I’ve been meaning to get new running shoes for a long time and I’ve wanted to go to this store ever since it was recommended by another runner, but I was so intimidated because, truthfully, I don’t really look like I can pound out 13.1 miles.

But the girl helping me was great. She watched me run to see how my step is (my left foot is balanced, my right supinates) and then she just brought out the shoes and I compared them until I put these on. It was like walking on pillows, except that I imagine that walking on pillows takes quite a bit of effort, and these made walking (and running) feel effortless. They’re a random brand I have never heard of, Pearl Izumi, but they feel good and the store has an amazing return policy. They want you to love your shoes.

I didn’t get a chance to really try them out until yesterday, but considering that on my first run I put 6.6 miles on them without a blister, hot spot or new callous, I’d say it was a job well done.

Needless to say, I’m a happy runner with happy feet–and I love that now, with my Nike+ (the black thing on my left foot is the chip that I’ve attached to the outside–I refuse to buy a pair of Nike’s that I won’t like just so I can put the chip inside), I will know exactly how many miles I have logged on these shoes…9.7 and counting.