Friday, March 08, 2013

Walkin' (4 of 4) - Made for Walking?

Dig those crazy go-go dancers! :D Yep, her boots are made for walking. Hm - can't seem to make the same claim for my standard footwear.

I'm afraid I'll jinx my new walking habit if I do anything as committal as shelling out the cash for a pair of sneakers that are actually designed for walking, but these lower-end Nikes really aren't cutting it. Maybe it's just that the sneaks are too old (I think they were new late last summer, but even before I really started doing these post-work hikes, I still walked a good bit, that's just part of how people get around in NYC, tough on shoes), but my feet are definitely defining the range of my post-work walks. I'm good up to around 10 miles. Next couple of miles gradually get to be less and less fun, and somewhere around the 12-mile point the rest of me is fine, but the feet are just going "Ow. Ouch. Ouch. Ow. Ow." with every step. Sort of funny that the walking is what's running me into this limit - I used to run some and I never had problems then, but then again, my usual run was 3 miles (once around Prospect Park). Every now and then I would get ambitious and try to go around again and when I did that I would always end up with an unpleasantly twinge-y knee or ankle and that would be the end of that for a while - but I never ever went far enough that my feet had anything bad to say about the endeavor. I'm going slower these days, but a lot farther.

I have a paddling friend who runs a very nice outfitter shop, with lots of shoes, up in Cold Spring (click here to visit her website). Lovely little town, great hiking, haven't been there for a while, this need for some shoes that are made for walking might be just the excuse I need!

 And I think that's it for this week of walkin' songs. Too slow for you? OK, here a RUNNING song!
 

3 comments:

O Docker said...

I was wondering if you would drag out poor old Nancy Sinatra for this series. Some of us who were in school back then still fondly remember the miniskirt as one of the, uh, high points of the sixties. For your own safety, I hope that's not how you're dressing for your walks through Manhattan.

Definitely get some decent shoes. I find basic tennies are usually good for a few miles, but I had to upgrade to some mid-priced running shoes for anything longer. Why do most 'walking' shoes look like they're styled for geezers? Nevermind, I think I know the answer.

My wife has real problems with finding comfortable shoes for walking and has had to resort to gel inserts.

bonnie said...

Oh, how could I leave her out with the go go dancers and all?

I've been wearing a bit more than that for my walks - boy, I felt conspicuous enough walking through a heavily Orthodox section of Williamsburg, I was one of very few women on the street around there and the only woman wearing slacks (and showing real hair, the brazen hussy!).

Nobody bothered me but I can't think of another time in NYC when I felt quite so out of place.

bonnie said...

And thanks. Sounds like putting a little more cash into the shoes does make a difference. Encouraging. It's frustrating, this 12-mile limit!