Passionate about ...feet

I just got a new pair of shoes. They are New Balance, 5.5 D. Okay 5.5 wide. This is probably my sixth or seventh pair from New Balance, and the third pair I've gotten just for work.  Learning my exact shoe size and actually finding a shoe company that consistently makes my size has been, seriously, life changing. It happened on a beautiful day in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Two of my very best friends and I were exploring the town and surrounding hiking trails in early spring about five years ago. We stopped by one of the bigger sport shops in town, Footloose. After spending a few minutes browsing around, Jake and Jaime asked to try on shoes. This was when the flood gates opened. I can't remember the guy's name, but he measured their feet fearlessly (even though Jake had some major talons). To their surprise, he suggested a size bigger than they usually wore. They were confused and that is when the foot man busted out a skeletal model of the human foot, pointed out several pressure points and demonstrated how it moved and the pressure changed as it went through it's motions. I was so impressed and moved because he was so animated and clearly very passionate about feet! That was when I had him measure my feet and learned that I have pretty much been stuffing my feet into a too small shoe, which would explain my callouses and pain in the ball of my foot after a busy day on my footsies. I didn't go out and get a pair right away, it took a couple more years for me to try the size he suggested. I was in Phoenix, teaching third grade, and running around like a mad woman. My feet were killing me at the end of the day, and they were even worse at the end of the week. They hurt so bad that I went to the doctor to see if there was something seriously wrong. I explained how my toes were wierd so maybe that was part of the problem..he laughed and then asked if I was wearing GOOD shoes. (Well, not really, but they were cute!) That day I ordered my first pair of 5.5D running shoes, and week later, no more foot pain! Now I'm able to go on a 10 mile hike or work a double at a busy restaurant with totally happy feet; life is good!

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