Running in a Skirt

I had a cool experience today. A genuinely cool, dare I say "fun," experience. Here's the kicker:

The experience involved paying more than I normally pay for something, talking to someone I don't know (which I normally hate) and exercising in front of a stranger.

Oh, and I ran in a skirt.

After a week-long flirt with yet another set of blisters on the back of my heels, I decided it was time to trade the Shopko Nikes in for a pair of real running shoes. I had heard numerous good things about a store in Janesville called All Season Runner.

It's one of those places where you go in and tell them about your workout, show them how you run and they match a pair of shoes to you.

It was awesome. The owner, Tawnya, was working and she actually measured my feet -- standing up and sitting down. She had me walk around the store for a long time to really feel the shoes. She watched me walk and run on a treadmill and told me how to improve my form. She even complimented my skirt. Seriously, can you remember the last time someone actually helped you try on a pair of shoes and made sure they fit properly? I'm pretty sure it hasn't happened to me since the last time I was in Dale's Bootery in Whitewater, circa 1990.

The icing on the cake? There's a 30-day return policy if I don't like the shoes I chose.

Who knew?

Here's the other funny part. I ran on a treadmill (did I mention I was wearing a skirt?) for a few minutes a couple of times without breaking a sweat and without huffing and puffing. That might have been the coolest part of all.

This is the kind of place I would have been intimidated to walk into as the old me. But it's exactly the kind of place I should have walked into because Tawnya is the kind of person that wouldn't have judged me and would have helped me get started. There are even running classes (get ready for your first 5K/triathlon/marathon), fun runs and all kinds of cool stuff. Like a community. Sort of like what we have here.

Two thumbs up, All Season Runner. I'll be back. Without the skirt.

(And if you need directions or don't want to go alone, let me know. I think I'd like to hang out there.)