A SHOE FOR EVERY RUN

Like many fitness enthusiasts I have what I consider to be a healthy sneaker fetish. When it comes to my running sneakers however, this minor fetish turns into a complete "hide-em'-from-your-husband, probably should seriously consider therapy" obsession. Not only do I buy a new pair every 2-3 months, I refuse to throw out the old ones... you know, in case I have a last minute running emergency. I keep a pair in my car, a pair in my closet, my gym bag, my gym locker. Heck, there's probably a pair behind the couch if I were to look. Still, as crazy as it may sound they all have a purpose and a run that makes them just right.

Let's start with the Vibrams Five Fingers. I wear those for my beach jogs and whenever I want to just really feel the ground. I enjoy being barefoot in general so they are a great sneaker to have around. 

Now the lime green Newbies (that's what I call all my New Balance) are great for trail runs on a softer terrain. They are Vibram inspired but have slightly more protection on the sole and come on, they're lime friggin' green! Who isn't happy running in lime green sneakers?

More rugged terrain calls for the cool-kid sneaker based out of Colorado, the Altras. (If you call Altra's customer service line it is highly likely that the guy you talk to will call you "dude" throughout the entire conversation. Sounds annoying but it's actually pretty amusing.) My Altra's are another minimalist sneaker but they have a cushioned insole, a wide toe box and they just make me feel more protected when running over sharp rocks and tree roots.

The last two pairs of black Newbies are my "street shoes" and they are my road race babies. Canal side, downtown, blacktop to dirt, they are perfect in every way on pavement for my size 6, slightly under-pronating tootsies. In fact, we just ran our best 5K time to date last weekend.

So like a parent with many children, my sneakers are all different but special in their own unique way. I always have the best shoe for all my favorite runs and no excuse not to blaze a new trail. After all, new trails make running exciting. And buying new sneakers? Well that makes running really, really exciting. So go ahead and buy yourself some new kicks... it's a healthy obsession.