Love My Running Shoes
LoneWolfRunner
Posts: 1,160 Member
I really do. I love them. Some days the main reason I get my butt out to run is because I have new shoes. When I first started running just under four years ago, I knew nothing about running shoes and bought crappy ones. Then I learned that I belonged in minimalist shoes with zero-drop, and my love affair started.
My mother, who probably never ran a day in her life, suddenly was my biggest supporter and bought all my shoes. She always saw me as her little boy who got crippled up with arthritis when he was 14 and was never given any hope or chance of running. And then she got to see me four decades later running for no other reason than for the joy of just being able to. So she bought me shoes. She needed to be part of my transformation. Buying me shoes was a big deal for her. She asked me every time we spoke on the phone if I was ready for another pair. And good son that I was, I indulged her.
She was fascinated by my light, flimsy New Balance collection that I could roll up and put in my pocket. I think she thought they would all be like Keds or PF Flyers.
She also took great delight seeing what colors Merrell would be coming up with next. She ordered everything on-line, and it made her day whenever I told color didn’t matter and she could pick whatever color she wanted. I made sure that when a coveted box would arrive, I would drive up to see her so we could both see what gaudy footwear would emerge from the box.
And of course, there were times when I had to get some just to keep my rotation interesting. So I introduced her to strange names like Inov-8, Altra and Montrail. She thought they were boring, but she always pretended to listen with keen interest why these shoes were just as good as the pretty ones. I’m certain she did not believe me.
The last pair she bought me was on June 6, 2014. She passed away on June 17, 2014, after long battle with diabetes that ravaged her legs. I got the news just as I was finishing a long run in the early morning haze along the beaches in Cape May, New Jersey. I miss her, but she is there every morning that I lace up. I love my shoes.
My mother, who probably never ran a day in her life, suddenly was my biggest supporter and bought all my shoes. She always saw me as her little boy who got crippled up with arthritis when he was 14 and was never given any hope or chance of running. And then she got to see me four decades later running for no other reason than for the joy of just being able to. So she bought me shoes. She needed to be part of my transformation. Buying me shoes was a big deal for her. She asked me every time we spoke on the phone if I was ready for another pair. And good son that I was, I indulged her.
She was fascinated by my light, flimsy New Balance collection that I could roll up and put in my pocket. I think she thought they would all be like Keds or PF Flyers.
She also took great delight seeing what colors Merrell would be coming up with next. She ordered everything on-line, and it made her day whenever I told color didn’t matter and she could pick whatever color she wanted. I made sure that when a coveted box would arrive, I would drive up to see her so we could both see what gaudy footwear would emerge from the box.
And of course, there were times when I had to get some just to keep my rotation interesting. So I introduced her to strange names like Inov-8, Altra and Montrail. She thought they were boring, but she always pretended to listen with keen interest why these shoes were just as good as the pretty ones. I’m certain she did not believe me.
The last pair she bought me was on June 6, 2014. She passed away on June 17, 2014, after long battle with diabetes that ravaged her legs. I got the news just as I was finishing a long run in the early morning haze along the beaches in Cape May, New Jersey. I miss her, but she is there every morning that I lace up. I love my shoes.
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Replies
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What a beautiful post.
I'm sorry for your loss.0 -
This is wonderful, she sounds like she was an amazing woman.
I'm sorry for your loss.
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What a beautiful story and a wonderful connection you will always have with her.0
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Oh wow. I'm sorry for your loss. I love your story, though.0
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I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this beauty story.0
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i love love this post, love the shoes, love that you shared this, thank you. i am always delighted to hear how running changes people & the impact it has. i think that's why i get so nerved when people talk negatively about running. i can only imagine the awesome memories you must have of your mom.0
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3dogsrunning wrote: »
So much this.
It's absolutely adorable that your mom supported you in such a way.
It's amazing, loving, touching, and I'm trying not to cry at my desk.
I'm so sorry for your loss but at least you can carry a part of her on every run, for every mile.
RIP MommaWolfRunner0 -
What a great mother and such great memories.0
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Oh. This brought tears to my eyes. I'm glad you were able to share this with your mom, and that seeing your colorful shoe collection makes you think of her. I'm so sorry for your loss.0
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Solid.0
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Im sorry for your loss, happy you had a supportive momma
Love the pics of the shoes 0 -
Wow.......0
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I am sorry for your loss but what an amazing story. It is special that every time you lace up your shoes she will be on your run with you.0
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Love that!!! Your mum sounds like a wonderful and supportive person. Sad that you have lost her.0
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Beautiful BEAUTIFUL post. You had me on every word.... I hope you publish that somewhere.
As a mom of 2 boys, I hope that I can do something so simple like buy them shoes and it means the world to them.
Beautiful.0 -
I'm sorry for your loss. What a nice way to remember her.
Thank you for sharing.0 -
I LOVE your shoes also.0
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Love this!!0
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I love this post.0
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I am so sorry for your loss but what a wonderful story!0
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Aww. This literally brought tears to my eyes. What a special son you were to her, and vice versa of course.
May I ask where you first learned which shoe was best for your feet? I would love to get fitted but don't know what store to really trust.
Thanks!
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About halfway through, I started to realize where this was going, and the tears started to come. There are many things I have that I look at like this, and I think about it probably rather more than I should, because my parents are still here but we are definitely in that window and I hate it. I saved a pencil stub that my dad left laying around my house, one that he has whittled to sharpen and he would think it dumb but I have that in with my treasures.
Thank you for the read, it was beautiful. And so are your shoes.0 -
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Beautiful story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.0
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Love in those shoes. Thank you for sharing. You keep her alive with your memories.0
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wonderful story!!0
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Dayum. Awesome story V! Your mother sounds like she was a wonderful woman.0
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That story brought me to tears. It's good to have such a memory to connect to her so often.0
This discussion has been closed.
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