Field Trip To Road Runners Sports Store

We needed to get some new shoes so, we decided to go up to Paramus, NJ and visit the Road Runners Sport store. I was itching to try two different shoes, the Mizuno Elixir 5 and the new Puma Velosis 1 or the Vectana 1. Sadly, the store did not carry any of them so I ended up trying out literally all of the shoes in the Stability section of the store (I am not kidding).

Joyce went in and was able to pic one fairly quick. When it comes to shoes, I am very picky.. Not so picky with clothes as I am with shoes.. I look at color, brand etc. I currently use the Asics 2150 and love them, but I wanted something new and different. I got bored with the color blue on my shoes and wanted something flashy, something you don't see every day. I could not just order something online because I could not try what I saw online. The guy who was helping us clearly love Nikes. That was his first recommendation, so I went along and tried the Lunar Elite+.. they felt good on my foot and for a minute I actually thought of getting them. The color was this cool green/yellow/white.. (hey, I said I wanted something you don't see every day right? lol) Once I started walking, my arch started to feel discomfort, so I sent them back.

Next in line was the Adidas adiStar Salvation. The cost? $140. After trying them, I was willing to pay the price. They look good, felt good why didn't I buy them? they felt too heavy as I started walking. I tried some New Balance, but they didn't have the whole line so the only ones they had were in the $140 and up. Did not like any of them. Next were the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 9.. Ahh we got a winner.. The shoes were just great.. great fit, felt great when I walked, but the color just didn't do for me. However, I kept them as top choice. After driving the guy crazy going back and forth with shoe boxes, he decided to bring me the last two I had not tried and went to assist some one else while I made a decision. On of the shoes was the Saucony Progrid Guide 3.. Was like love at first sight once I put them on.  At first I was not digging the color blue on them but I could not argue with how my feet felt. Yup, we definitely got a winner this time. :-) How long did this take? 1:30 hrs.

While we were waiting for the guy to finish helping some one else. Joyce found me a pair of compression shorts for the marathon.. awww.. :-) When he was ready, we went up to the register and as he was ringing the stuff up, I realized that I needed something to hold my gels and chomps while doing the marathon so I asked the guy. He started showing me the Bib holder but was too small of a pouch so again, I was undecided on what to get and started to browse. Finally, I got a waist pouch by Nathan. So the guy finally got to ring the stuff up, only to find out that the shoes were in the wrong box. So he went to the back and got a new one. He asked... "So you want the brand new ones or the ones you already tried?" I asked. those are the same ones right? Yes he said.. just brand new.. I said, "Ok, why not" We paid and left..

We decided to go to Hulligan's for lunch at Houlihan's. Food was simply great. The whole time was so positive.. to me it was like a date with Joyce, but with Jocelyn in it. After finishing lunch, we headed home. Needless to say, Route 4 was packed.. the GW Bridge was backed up for about 2 miles, I95 North was a parking lot, I had to get off on University Ave to get around 95 via local street. Took us almost 2 hrs to get home. We drove by some crazy neighborhoods.. some that put a chill up your spine, lol. We passed a Men's clothing store with the following sign "Buy 1 suit Get 2 Free" I said What? I asked Joyce if I was reading it right, but the one that took the cake was a girl waling on E Tremont Ave. She was wearing shorts, thin white short, oh yeah.. nothing under, not even a thong. A guy was walking behind her drooling over it.. Joyce and I were cracking up at the guy.

After a long drive home and the site of a girl displaying the Amazon (if u get my drift) we finally got home. I took out the stuff out of the bag and started to get ready to setup my shoes for tomorrow when disaster stroke. WTF? this are the wrong shoes... they are not wide..  Remember the box switch? yup that did it, I didn't notice the width change. SOB... I called the store and explained.. I had only three choices.. 1) Drive back and exchange them now. 2) Wait 'till next week to go back and exchange because they are close Sundays. 3) Mail them back and wait for exchange.. What did I do? well, I wanted my shoes, so I drove back to NJ.. lol... got home an hour later with my shoes.. :-) . I am ready for tomorrow.. Woohoo..