The Ruby Red Running Shoes

I hated them when I first bought them. They're so . . . so . . . well, red. When I go to buy a new pair of running shoes, my criteria are as follows: 1. I will not pay full price - must be on sale at Rack Room or a similar place. 2. I really dig the squishy Saucony's. 3. I look for the least offensive color possible - white, grey or light blue.

I really needed shoes for my afternoon walks in about summer or fall of 2005, and I was in a pinch, so I bought these white Saucony's with red accents and trim. Each day after work, and on weekends, I would walk on the beach in these shoes, and got into probably the 2nd best shape of my life. As I walked on that beach, I would decompress, dream, scheme, and pray for God to send me the husband I had been waiting for for 32 years.

We met at a party in December of 2005, then walked the new Arthur Ravenel bridge together in January 2006 (and I wore, you guessed it, the red shoes). That was it. We both knew. We got married in June 2006. As the red shoes got tired and worn down, I didn't have the heart to throw them away. I guess I was sentimental about the fact that I wore them on "the walk" when my husband and I got to know each other and began our avalanche romance. So I just kept them in my closet.

We moved to another beach recently, and I suddenly found myself in need of a second pair of running shoes to wear just for walking on the beach. I got the red shoes back out, thinking it wouldn't matter that they were a little worn down, since walking on sand is a little easier than walking on concrete. I have worn them on the beach for about 3 months now.

As I was walking down the beach a few days ago, pushing my son in his stroller, I realized the red shoes were starting to give me stone bruises on my feet. It's time. But I thought about them going full circle with me. I walked on the beach in them when they were new . . . and they helped me get into good enough shape to attract a husband. Now they are helping me walk off baby weight, four years later. It will be hard to chunk them, because they have seen so many significant miles with me. I'd almost like to have them bronzed. But if I did, then you couldn't see the delightful red trim.