

Step two was to run on the treadmill in six different pairs of sneakers until I found the right ones for me.  At this point, I still assumed I would end up with updated Brooks.  But, it came down to a pair of Asics and a Pair of Sauconys (which happened to be the first ones I tried) and I could not decide between them.  So, I actually ran on the treadmill with one of each of these on- which felt interesting to say the least.  I finally decided on the Sauconys, and I LOVE them.  They are not only very supportive and comfortable but I am in love with the neon colors (In the picture on the right they are the yellow and pink ones on my right foot).

I’m sure you can tell by now that I am an extremely sentimental person, so I have to say that when it came time to part with my old Brooks I was feeling a little melancholy.  I wore these sneakers on my first run EVER, in my first race, my first 10K and for countless miles that helped change me.  Needless to say, not only did I feel attached to them, but I trusted that they were the right shoes for me.  It made parting with them a little bit easier though, when I found out that Jack Rabbit takes donations of old sneakers.  And get this- if they are too worn to be donated, they turn the rubber into tracks for schools and parks!!

I have fallen so in love with my new sneakers that I now consider myself a Saucony fanatic, although who knows what my next trip to buy sneakers will bring.  I cannot wait to take my new sneakers on their first big adventure this weekend as Julia and I head to Montauk for our first Triathlon Sprint! I’m sure there will be more on that from both of us next week.

Enjoy the rest of your week! And don’t forget to check back on Sunday for “How I Got Here (Part Two)”

Crystal

@FitCrys

#FITJ