Hi. My Name is Liz and I Have a Sneaker Problem

I have a problem with sneakers. I become attached to them and cannot throw them away. I wear them until the sole is slick and then they go to rest in Sneaker Bench.  I don’t buy a ton of sneakers; I usually have three or fewer pairs in active rotation: one or two for working out and every day wear, and one or two for yard work, fishing and the rare vacation to a beach.

My sneakers and I go through a lot. I tell them my secrets, my hopes and dreams, as we pound the pavement or a treadmill. Here are some of the superstars:

These cheered me on in my first successful weight loss journey. We walked at least a mile three times a day, no matter what the weather. On weekends we sometimes walked four to six miles at a time. They saw me go from whiny fat girl, crying because she was hungry, tired and cranky, to a fit and trim powerhouse. They never judged me, treating me the same at both ends of the journey.

These were there for me in the skinny years. They took less punishment that the first pairs initially, but then I caught the running bug. Their cushy life ended and they never complained. We spent 30 minutes on the pavement four to six times a week and they stuck it out like champions.

These have stuck around for the last few years of gaining all the weight back and several false starts at getting back in shape. They have been kind and supportive. Never a word about missed gym trips or the extra weight they had to carry. Or about being left out at night unintentionally for the puppy to chew.

Yesterday we added a new pair to the family. They were my reward for beginning to work out consistently. Let’s welcome them and wish them well. They have alot of work to do.