Growing Feet... At 41

This is the weirdest thing.

My sabbatical year, as you can figure by now, was devoted to running and enjoying outdoor adventures. Throughout this awesome time, I have gained several benefits from the increased mileage and number of races I've enjoyed. During my travel time alone, I have now completed 16 ultras and several other running adventures.

The benefits range from excellent health (My cholesterol was recently measured at 4.10, which I'm told is exceptionally good - and I don't come from a good family background) to great immune resistance to increased fitness and a recovery capability I'd never dreamed of. Needless to say, I'm pretty stoked.

But my increased running seems to have had another, totally unbelievable consequence, too. My feet have grown a size and a half! How is that even possible?

I started running, a couple years ago, as a size 7. I have to say, after about a year, I started buying size 7.5 shoes, but I thought I was just getting to like more toe room (I'm not a big fan of black toes). But as my sabbatical year went and I replaced or bought new shoes, I found myself getting size 8, then 8.5... up to the point that I am now a size 9!

This isn't some kind of subjective matter; the shoes I had originally brought on this trip (that didn't end up getting worn to shreds or donated) literally don't fit me anymore. Even the new shoes I bought earlier on the trip are too tight and ended up in the donations pile.

Am I the only one? Did I trigger some sort of dormant gene that awakens after a couple thousand miles and transforms our feet to suit our running needs better? I have to say, I'm dumbfounded.




Qui aurait cru que nos pieds peuvent grandir et changer de forme?! À 41 ans, après un an de course intensif, ma pointure de souliers a augmenté d'un point et demi!