By Christopher Cudworth
Having more than a few miles on your legs can be a detriment when it comes to throwing on a pair of summer shoes.
All those years of running add up. Biomechanical flaws new and old show up in your gait. Things hurt. Like knees. Feet. Hips.
Which means that throwing on a pair of summer shoes is not so simple a proposition for those of us with miles still to go before we sleep.
Most summer shoes are floppy affairs. That’s what summer shoes are all about. You throw them on and go. They let your feet feel loose and free. Let them breathe.
But the ramifications of loose summer shoes emanate from foot to hip and above. Then the perambulations of summer shoes begins.
Those of us with orthotics slip guiltily slip our devices into summer shoes hoping they won’t blow out the sides or stick out the top. And there’s nothing so non-casual about a pair of sandals with visible orthotics inside.
But if you’re going to enjoy your running and riding when the summer shoes come off and the running or riding shoes go on, compromises are sometimes necessary.
One makes peace with summer shoes one way or another. They truly do make a difference in attitude. With a pair of white pants or a set of multi-colored swim trunks a dual-tone set of deck shoes finishes the summer look. You’re living in the moment. That’s as it should be.
But one must remember, tomorrow is another day. Another run. Another ride. You don’t want your legs and feet crying for mercy. You want them happy and ready for their more serious duties. Even in the summer. Especially in the summer.
Run on. Ride on. And enjoy your summer shoes any way you can.
