Walk Don't Run

As I get ready for the next annual MS walk, it occurs to me that I have been using the same pair of running shoes for the previous 3 years. I also remember a bad case of blisters last year. This year I have been walking with some friends on a fairly regular basis just to get some fresh air and exercise. There has been no pain associated with these outings. Nevertheless, I went out and bought some new running shoes. There are so many to choose from. My niece, who is a jogger, recommended a pair. They have gel, a term for some new fangled cushioning I guess. The first pair I tried on felt like I was walking on rocking chairs. Weird! The second pair felt good The third pair felt good and looked good - I liked the colours - so I purchased them. The following day I put them on to break them in. No, that should be, to break my feet in. I have always had trouble acclimatizing my feet to new shoes. Generally, this would involve several weeks of placing bandaids in the appropriate positions until I had built up callouses. After about an hour in my new footwear, I realized these shoes and my feet were not going to get along. I took them back and exchanged them for the second pair I had tried on. These got the same 'indoor' break in and they remained comfortable the entire time. Eureka. They are really light and very wide, look a bit like 'Clown' shoes, as they have the appearance of having been run over by one of those steam rollers used out on the highways.