if i had only known.

my foot was feeling better so, i got these. because it's cold now. and i need them. not because they are cute and at all flattering. i do kind oif think they make me look like a hardcore runner. but that's beside the point.


and i ran in them. once. becasue then my foot started hurting again. but not in the same place i hurt it before. this time it was between my toes and on the ball of my foot. it felt like i was walking on the bone with no padding. whatsoever. and it hurt. and friday, i woke up and both feet hurt. and i could hardly walk. and i was crying and depressed and wondering what on earth i was doing wrong.

and so, as a last ditch effort, i went here. see, i had been going to another running shoe store that was also staffed by "expert runners." but my feet hurt and i wanted to blame the shoes and not my running and so, i tried the new place.

first thing the shoe fitter guru guy said was that my custom-made, pricey, podiatrist-directed insert was NOT FOR RUNNING. what?!? "but the podiatrist told me i had to run with it. she said i wouldn't get hurt if i was wearing it. she said it would prevent future stress fractures. she was lying," i thought. or maybe she didn't know any better. anyway, i digress.

second thing the guru, runner, fitter said to me was that my shoes were 1/2 size too big and that they were not the right shoe for my foot and my pronation problems. what?!?! "but the other specialty running store fit me in these shoes. they said they were the right ones for me. they lied," i thought. or maybe they didn't know better, but i digress again.

so he pulled a shoe down from a stack of boxes and then took an OFF THE SHELF insert with a higher arch support, which he said would be better for my foot, and replaced the insole of the shoe with it.

then, he had me put it on. i did, i stood up and my feet DIDN'T HURT.
not one bit.

so, i bought these.

and the off the shelf arch support. and i bought into his advice and anyway, i'm never going back to Garry Gribbles again. and i'm looking forward to wearing my running tights soon. to run in. not to just wear. because they are ugly and tight and ugly.