The tortoise endorses the hare

I have always been partial to the fable the Tortoise and Hare, as I definitely have some turtle-like qualities. Slow, steady--or plodding, some might say. Despite my prejudice against the speedy, however, this week I visited the store Jack Rabbit to buy new running shoes. J.R. was named best athletic store by New York Magazine and the title is well deserved. Before you even try on a shoe, one of the knowledgeable staff members interviews you about your running history, running ambitions, and any injuries. Then, he or she looks at your bare feet, to get a sense of their shape and your arch type (not your archetype.) Only then do the shoes come out. You try them on, then run on a treadmill while a camera films your feet and lower legs. The staff member replays the video back on a computer, to get a sense of how the shoes work with your running gait. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the very nice woman who helped me, but she was great. A few of her suggestions made me nervous, but she seemed to know a lot and I decided to trust her. First, she said I should buy my running shoes a half size bigger than my street shoes. (I checked this out when I got home, and apparently this is pretty common advice). Then, she suggested I get Brooks instead of Saucony. I have only worn Saucony since I began running cross county in 1983, so this was a pretty major change--and turtle-like, I resist change. But, then again, my ankle got pretty messed up while I was wearing the Socs, so maybe change is good. Here is the result of the consultation.



I gave them a test run this morning and they felt great. Here is lovely picture of me post run.



One more great thing about Jack Rabbit. After your first full-price purchase, you get 10% off all future purchases. I think the 14th Street store should become a regular stop for all the Culkins obsessed with endurance activities when visiting New York