Last season's shoes

Today, I ran for the first time in a pair of shoes that I bought in April.  My pace was fast due to what felt like the perfect foot strike.  My effort was no greater than any other training session, yet the performance exceeded what seems to have become my standard by a notable margin.

I hate to think that an athlete's performance can be so dependent upon his equipment; however this is not really a new thought for me. When I realized that the company that produced the shoes that I enjoyed racing in was moving on to a newer model, I immediately went on a scavenger hunt to find what seemed to be the last pair anywhere.  A salesman at a  local store that specializes in running gear went into the back, and after some time came back with the exact shoe that I had asked for. Though it was not on their shelves, I still managed to get what I wanted.  It is worth noting that this was the fourth athletic shoe store that I had visited looking for said shoes.  Though I was excited to have found this item that I had so unwaveringly sought out, I promised myself that I would not break them out until the USAF marathon.

Well, today was the day.  I took them on a speedy 5 mile test drive.  I will give another solid breaking in session/test drive on Wednesday, but so far they are proving to live up to the amazing first impression that I remembered.  Tools don't make a mechanic and shoes don't make a runner, but the right tool sure can work wonders for a good mechanic.  Following that thought, I think that it is fair to say that the right shoes sure can work wonders for a good runner.

I believe that these shoes are the right tools for me to get the job done.  It is a shame that once these wear out I will likely not be able to find the exact model again. I now know why pro-athletes that show off their closets on Cribs have so many duplicate shoes.  Though it is likely all in an athlete's head, if you have the means to buy in bulk, you might as well stick with the shoes that feel comfortable and inspire confidence.

I think that shoe companies would do well to not stop production on popular shoe models just for the sake of progressing to the next big thing.  I hate being at their mercy, but until I can afford to hoard the shoes that I like, I suppose I am.

Despite the fact that 400 miles or so from now I will have to replace them, I am seriously happy with my footwear for now.