Day 300-My Good Ain't Your Good

Back in college in Montana, I had befriended a French exchange student who wanted me to show her visiting German boyfriend some good Montana times. 

I offered to take them up to these amazing hot springs in the woods. Natural pools of steaming water under the trees and sky--it couldn't be beat! He'd LOVE it! It was quite a hike, often icy and muddy, but worth it. 

Knowing he was a big city boy and wasn't used to it, I made sure to remind him the day before to wear good shoes. 

The next day, we pulled up to the trail head, and my friend and I changed into our hiking boots. The French girl slipped into some Patty Duke-type tennis shoes and as Olaf the German fella stepped out of the car, I told him now would be a good time to put on his shoes.  

He gave a blank look, and then looked down at the gorgeous Italian leather-sole loafers on his feet.

"I am vearing shoes," he said.

"No, I mean the good shoes I told you to bring," I smiled. "For the hike."

"Vat? These are good shoes!" he insisted.

And it dawned on me, as we stood there in the dirt, that "good" was highly subjective. 

When you read about how walking is great exercise, and all you really need are good shoes, I bet you think you need things like this: 

Or this:

Good, yah?

But I see those and get the willies. I know how they work my body over so that by the end of the walk my knees ache and my lower back throbs. 

So, I don't see those as good walking shoes. My good looks like this:

and this

and this

and this

Okay, I don't have a pair of moccasins, but Dude! I totally want to get some and tromp through the woods in them!

And why I always pester you about your footwear, is because of what I now know about our bodies and how vital proper alignment is to your overall health. Serious. 

That little heel rise that a normal athletic shoe gives you throws your body off kilter, and then you spend your time trying to right yourself. You're doing body origami so that you can see the horizon, and it catches up quickly. 

How do I know? I've walked 300 days straight in neutral heel shoes or completely barefoot and the only day that my back and knees bothered me was the day I put on these

Good shoes, right?

Anyway, Olaf had a terrible time, fell repeatedly on his ass and ruined his gorgeous shoes. However, he got me back when I landed in Europe (his turf) and he spent the next three days making me feel like an American idiot and a burden, instead of being a good host.

Touche´, Olaf. We have different "goods".

Guten tag,
Dani