Elderly Shoe Porn

[TailChaser]

I thought instead of a picture of my fancy new shoes I’d show a picture of the ones I’m retiring. After only 244 miles Bert and Ernie 2 are having to retire due to an irreparable injury. They are mere youngsters as I only got them in January but they have had to cope with all sorts of weather conditions (they were muddied at Banbury PR in early Feb and never recovered!) as well as slightly wide feet (not wide enough for the wider shoes though) and it has taken it out of them.

They have given me my 5k and 10k PBs, taken me to 10 miles and they survived long enough to conquer the Two Castles. But all good things come to an end and I am exchanging my Launch 4s for a pair of cushioned Ghost 11s (named by Katnap ‘Randall & Hopkirk’) to protect my grumbling knees. To help the Ghosts last longer, I will invest in another pair of Launch’s soonish as I like their speed for the ‘shorter’ runs but not the 4’s as that bit by the toes went on my original pair and the later models don’t have it. It must be getting serious if I’m looking at having two pairs 😱

Farewell my faithful runners 😢

[backintime Graduate10]

*wipes a tear*

[HeavyFoot Graduate10]

Be gentle with the old’uns😇

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to HeavyFoot]

I will HF, I think they’ll be helping me out in the garden 😊

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to TailChaser]

I was going to suggest they’d make good gardening shoes. My dad used to retire his faithful slippers first into the garage for pottering about in his dark room or with his motorbike, and then the next pair would go to the garage and the first pair would be relegated for trotting up the garden to get a handful of carrots or brussel sprouts.

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to limberlou]

Trouble is I’d have to retire my old gardening shoes! 😫 I get fat too sentimental 😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

What a story they can tell...! Pop some plants in them...that's what I did with my own old faithful pair!

Wishing you many happy runs in your new shoes!

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

That’s a really good idea Floss, I may do that. Thank you 😀🤗

[backintime Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

I've put strawberries in welly boots but never used trainers. What plants did you use ?

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to backintime]

It should be runner beans surely?? (Stupid predictive text changing it to rubber!)

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10 in reply to backintime]

Small marigolds...and petunias one year!

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

They’ve served you well. I always take the laces out of old shoes and keep them. Sentimental as I haven’t used them yet 😘

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Irishprincess]

That’s another good idea, thanks IP. The laces in my new shoes are a bit dull so I could swap. I could also tie them into my Two Castles medal...? Fab! You’ve fired up my imagination 😀😍xx

[alisonx Graduate10]

well they have certainly been on a journey with you. happy retirement shoes! Love Floss's idea of using them for plants best get some runner bean seeds 😀 wishing you many happy runs in the new ones

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to alisonx]

Thanks Alison, our shoes hold loads of memories and it makes it too difficult to part with them 😄

[Hidden]

I had a similar muddy parkrun experience- I did a parkrun in January wearing the Reeboks I had just had for Christmas - there was so much liquid mud around the course it poured in through the “breathable” uppers of my shoes, soaked through my socks and gave me muddy feet. Cleaning my shoes afterwards was really difficult. I bought a pair of goretex lined trail shoes the next week and have been fearless of mud since! 😁

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Good idea Dozy, what a nightmare for your new shoes, socks and feet!!! It wasn’t so bad at Banbury but the shoes were a very pale blue which didn’t help.

[Katnap Graduate10]

Bye bye Bert! Bye bye Ernie!

Maybe Ernie will get on with Ernie?

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Katnap]

Nothing gets on with Ernie and my shoes don’t deserve that sort of ending (nb: for those wondering, our tortoise is called Ernie and he’s a very grumpy old man)

[Katnap Graduate10 in reply to TailChaser]

Maybe Ernie the shoe can live in an out-of-the-way elevated position?

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Aww, Bert and Ernie need some sort of sending off ceremony. Farewell you faithful pair! 😢😢😢😢

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

They do cheeky, maybe a light jog to the pub to drink to their future use 😁

[Fabulous450 Graduate10]

Three cheers for Bert & Ernie!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽! Wonderful achievements together TailChaser!! A fitting post to honour the journeys. 👌🏽 Well done you!! 🤩❤️ Xx

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Fabulous450]

Thanks Fab 🤗xx

[grumpyoldgirl]

....And they skipped off hand in hand into the sunset (as far as the pub)

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

Oh don’t GOG, you’ll have me in tears 😢😝

[mrrun Graduate10]

Brooks should last longer though. I've got them (walks) and Asics (running), gait analysis guys told me they would go for approx 1200km and they did. My feet don't look like normal human feet, hence they came up with some shoes that worked well with/around them. I run in all weather conditions and simply believe that for the money they charge, the product should respond. Like German cars, basically. Those things (shoes and cars) are built for distance & battering.

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to mrrun]

I know mrrun, I’m not overly impressed with how long they lasted. I did spend the first few months running awkwardly due to foot problems so I probably put too much pressure on the join that has loosened. I’m also guessing this is a weak spot that they’ve altered in subsequent versions (the Launch 5s & 6s don’t have it).

Can’t imagine I’d ever get 1200km out of any shoes though, that sounds an awful lot, I was just hoping to get to 500km which I’ve heard is pretty average. You must have to put a lot research into your shoe shopping, so I’m pretty lucky as I’m just a pretty standard size and shaped neutral.

[mrrun Graduate10]

I base 1200km on, roughly, one year of running. My current pair of Asics passed that mark three months ago and still look and feel great, so good on them. What sold me that particular shoe shop was a good old google search/review. They specialise in ski and running shoes and employ people who are very good at both.

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Those shoes certainly look like they’ve seen life TailChaser, and what a journey you’ve had in them. They will love being gardening shoe I am sure . 👟🦋🥀🌹🌼🌸🌻🌺