The shoe that picks you...

I would like to propose that my running shoe shopping is very much akin to Harry Potter’s wand shopping—mostly in that it is not “shopping” at all, but “matching.” For anyone who is not familiar with Harry Potter, a little background info may be necessary. You see, upon coming of age each new wizard must begin wizardry school and buy a wand (so as to perform magic). This process of finding the right wand is not as simple as perusing the selection and randomly choosing one. Oh, no. That would be far too simple for a future wizard. There must be a magical connection between the wizard and the wand—a flick of the wand in the hand and voila! Sparks! This is how a wizard knows he has found the right wand.

Well, I have learned that the process is not much different in finding running shoes. Talk to any person who has found that “perfect” shoe. They will agree. Today I went to my favorite running shoe store (Runner’s Corner in Orem) to attempt to find that perfect one. I tried on shoe after shoe…starting with Mizuno and moving on to Brooks and Sauconys. Nothing seemed quite right. Then, the sales associate brought out the magic box: K-Swiss K-ona shoes. I slipped my foot into one shoe and it felt like heaven! The weight, width, support, breathability, and color were all perfect. I could feel the magic. With the shoes fasted onto both feet, I set out for a brief jog. It was love at first step. I knew this pair of shoes was the “one.” The K-onas felt like they were part of my foot—an extension of my appendage. It was like the shoe chose me—it was my sole mate.

Now that I’ve found my K-onas, I cannot settle for anything less. I have to have these shoes! I had the store put them on hold for me and I can’t wait to go back and buy them!