The Joy of a New Pair of Running Shoes

One moment you're enjoying a relaxing Zen run in the park. The next, like a marionette whose strings have been cut, you're viewing the world from the ground, hugging your leg...or knee...or hip. Now is when you wish you had switched those fun Puma sneakers for a decent pair of running shoes.

Don't get me wrong, I love a pair of good-looking, casual sneakers as much as the next girl. But when it comes to running, I don't mess around with my shoes. I made the mistake of running a half marathon (my first) in a pair of old Nikes...I was out of commission for the next eight months. Never again! After that, I vowed to never buy running shoes based on their color or style. In case you didn't know, this is a super hard habit to break. I also made it point to visit Fleet Feet, and let them tell me what I should be wearing. Speaking of Fleet Feet, let me brag on the staff a for a minute. While I had been running for a good number of years before my first half marathon, I was a newbie in so many ways...what I wore, my shoes, the whole iPod debate, etc. I walked into the store and was immediately treated like family. They wanted to know everything about me, my running history, why I started running, why I love it, and more. It was an incredible feeling to be able to share my passion for running with someone who felt the same way. They watched how I ran and determined why I needed a certain type of shoe. Then we tried three different pairs, I ran around the store, and finally I found MY shoe. It was absolute bliss!

Now, every 5-6 months, I venture back over to this wonderful world of running shoes and pick out a new pair. It's the highlight of my running year!

What's my favorite shoe, you ask? That's easy...the Brooks Ghost 3! Asics and New Balance are excellent brands as well.

If you're looking for some good, very detailed tips on buying your next pair of shoes, check out the 2010 Runner's World Shoe Guide!

Happy running!