Help! I Need New Running Shoes!

In November I completed the Big Sur Half Marathon, and come May I’ll be running Bay to Breakers in San Francisco. This whole running long distances thing is rather new to me, and I need help finding the right shoes. I use to train in a pair of New Balance WR760.

Women’s New Balance WR760 shoes for $99.95 at Zappos.

I like New Balance shoes, but I wore my last pair for way too long and I really felt it after the half marathon.

Currently, I’m wearing a pair of Adidas Supernovas, which I really like.

Women’s Adidas Supernova shoes for $100 at ShopAdidas.com.

I haven’t used the Supernovas for long distances, and I’m thinking about buying a new pair of running shoes to “break-in” before Bay to Breakers. Any suggestions?

Bacon Shoes at Zazzle

So I am looking through a cooking magazine for something to fix for dinner. In a sidebox they featured a pair of shoes. 

They are revolting.  They are heinous.  I want a pair.   

The Hover Bacon Extremes $64 at Zazzle.com

The close-up. 

Here is the funny part, there are about three or four options.

The Champion Slip Ons  $60 at Zazzle.com

So not only can you wear bacon on your feet, you can also wear breakfast.  These are not as revolting as bacon, but still pretty entertaining.  This website has opened up a whole new world for me. 

Breakfast Shoes $60

or Eggs and Bacon $72

There is a whole menu of stuff.  

Bacon.  Who Knew?

Update:  Nelodee mentioned the Eating Shoes by Tokio Kumagai, so of course I had to look it up.  I found a web site that showed several food in fashion pieces.  Here is a link to them.  Fiberarts Magazine  enjoy them.

The 17 year old with the pink tennis shoes

I’ve been following the inspiring run of unseeded tennis phenom Melanie Oudin at the 2009 US Open.  So far, she’s beaten tennis favorites such as Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova – and she’s only 17 years old!  I love an underdog and I honestly think this girl might have the determination, fierceness, and fight in her to win.  Just look at the concentration and effort written all over this girl’s face!

While watching Oudin play,  it’s hard to miss Oudin’s hot pink and yellow tennis shoes. After doing a little research, I found out these sneakers are by Adidas and the colors were hand selected by Oudin herself.  Supposedly, these shoes are one of a kind, but the interest level in Oudin is so huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if Adidas decides to mass produce or do a limited edition sale.  Sign me up for one, please!

The words “BELIEVE” are inscribed on the shoe.  When asked about the inscription,  Oudin said her boyfriend and tennis hitting partner (ahhh, teenage love) gave her the idea.  Fitting, because I totally ‘BELIEVE’ in Oudin!

Vibram: Ask For A Five Finger Discount

I am the youngest of a large family.  When I was a toddler, my older siblings would put my dad’s leather gloves on my feet and pretend I was a trained monkey.  We were easily entertained.

When I saw this photo it took me back to my childhood.

These shoes are by Vibram at about $75.00.  Time Magazine named them one of the best inventions of 2007.   Where have I been?

They offer a classic pump

A smart maryjane

and a stylish bootie.

I saw these in a store that specialized in outdoor gear.  I asked for the five finger discount and the sales guy didn’t even change expression.  No humour.

I don’t even know where to begin with these.  I will let you all have your fun with them.

Payless Does the DIY Trend

For the uninitiated, DIY stands for “Do it Yourself.” In fashion, it refers to people who take it upon themselves to modify or create their clothing to make it their own. No one has a more personal style than a fashion DIY-er.  It’s not easy to take a pair of scissors to a dress or write all over a pair of shoes if you haven’t done it before. I know. I used to think that the clothes were sacred! They were the way they were for a reason! This is clearly some mythic idea I concocted in my brain. It’s gone now. Payless has taken it upon themselves to make the first step easier by introducing the Friendship shoe.

This all-white shoe is sold with a package of three markers in order to give you the little push you might need to start scribbling on and personalizing your shoes. Originally, the idea came from kids. Remember, in school how important is was that EVERYONE in your class signed your yearbook or your cast (if you managed to break an arm)? These let you collect signatures with the need for tragic accident or the end of the year. But they don’t stop there. In addition to running wild with the pens that come with the shoes, you can also expand on the idea by adding feathers, paint, rhinestones, studs, fabric, or anything else in your craft arsenal. The possibilities are endless. The shoes come in both adult ($22.99) and children’s ($17.99) sizes and are available online as well as in stores in the New York Metro area (which includes New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania).

Did I mention that 100% of the proceeds from these shoes go to The Fresh Air Fund? This wonderful nonprofit program raises money to allow inner city kids to experience summer camp and outdoor activities free of charge. It literally provides kids with “fresh air.” Those of you who live in places that have large quantities of nature may not understand just how important this program is. I live in the center of Manhattan. On a regular day, it’s entirely possible that I may not actually see a tree, or anything else that grows. Kids in the city have little access to nature and little opportunity to run and play. This is an essential part of childhood and I cannot express to you how vital it is for a healthy childhood. I believe the Fresh Air Fund is providing children and families with a tremendous service.

To give you all some idea of the possibilities of the Friendship shoe, take a look at what our beloved Christian Siriano did with his pair:

That Christian has a way with feathers.

Another famous name, at least in the business of high-end athletic shoes and graphic design, also took a shot at the Friendship shoe. Jeff Staple has designed some of the most sought-after shoes in Nike’s history as well as limited runs for New Balance. He will be designing an entire collection of Airwalk shoes for Payless that will debut in Fall 2009.

So there you have it. The Friendship shoe gives you a chance to do some good, get some comfy kicks, and express your personality in one easy step.