The water outline of my foot. I made this impression by stepping in water then stepping on the paper bag as recommended by many different running sources. The goal is to determine the shape of your foot so you can then get a running shoe that fits well and won't cause injuries. It seems that my foot is mostly neutral but I tend to pronate just a little when I run, so I need a cushioning shoe with a semi-curved last and just a little stability.

I guess. I'm not sure actually. I just went to Metro Run & Walk and they took over from there. They first had me take off my shoes and run about 20 feet to see how my feet were hitting the ground. Then they started bringing out shoes. I'd try them on, run a little, and they'd go “hmm” and bring more shoes. I probably tried on at least a dozen pairs of Asics, Saucony, Mizuno, Brooks, Nike, New Balance, and Addidas, and I ended up with a pair of New Balance—the M765, which has apparently been discontinued but is a lot like the M766. They were totally not the shoes I would have chosen on my own, but nice Mr. Shoe Man seemed to think they were what I needed and they felt good on my feet, so we'll see if they can carry me through, oh, a few hundred miles in the next few months.

What have I gotten myself into?