I’m a slug… Really… I am. I eat, sleep, go to work, eat, sleep. In the middle of that, I’m able to squeeze in a few hours of quality time with my wife and kids. Oh! My wife and I also get a weekly massage from our favorite home spa.
Why is it then, do I have a photograph of a pair of Newton Running shoes? Well, it involves a floor-to-ceiling mirror, an ever tightening pair of pants and my wife thinking of a name for my belly.
It wasn’t always this way. There was a time, I could be called “sporty”. Athletic even! Well… Not really. But! But! I was living a fairly active life. Involving myself in a mutitude of leisure sport activities, such as, but not limited to: futbol, golf, scuba diving, basketball, badminton, partying (?), hanging out at the beach every weekend (?), and many other activities similar to the foregoing.
So it was, while dining in a restaurant called Simply Thai in Greenbelt 5, that my business partner convinced my wife and I to take up running. We don’t really know how it happened. Somewhere between the phad thai and the beef rendang, we said yes. Oh, well…
Half an hour later, we found ourselves in Bonifacio High Street registering for our first run. My wife was prudent enough to join the 3K run. But, because I was a fool and the thought of running a paltry distance of 3K just didn’t sit right with my masculine side, I registered for a 10K run. Yes, a 10K run. Hah! (Chest thump). Of course, after realization set in, self-doubt began to take over. I realized that I’ve never run continuously for more than 3 kilometers in my life. What if I don’t finish?!
Lovingly, my wife took my arm, looked at me with her most supportively determined face and said, “Looking good is more important. We must get new shoes!” (I swear that in that moment, I saw fire in her eyes). She led me across the gardens to RUNNR and without batting an eyelash began to select her new running outfit. I, on the other hand, methodically examined the numerous shoes offered. They were categorized under “stability”, “cushioning” or “neutral”. Not understanding why, I turned to the salesperson for some help and was told that people have different ways of running so I had to choose the right kind of shoes in order not to get injured. He guided me to a contraption that would help analyze my gait. Anyway, after all of that, I ended up with the Newton Running shoes in the photograph. Needless to say, my wife was already at the cashier with her Newtons and a “few” other items such as her Nike shorts and a running top from Equipe.
Newtons are very comfortable. The sole offers a lot of cushioning and support, while the portion called the “upper” is soft and well ventilated. What sets it apart though, are the “lugs” located in the forefoot area of the sole. This design forced me to correct the way I strike the road when I run, aside from the fact that they offer a lot of shock absorption. Newton Running takes the science so seriously that there are even on-line tutorials (Go to YouTube and type in “Newton Running”) on how to best use the shoes. Cool!
We’ve been running an average of 5K every other night since then (We’re night owls) and I did finish my 10K run. Amazingly, my back, legs and knees don’t hurt after every run. Our Newtons really work as promised and it has helped my wife and I find a common sport that we can enjoy together.
On to the next run!
You know how it is with guys and skin care? That the two don’t mix? Well, that’s just not true. We are concerned about our skin. It just takes a while for us to get to the point where we consciously seek out ways to improve and protect our “outer layer”.
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