My sister gave me one of my favorite Christmas presents – specifically tailored (to me) running shoes! I was in need of a new pair as my Asics have seen their day, so off we went to Pacers in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland (http://runpacers.com). Established in 1991, this family-owned running and walking specialty retailer has 6 locations in the greater Washington DC area. They are considered experts in the field of running and have developed a strong following among area runners and fitness enthusiasts over the past 18 years. Senior management members are frequent speakers at large events like the Marine Corps Marathon.
What’s so unique and wonderful about Pacers is their custom fit process! Upon arrival at the store, I was greeted by an expert salesperson who first measured both my feet. After that, he examined my walk. Finally, I laced up a pair of sneakers and jogged around the store so he could scrutinize my running style. Based on that, he confirmed and could tell that I had low arches (which I knew as I already wear orthotics to balance my gait).
Armed with this knowledge about my feet and my run, he then brought out several pairs of shoes. Pacers prides itself in only providing the best in running and walking shoes so I was excited to see which brands and styles the salesperson thought was right for me. They generally bring out 3 pairs, but I think I tried on about 5 pairs, and jogged around the store for each brand and style, which included Nike, Saucony, Asics, Brooks and Mizuno.
At the end, I settled on the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 runners. I fell absolutely in love with the Mizunos as soon as I laced them up. I felt like I wasn’t even wearing shoes at all! I love feeling light on my feet and hopefully that will shave some seconds off my running time or encourage me to run a little longer! Although I didn’t know it at the time, the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10 just received the Best Update award from Women’s Running magazine. So, thanks sis!!
There’s nothing like getting new fitness gear to rev you up to exercise and be in shape! Even if you aren’t a runner, I highly recommend getting that new fitness item (whether it be a new yoga mat or just plain stylin’ work-out wear) so that you’ll want to try out your new stuff, especially if you’ve made fitness one of your new year’s resolutions.
No Ugly Duckling 