Generally, I take great glee in "killing off" a pair of shoes. When I use them to the point that they don't work anymore -- little aches here, nagging pains there -- they get taken out of the rotation. What a feeling of accomplishment! But even with shoes I never really loved, there is always a moment of sadness when I drop them into a bin at a running store. They've been with me through a lot and they always serve me well.
I recently had a pair that I was very attached to get killed off. Usually I get a little excited as that sacrificial point comes close, but I really dreaded it with this pair of shoes. Here is the tale of "Psy" (their abbreviation in my excel spreadsheet where I keep track of mileage).
I stumbled upon this model of shoe by chance. Pearl Izumi gave away a bunch of free pairs of shoes and I picked this one since it is their stability model. The first two pairs I got were rather ugly -- neon yellow and some blah blah blue. But then I got these puppies. Pink and cute and I knew they worked well for me.
It was love at first run.
We did some amazing things together this year:
Our first marathon together. Bear Lake Utah. They had very few miles on them at this point and I was skeptical about wearing them for a full so soon. But all was well (except for the altitude and that pesky marathon I had done the day before).
They even made friends with the bun.
Our second marathon together. Santa Rosa Marathon. Floated to a PR :)
We curtsied with the princesses at the DisneyLand Half.
And sashayed with the great Kathrine Switzer (yes, those are Kathrine Switzer's feet in the Asics!).
We ran the blue line at the Akron Marathon.
And they kept me going through 26.2 miles of steady rain at the Portland Marathon.
They were on my feet for my 16th marathon in 12 months at the Humboldt Marathon.
Running down the Avenue of the Giants at Humboldt.
We had a snowflake good time at the Holiday Half.
And they whisked me to another marathon PR at the Texas Marathon.
Our final race together -- my new shoes weren't feeling right (even though it is the same model) and I decided I could eek one more marathon out of Psy. They didn't give me any trouble (I honestly wasn't even sure I should have used them for Texas the week before they had so many miles on them at this point). And for my 26th marathon we ran 26.2 magical miles. Here we are with Donald and Goofy.
And then for days we walked miles and miles around Walt Disney World together.
And of course there were the training runs. The speed sessions and long runs. Those ordinary runs that I didn't always feel like doing.
Today I took the shoes to Sports Basement and dropped them off in the donation bin.
As I drove away I was filled with regret and sadness. Maybe I should have kept the shoelaces to wear on other shoes? I forgot to put back in the insoles (I wear orthotics) -- does this mean someone else can't wear them? I should have tied them together so they wouldn't get separated from each other!
I mean seriously -- it is a pair of running shoes! I am embarrassed to say I felt better that I had also dropped off a pair of Boyfriend's killed off Asics (the blue and white ones in the next photo) -- at least they had friends from home.
We ran 492 miles together. That is more than any other pair of shoe I've had before. I wanted to get them to 500 but got some strange aches in our last run together and I decided it was time for them to go. They've sat around the house for another month as I put off taking them in to Sports Basement for donation.
492 miles
Yesterday, as if by fate, Sports Basement tweeted this:
I followed the link and it took me here. It makes me feel a bit better.
14 comments:
I know that feeling of getting irrationally attached to something. It's silly, but what can you do?
I bet an aspiring runner-gal in Guatemala will be thrilled to get a pair of pink shoes!
This post actually made me a bit sad for those cute shoes, too; but they had an awesome run, really! ;)
And how cool that SB tweeted that?! Pretty much perfect.
What a great tribute to some awesome shoes that obviously served you well. You should send this to Pearl Izumi (really).
I think it makes perfect sense, honestly. I find it so difficult to find a pair of shoes that actualyl fit me well and don't hurt, (even sneakers), and YOU run hundreds of miles in them! Seems perfectly reasonable to get attached to a good pair.
Those were some great shoes! RIP
I definitely feel like my original Saucony's were superior to the version 3 or whatever they are on now. I know shoe companies need to innovate and create new lines etc but sometimes I wish they'd leave a good thing alone---ya know?
I wish my local store collected old runners! We have dozens of pairs in our basement. :S
Awesome tribute to some awesome kicks!
I need a place for all my old running shoes... im going to call around!
You know how much I love my Pearl Izumis so I know how sad it must've been to part with them. But now you have a chance to build a relationship with a new pair! :)
BTW - great feet photos!
I'm not that sentimental about shoes, but this post really struck a chord with me. :-)
Nearly 500 miles? You really got a lot out of them, in miles and in memories!
Wow, your shoes have traveled quite a bit! Amazing to think that they are now on an even longer journey to far away places!
BL usually gets rid of mine when the time comes :<)
Better to get them reused than taking up on I-5 there in No. California where all the shoes are tacked on to fence posts!
I've also seen them tied together and thrown over a telephone wire.
I hate the feeling of losing " a good friend" who has put in all those miles with you....I hope your new ones give you that feeling soon!
So long, shoes. They had some good times, but now it's time to usher in a new era...a fresh start. Hope you love your next pair just as much!
Great post! Coincidentally, I dropped off a pair of shoes at Sports Basement on Sunday -- though I didn't get nearly as many miles off of my pair. I tend to max out at about 250, and then the aches and pains start.
Hahahahaha... very cute post :D Man, you guys did have a lot of fun times together! And interestinng that the new model didn't feel the same.
I hope you find another pair that brings you that much happiness. Heehee.
P.S. "at least they had friends from home" may have made me giggle ;)
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