Walking reason to go shoe shopping’

Carolyn Wehde

Carolyn Wehde

Shoes are the icing on the cake for an outfit, to give it that extra oomph or admiring glance. Now, I am not talking stilettos, kitten heels, ballet flats, Dockers, sandals or cowboy boots (and the list goes on), but tennis shoes.

Yes, I did say tennis shoes. Some people may consider tennis shoes to be the bane of all shoes created, but tennis shoes have a certain appeal. Tennis shoes in this modern day are not the monstrous high tops of years past or your grandma’s orthopedic walking whoppers. They are edgy and sleek with various styles to fit individual taste.

Personally, I prefer wearing my trusted tennis shoes. With the distance that I inadvertently cover each day, it is a fashion risk I am willing to take. Why get blisters and bruises, not only on my feet, but on my face as well? Because I know I will trip on the rough cobblestone concrete outside of Ag Hall. Blonde days in heels, especially when walking on hard surfaces, are not good days at all.

The last time I bought a pair of slim, comfy tennis shoes, I was told that they’re good for 600 miles, and then it’s time to come back for a new pair. Of course, I have realized the sales associate could be spinning a yarn to earn more commission, but it’s true. So when walking is in the forecast each and every day, why get all tied up in knots worrying about the distance. It’s a walking reason to go shoe shopping.

For instance, my tennis shoes and I start the day bright and sometimes disturbingly early to walk from the west side of campus to the east side, where the brand new student Wellness Center is located. During the fifteen-minute walk, I come across various ROTC members, up before dawn, finishing their workout, and I am half-heartedly wishing that that was me and I was almost done exercising. Running a mile on the track or lifting some weights (sorry, I can’t pump iron as well as the guys) are not the only reasons I drag myself across campus.

Swimming is my go-to exercise to ensure full wakefulness for at least two hours afterward until I hit an energy slump. Then, you guessed it, it’s walking back to my apartment to prepare for the day’s classes.

By week’s end, I have logged roughly forty miles, and those 600 miles are wearing away fast. It looks like a shopping trip for new tennis shoes is in my future. So, when walking to class or hiking to the far realm of campus for that elusive club meeting, remember what happens when the pedometer clicks to the 600-mile mark. New shoes!