I started wearing Brooks my senior year of high school when my beloved and incredibly patient algebra/cross country coach took us to a running store in Nashville. Ahh, math and running, the two things 17 year old Emily was the worst at. This teacher consistently made me feel like I didn't suck at either. Well, I'm still pretty shit at both, but I do them with a much better attitude. Haha just kidding, I do running with a positive attitude, you don't use algebra in the real world.
So, we're at this running store and for the first time I actually got fit for a shoe. They tested my foot fall, my arch, took my size, asked questions- it was all very professional. Then they set me up with the Adrenaline model. It changed my life.
I'm serious. I have fairly flat feet and my right foot has a severe pronation. Like...if I stand up straight forward, heels together; my right foot points sideways. No big deal. I mean, I can't roller skate- but I plié better than a prima ballerina. So other brand athletic shoes I've gone to war with have caused high casualties. Sometimes I won, sometimes the shoe won. Because of my crazy duck foot (did I mention it's barely noticeable?) a lot of tennis shoes bit the dust because I would wear down the left inside tread. Other shoes gave me horrible blisters. There was a time where each of my little piggies got a new bandaid every morning just so I could walk.
The Brooks changed all of that. They feel good. They come in awesome colors. They offer support. I'm not the only one. Brooks has a type of shoe for any type of runner. My husband has totally normal feet an a pretty standard gait, except he wears a size 15!
You know what they say about guys with big feet? They have to special order their shoes. Well, Brooks carries all the sizes no problem.
As a final testimony, I'd like to share one more Brooks experience before I get to the real point of this post. I met a lady at the super market with some sweet Brooks, the Aerials I believe. Because I'm Pshyco about these shoes and a habitual maker of small talk, I let her know I loved her kicks and then insisted she reciprocate some appreciation for the Brooks Pure Flows that I was wearing.
It turns out I had met a fellow Brooks enthusiast. This lady shared how a few years ago she was in an accident and broke all of the toes in her right foot. She couldn't walk. Even once her toes had healed and months of physical therapy, she was still struggling to get around. A year ago a Dr. Recommended she try walking in Brooks. Long story short she gets around just fine now and said with the support that the Brooks tennis shoe offers she is back in action.
Let me reiterate these are not medical shoes only for people with deformities or clown feet. They're more like the sisterhood of the traveling pants, Brooks will fit you whatever your situation (Disclaimer: not suited for people with elephantitis or no feet).
ANYWAY, when I moved to WA a few months ago, I found myself engaging in yet another Brooksversation with a stranger. This woman's shoes really impressed me because they were weather resistant (Brooks Glycerin) and yeah, I live in Washington state. I was tripping out because I'd never seen this shoe, and I always look at the new arrivals when I'm at the mall (weekly people, I'm there alot). The lady informed me she had gotten them at the Brooks outlet. wtf!?!? There is an outlet? omg omg omg. There is one, and only one outlet in all the world. It happens to be located in upstate WA, in a little town called Bothell, where the shoes originated.
Of course I wanted to hop in my car and make the trek immediately, but the woman also tipped me off that on the first weekend of April, the store has a huge blow out sale.
Brooks ain't exactly cheap. At retail price they run anywhere from 100 to 170 dollars.
So, I knew I had to bide my time. I marked my calendar. I put an alarm in my phone. I called the store twice to confirm the date the sale would begin, and I made sure I had that day off work.
Some of you have realized by now that today is the first day of the first weekend of April. Ohmahgawd.
Shoetopia. Runnirvana. I was at the freaking Brooks Mecca.
I got two pairs of the Pure Grit trail runners and two pairs of the Brooks Glycerin. I wanted more. Really. But the place is more of a boutique than an outlet. I had a huge stroller with me, and it was chaos. Probably about 60 people pushing to get in. I don't get social anxiety, on the contrary, I was pumped to be in this teeming cess pool of like minded people. No, the problem was I couldn't carry shoe boxes and push my giant stroller through the narrow aisles. I had stacked four boxes on my 2 year old and that was all he could carry. Damn your tiny arms, son! I also got 3 compression tops that were shoved in the basket with the diaper bag. So those and the shoes on sale and with our military discount totaled 160 dollars.
Run Happy? Yes. I think I will.
