In 2005 I ran the Vancouver Sun Run as a member of their “team.” I was profiled in the paper, wrote weekly diaries about my training and ended up scooping a boat load of awesome New Balance gear for my efforts.

To get fitted for that gear, I visited North Shore Athletics to be properly scoped out for shoes. Jennifer handled me that day. 4 years ago.

I haven’t been back to North Shore Athletics since, but when I realized the shoes I had bought for my Easter Island Marathon weren’t matching the comfort of the shoes I used to run in, I knew it was time to get a new pair.

I absolutely LOVED my Nike 10//2 Zoom Airs. The Lance Armstrong line of Nike gear is pretty sweet and these shoes were killer. The problem, I’ve heard, is the air bladder burst too easily and so the shoes aren’t made any more. Zoom Air technology is in other shoes, but the bladders are more sealed up inside the sole instead of exposed.

I am pretty silly when it comes to buying shoes. I’ll buy the best looking pair, not the best fitting pair. If they’re black and yellow – I’ll get them. Yesterday I hit up the Nike store in Kerrisdale to pick up some shoes and almost got a pair. Then I stopped. The dude in the store was nice and friendly, but he didn’t know shoes. He knew how to run the register, but he wasn’t a runner. Know what I mean?

Halfway through the conversation I just stopped myself. I needed to talk to a runner. Someone who will look at my gait and get me the best shoes, not the prettiest. I needed to go to The Right Shoe, Rackets and Runners or .. North Shore Athletics.

When I went in North Shore Atheletics today, Jennifer came up to me as I browsed the wall with my tired old Zoom Air in hand. She stopped. “You’re Buzz, you only buy black and yellow shoes. I helped you for the Sun Run a few years ago.”

Wow. 4 years ago. Haven’t been in since and she pulled that out? Impressive.

So Jennifer had me roll up my pants, run back and forth. She looked at the tread of my tired old shoe (something the Nike dude didn’t do) and determined I had a neutral stride. She asked me why I loved my old shoes and discovered I wanted something light and cushiony. Armed with that info, she went into her storage to find the best black and yellow shoe she could.

First there was one from New Balance that was too much like my stiff ones I currently have. Then there was a bright yellow AdiZero from Adidas that I LOVED but was a little too light. Finally I tried on the Nike Lunarlite.

Perfect support. Light and cushiony. And while not black and yellow, it does fit my palette.

Had I gone into that store on my own, I would have bought the prettiest shoe. In the end, I got the best shoe that was damn pretty.

I mean, I’m named after Buzz Aldrin AND I’m going to be running the Easter Island Marathon in Lunar shoes? Cool.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

Tags: fashion, health, sports