Shoe Shine

11/13/11

I love my running shoes. I know this sounds weird but I really love them. And by almost anyone’s standards beside mine they are complete shit. I did the last 17.2 mile of my brother’s marathon in a pair of kicks that showed a few little piggys and have the tread removed in a way reminiscent of a sedimentary stone cut in a grooved manner to show different layering.

Another pair I adore is in the start of its’ 7th year of treading ground. Nor am I a sole brand wearer. New Balance, Pearl Izumi, Mizuno, Adidas, Reebok, Asics and others have been the buffer for my foot from the ground. The real unique thing between all the shoes worn is I always pick one that has no plastic in the sole, so that the foot strike can work itself into the shoe rather then the shoe working itself into the foot strike. This trend I have of wearing shoes until they have nothing left, I have worn the tread away so what is left is just some sort of tough sack encasing my foot, is now becoming popular in a slightly different way.

The new five-fingered shoes or “foot gloves” as I prefer, demonstrate what I have been doing all along. This shoe essentially says that as long as the foot is protected from the ground then minimal is the way to go. I just get a shoe and work out the minimalist design best suited for my foot in the way that wind makes out the design of a desert rock; through time and striking. The way, and how often, the wind strikes the monolithic up cropping literally makes the rock’s shape. When I run, I wear down the tread the way my foot desires by treading away the excess. It is no surprise that this is a trend now because I have always been a little ahead of the times….. running pun intended