Needing Some Good Shoes

Last year in May, I walked my first 5k ever.  It was an amazing feeling!  I hated not being able to run (because of my knees), but just completing the event was exhilarating!

But then I came home and took off my shoes to find GIGANTIC blisters.  They were seriously huge, hurt super bad, were in delicate spots, and they left me in pain for about 2 weeks while healing.

After that, every time I have tried to put on those tennis shoes for walking, a little blister pops up in one of the places of the former monster blisters.  :(

So yes, recently I was avoiding walking because of my right knee slipping repeatedly from socket.  But honestly, I have been avoiding exercise for nearly a year now because I don't want to put on those shoes!!!

I know you are thinking I have serious issues - just get some new shoes.  But I have reasons.

First off, I have extremely flat feet - absolutely no arches.  Doctors watch me walk barefoot and seriously say "Wow!"  Even at 9 months old my mom has in my baby book that I had to see a podiatrist for physical therapy for my feet.  The entire reason my knees dislocate is because my flat feet pull all my bones and ligaments and joints out of alignment.  So although I've tried on several tennis shoes recently, none of them feel right on my feet.

I have super weak ankles.  Again, this revolves around the flat feet.  I can go out and walk 1 mile on pavement and limp for 3 days afterwards.  It is crazy.  In fact, I can GROCERY SHOP for too long at too many different stores or stand too much washing dishes and doing chores around the house in a day and limp for 3 days because of it.  It's very embarrassing wobbling into stores when you are so young!  My ankles need a good shoe!

Thirdly, I know I want a really good pair of shoes.  Problem with that is money.  We have our needs met and out bills paid and whatnot, but I don't have $70 to $150 laying around to throw into a pair of SHOES out of an average paycheck.  I shop at Payless Shoesource, Walmart, Target, and Kmart for shoes!  There, I've admitted it!  LOL

However, we should be getting our income tax return sometime in February and I really think I should fork out the money to go to a REAL shoe store and have my feet evaluated and measured and my gait (walking) watched and taken into consideration.

I have found one store online in my area.  It is called Fleet Feet.  I am just wondering if any of you know of another chain store that specializes in this type of thing???  If so, leave a comment and let me know.  Maybe there will be one in my area!  Fleet Feet has a really great rating on several different websites, but I always love to have a choice in things.  :)

I feel nervous about this.  For one thing, I feel silly being a 214.5 lb woman walking into an athletic shoe store.  Secondly, I'm not a runner.  However, the website did say that they want to make sure "walkers AND runners are fit with the proper shoe."  Whatever, I'm going regardless.  They can't be rude to me to my face anyway.  Plus, I'm a fun gal, right?!  LOL

Thanks for your input if you have any!  Hope you are enjoying the weekend.