JJ: If the Shoe Fits

Shoes
Originally uploaded by jjactive.

If you have a good running shoe store in your community--the kind where you get enthusiastic, informed personal attention and the employees are key parts of the local racing and training scenes--then, by all means, you should support it by giving them your dollars. But if you're looking for an out-of-stock shoe or you know exactly what you want because you've worn the shoe before and the clerks in your local shop:
A. Would prefer to work on their turkey barbecue out back than engage you in a conversation;
B. Are tied up watching yet another replay of the Penn Relays on the store TV;
C. Won't give you the time of day until you show two forms of written proof you qualified for Boston;
Then you might consider searching for what you're looking for on Froogle and purchasing online. I just had a good experience buying my usual Asics GT-2090s on Eastbay, which I discovered through Froogle. - John