Holiday blues… Working in the office, what’s new. Yesterday we quickly went shopping and I got new running shoes, suitable for marathon. For our shopping effort we received one (real) pearl, extracted in situ from the oyster. Nice marketing trick, we were urged to pay to set the pearl in a pendant but Sun walked out, putting the pearl in her purse.
This time it is Mizuno (320g), not the two pair of Asics I use, one for training (400g) and one for competiton & marathon (335g). I went running afterwards in the gym, did 11K in 68 min with the new pair. Yes, yes, I know you should not do that with a new pair but I am of the stubborn variety. They felt OK but wisely stopped before blisters could come.
My visit to the shop got lots of curious looks, from the sales people and from kids. I never found any shop in Beijing, including the Nike, Adidas and others, where you get precise information on the shoes: the correct use (which terrain, training or competition, short or long runs etc.), weight of the shoe, model depending on your weight and feet type and more. All very important if you run long distances. So I carry a rather impressive letter weight scale around to check the weight and consult the latest reviews of sports magazines. Kids are very curious to see what that toy is for.
Sport goods shops still have a long way to go. You better know what you exactly need, because nobody has a clue. Don’t even dream to find a shop with a special running machine (treadmill) to check your feet with the shoes. I did find that here – thanks to RS Scan, a Belgian company that opened their testing facilities next to the national athletic training facilities in Beijing. Now, that is technology – very impressive (the major Chinese sports people all start using it).
Fully equipped to shop for running shoes
On the way we took some pics of Sun with one of her “stick trees”, our donation to Julong Garden for Green Beijing. We need green coz the weather is again plain awful, dusty, somber, heavy. Holiday or not, the road works continue and we are still puzzled what they are up to. Also, a view from the north and the south side of the “Gongti Strip”.

Sun with one of her many “stick trees”

Gongti Xilu, the “Strip” and the raod works

Beijing never stops. Even on major holidays all big shops are open, 7 days a week. Shop till you drop. Yes, the economy dearly needs consumers.