Okay, I’m going to vent…so be aware…a customer had me banging my head against a wall (virtually ) !

So yeah…customer has a sore big toe, his shoes are 2 years old, he doesn’t want to spend any money, he just wants his doctor to keep giving him cortisone shots, he walks, sometimes fast, on a treadmill, and can’t understand why a) he’s got the wrong shoes, and b) why the shoes are done? grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

You know, maybe the shoes he got 2 or 3 years ago are worn out, done, don’t do what they originally did, and they were possibly the wrong shoes…..those Brooks Ghosts had great cushioning, not much for support, and the wear pattern says they’ve been used a lot, and the wear pattern is hard to see, because the shoes are worn down to that midsole!!!!

Watching the customer just standing, the problem is pretty obvious…..he’s in pain, so when he walks, he’s walking on the outside of his feet. especially the right foot, because his big toe is swollen and hurts….standing, that one foot collapses in….when I finally talk him into taking off his shoes, and get him to walk normally, yes, both feet/ankles collapse, then standing and moving, he’s on the outside of his feet, stressing his knees…..but still doesn’t understand why?……..

We check his purchasing history, and yep, every shoe he’s had, has been the same, and he only shops after 2 or 3 years……and he wonders why he hurts!!!

When I finally get him to try on shoes, we try two….Saucony Rides, and a Brooks Adrenaline to correct that over pronation (yes, pronation is normal, but when pushing off the inside of that toe, not)……he didn’t like the traditional medial posting of the Saucony, but practically bounced when he tried on the Brooks, but still didn’t understand the difference….he still felt his 3 year old shoes should still be fine….that’s when the head banging began!……

The shoes worked! They actually worked…the Ghosts, pressure on the inside of his feet, and a sore toe gone….the Adrenaline, that’s gone…walking, pushing off the front of his foot, his toes…..and still!!!…..???

It wasn’t the most expensive shoe in the store, it worked, it did what it was supposed to do, and still, not convinced why a shoe that didn’t work to start with, and why it wouldn’t last more than 2 or 3 years!…..

He bought, he left, and he took my suggestion of seeing a physio seriously – I hope – but, shoes, those protect what we do…….they have a life span (I never go over 400 kilometres) and sure, not everyone needs support, yes, sure, you could run in bare feet (maybe) but that shoe has to work…..run in them, walk in them, if they don’t work, find out why….bring them back, return them……Brooks has been amazing at this, 90 days, run in them insde or outside, threw a river, whatever…..no questions asked, exchange or return……some other brands do that, some occasionally, but most shoe stores will say 30 days indoors only……but for the love of your feet, take the time….and

well, save my head…I’m still fighting a concussion, I can’t afford to bang that head too often…