The rule of thumb for running sneakers is that they usually last a good 500 miles, which seems like a lot if you’re not a runner or live in suburbia. For City folk, those miles go fast and if you’re a park lover like me, it seems like it’s always time to buy new sneakers. I’ve been a die-hard fan of Saucony for the past 16 years, favoring their Guide shoe. Sauconys got me through every race, in every type of weather, every year. Even now as I clock casual miles, they have been my go-to sneaker. Sadly, the color palette for Guides is absolutely hideous. My most recent pair looks like I should be carted away to a home for adults that have serious mobility challenges. These are worse than orthopedic shoes. They look like they were forced upon me and not like I purposely chose them. (Ankle monitor not included.) The problem is that they are the most comfortable sneakers I have ever owned. So do I pick function over form? I put my own sensibilities to the test.
I marched into the New York Running Company in The Time Warner Center and pleaded for a better color scheme. They had sad grey with magenta laces and a gold stripe or a black combo with orange and bright blue that looked like Halloween revisited. How could the choices offered be even worse than what I was already sporting?
So I gave in and let the smart, capable sales guy offer me alternatives. I tried on a few pair from a few different brands and ended up buying striking New Balance kicks in a sky blue that looked great and felt better than good! I was told the support was about the same and the raised heel flap would hug my foot. I couldn’t wait to wear them.
My first day out I was so excited. I finally felt like I had “regular” sneakers on again and not like everyone was staring at my oversized black boats. I made it to The Fountain to meet Phyllis (which is just over a mile from my house) and already they hurt. This could not have been happening! They were sneakers! How could they hurt? They didn’t rub or chafe. They weren’t too tight or too loose. The foot strike was just off, and the bottoms of my feet actually ached from walking in them. All I could think was, “Feet don’t fail me now! I still have 7 more miles to go.” Oh noooooo!
As Jiminy Cricket sang to young, impressionable Pinocchio, “Always let your conscience be your guide.” In this case I had to let my Guides direct my conscience! Having failed the shoe test, I had no choice but to relegate the good looking baby blues to the back of the closet and put the hideous black cloud climbers back on active duty. The minute a palatable new color combination comes out I’m dropping these like third period French and switching back to my Guides. They might fail the shoe test, but they have never failed me.
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