Before I'd started looking
Before I'd started looking into barefoot running, I was having some mild knee issues. I thought maybe I had the wrong shoes, so I went to our local specialty running store. To the guy's credit, he told me my shoes were the right ones for my feet and I didn't need new ones yet. (Of course, all this was based on faulty premises, but at least he wasn't just trying to sell me something!)
Anyway, I posted about all that on Daily Mile, explaining that I was wearing Asics 2140s I'd gotten on Amazon. I got this comment from a stranger:
"Hi Beth. I actually work for a running store in Florida and we do the gait and fitting process. It is great that you went and was checked out. I would suggest that you watch out about buying shoes online because they have a shelf life just like can foods. The Asics 2140 is last seasons model and which they are on the 2150 now and they are about to do another change in October. So the 200 miles that you have on your shoes, is really like have 600 to 800 miles. Running shoes are designed to break down like that."
I was floored. I couldn't believe this lady had gotten training at a running store that taught her that shoes that have sat on the shelf for a year have "broken down" at the same pace as shoes that have been run in for that time. My husband and I got a good laugh out of it, but it also made me mad. Talk about telling people anything to sell them a shoe!! Let's just say I hope not too many Floridians are going to that running store....