The most expensive shoes I've ever bought

My shoes have been wearing down for a while and tell-tale aches have been starting in my legs, so last week I picked up another pair of shoes for the gym. They were a pair of Nikes, nothing terribly expensive, and I figured they'd do just fine.

Well, they didn't. I got blisters in the arch of one of my feet, and while I know that breaking in shoes can kinda suck, I was pretty sure that blisters don't belong there. I brought them back to the store this morning and began the search for a new pair of shoes, hopefully ones that wouldn't give me shin splints, which I get occasionally and are really starting to irritate me.

So I decided to stop into the local running store and see what they could tell me about my feet. The clerk watched me walk, then broke the news to me.

I have flat feet. Huh. Weird.

He asked my size and pulled a few pairs of shoes for me to try on. When I slipped on the first pair, it was like wrapping marshmallows around my feet and walking on clouds full of feathers and sunshine.

It was nice, is what I'm saying. I was in awe.

"Is this what feet are supposed to feel like?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

They weren't even the right size and I was ready to elope with them. This was serious.

And so I have a pair of these babies on order. See that copy there? Under the picture?

"The 1012 is ideal for high-mileage runners seeking maximum motion control."

I'm a runner. A real, live runner who has real running shoes. That feel like pillows of rainbows.

No, I can't really afford them. I almost barfed a little when I saw the price. But let's be honest: I can't really afford the trainer, either. Those monthly charges are going on a credit card. I couldn't continue down the path I was on, though, so I made a choice for my health at the expense of my finances. And these shoes took some consideration. In the end, I realized that every time I need to stop my training because my arches are sore, I'm wasting money. Every time I need to stop running because my shins are aching, I'm wasting money.

Not only that, but keeping my feet in unsuitable footwear is putting myself in real physical harm. Chronic shin splints can lead to much more serious problems, and my knee certainly can't bear any burdens if my other parts begin to bail out.

Sometimes, putting yourself first is hard. Sometimes, it's expensive. But sometimes, it's necessary. Welcome to my life, little shoes. You'd better last a good, long time.