Shoes

 I used to think that shoes should last much longer than a year.  In fact, I thought they were nearly new after a year.  Now I think shoes are worn out in a year and are too old for walking and hiking at six months.  It isn't that the shoes are wearing out faster; we are wearing out.  As you age, the pads on the bottoms of your feet get thinner and you need more cushioning and support in your shoes.  The older John and I get, the more our feet cost, and I am just talking shoes here.

Each of us has three pairs of shoes that we wear for different purposes--walking in town, hiking, home tasks (gardening, woodworking).  My home pair is a retired pair of walking or hiking shoes.   Because of the hard surfaces, my walking in town pair wears out the fastest.  I think I replace all three pair in a year. This is starting to sound like a math word problem!

John and I have both retired our heavy hiking boots for trail shoes.  I like John's trail shoes a lot... they are a snazzy sparkly red.  But what works for him doesn't work for me.  Mine are silver gray Montrails with green trim.  I thought they were really ugly when I got them but I've adjusted and am just grateful for their support.  


John's snazzy red shoes

his   http://www.brooksrunning.com/Cascadia-6/110091,default,pd.html


mine  http://www.amazon.com/Montrail-Womens-Fairhaven-Running-Shoe/dp/B004KZOX4U

I had such problems with my feet for a while that I feared ending up with one of those ride around carts.  I do NOT want to go there.   Wouldn't it be awful to have to have to give up walking?  Three pairs of shoes in a year seems like a cheap and much preferable solution.  SOOO glad I found shoes that allow me to walk/hike.   I am grateful to be walking without pain.