Ugh.
I am soooooo not a shopper, as evidenced by my trip to the store today.
My mission was to purchase a new pair of running (insert cough) shoes. We should probably rename them power walking shoes as that is what I’ll most likely be doing.
My old pair…
Brooks Running Shoes
…is at least eight years old. I purchased these shoes during Rooster’s first year on a travel soccer team. I think he was seven years old. One of the parents of his teammate’s owned a shoe store, and I was invited in for a good fitting.
Back then, I worked out four to five days a week, and it was my practice to walk/run on the path that encircled the soccer facility. I needed a good pair of shoes.
It was my first (and only) professional shoe fitting, during which I learned that my feet are quite odd. My right foot measures at 7.5″, while the left is 8″. This requires me to buy size 8.5 shoes to accommodate the left foot. In addition, my feet are a little wider (hence, Nike shoes, which are narrow, won’t fit properly), and my heels are narrow. I also need good arch support.
Lovely.
I walked out of there after spending $80+ dollars…a figure I sucked in my breath at. We were poor (things haven’t changed much), and it was an unexpected expense. However, the shoes held up well, so I got my money’s worth.
This morning, after getting the green light from the Mr., I headed out to Sports Authority armed with a $10 coupon I found here.
Oh boy. It wasn’t long before I wondered what I had set myself up for.
The young salesman was exceptionally patient as I explained my foot oddities. I told him that I had previously owned a pair of Brooks, and he quickly pointed to the only pair the store sells:
They were lovely but, unfortunately, were not available in the size I needed. I did, however, try on the 8’s and loved them.
Next, I tried on a brand I’ve never worn before: Under Armour. I wasn’t satisfied with trying on one pair. I tried on three different colors (pink is not pictured below):
This is where things started getting hairy.
I liked the way the black pair fit, but I didn’t like the color. So, I tried on the blue…exact same style. But for some reason, they did not feel good on my feet. The pink were a slightly different style and did not fit well on my feet at all. I quickly discarded them.
This left me with three viable pairs to choose from.
Ugh.
Back and forth I walked, changing pairs. I tried walking with one of each style on each of my feet.
Ugh.
The thing that really bothers me about buying running shoes is that you never know how they are going to feel until you get outside and run. And by that time, you’re stuck with the pair.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to let the store drop ship a pair of the Brooks in the size I needed. I already know I like that brand, and that it feels good on my feet.
Only AuburnChick can make things so complicated, right?
Ultimately, I came home with this pair:
I sacrificed the way they look on…not so feminine…and went for the way they feel.
Next time I go shopping, it’s gonna be for yarn!! It’s a different kind of torture, but much more pleasureable.
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Brooks shoes, running shoes, shopping, Under Armour | 2 Comments »
AuburnChick's Adventures 