Shop at a specialty store where the salespeople are fitness enthusiasts
themselves.In New York, runners are blessed with a fine chain of equip-
ment shops called Super Runners, and many other cities and suburban
areas have at least one running and/or walking store. If you’re a tennis
player, look for a tennis specialty store. Same with cycling, yoga, and
so on. When you find a shoe you’re comfortable with, you can save
money on future pairs by shopping through a catalog or by joining a
frequent-buyers club at your local shop.
Make sure the shoes feel good from the moment you put them on.
Forget this “breaking in” business. Try on several pairs of shoes, and
take each one for a test run around the mall. Bounce up and down in
them; mime a few quick volleys.Cut yourself some slack ......................................................................
Recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and everyone improves
at a different pace. Getting inspiration from other people is great, but don’t
let anyone else’s accomplishments diminish your own. Be proud that you’ve
worked up to walking 3 miles every other day, even if your neighbor runs 10
miles a day.
And don’t get mad at yourself if you miss a few days — or even a few
months — of exercise. Expect to be up and down a bit in your motivation,
which means you won’t always exercise with the same consistency and
frequency. If you fall off the wagon, just try again. You have the rest of your
life to get this right.
Chapter 3: Establishing Your Plan of Attack 43