For the last four years, I have run in a pair of Saucony Grid Aura TRs. They have been trusty chariots to say the least but have shown a lot of wear in the last year or so. At the end of 2007 I was entering the market for a new pair of running shoes and knew that updated kicks would be a prerequisite if I were to run a marathon.
Several months ago I picked up a pair of Asics 2120s on sale at DSW. They sat in my closet biding their time until last week. With training ramping up, I figured it was time to transition to the new shoes.
So this post is a goodbye of sorts to my beloved Saucs. I will continue to use them for the rest of this summer's Sunday frisbee games, but their days as running shoes have come to an end.
I'm not sure that I can speak for runners in general, but to me there is something special about a good pair of shoes. The relationship does not have a Wilson-the-volleyball level of intensity, but the shoes carry a lot of associated memories. For almost half a decade I entrusted the protection of my feet and the health of my shins and knees to these fellows and they never let me down. They've been with me for a lot of miles and I think that is at least worth a post in the runblog.
The question now becomes what to do with the Sauconys, and I have already entertained some different ideas. Greg suggested a viking funeral. A couple of coworkers were in favor of looping them over a telephone line for all to see. In all honesty, I may take them to Chicago with me so that like Moses, they can at least enjoy a glimpse of the running shoe promised land.
As for the new shoes, I definitely noticed a difference in weight when I laced them up and took to the streets last Wednesday. This is partly because Sauconys are relatively light shoes and partly because my particular pair was mostly worn away. The Asics felt significantly heavier, but also more smooth and padded. Like velvet tanks. They still seem a bit cold and impersonal, but hey, every relationship takes time.
3 comments:
I am going to suggest you not loop them and throw them over a telephone wire. That's the sign that someone has been killed. However, this was a most excellent post. I'm sorry you have to say goodbye to your shoes. :)
i always "graduate" my old running shoes into hiking shoes... then yard work shoes... and by then i already have another pair of new shoes gone old... it's a continuous cycle. sometimes if they're "cool enough" i take a toothbrush and some soap... give it a thorough scrub down so it looks closer to new, and wear them as street shoes as a fashion statement.
when they're not even wearable you can finally pass them on. donate them to a running store chain (niketown, finish line). sometimes they run promotions and give you $10 towards a new pair of shoes for turning in a pair of old ones. they turn the shoes into rubber turf for playgrounds... just passing on the enjoyment into a different form for the next generation...
if the asics prove disappointing, you can always get the updated version of your Saucony's. i'm sure they still carry them at DSW...
i thought that shoes hung over a telephone wire was a sign that drugs can be purchased in the nearby homes? i don't know if that's true in all cases though--there are shoes over a wire in Little Italy across from the church, and i certainly hope that the only mind-altering content being offered there is the Gospel!
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