Girl About Globe | A trainer no-brainer

Linda Kennedy

I have two left feet. They came in a box, from Adidas.
This formed part of the hassle involved in the purchase of trainers. Did you know there are trainers for gym? And trainers for running? And they’re like cardio chalk and cheese? “You don’t wear running trainers for ‘gym classes’”, said an assistant, using a tone which verbally italicized her dismay. “They’re ‘completely different’.”
Hong Kong is a city which apparently has many more runners than gym-goers, and its stock of trainers reflects that ratio. This is known, as I have toured the trainer merchants. Seven stores turned me, a gym-goer, away, saying they only stocked trainers for running. On I went. There should be special trainers for buying trainers.
I want to challenge the market share assigned to these types of trainers. Are there more people who go running than to the gym in Hong Kong? Where? The pavements are always packed, and senior ladies walk at geological pace. And before you think: “they mean on the treadmill” – they don’t. These were outdoor road running shoes.
And how can there not be enough gym-goers to justify a wider selection of cross-trainers (the posh word for gym shoes)? Apparently four out of 100 people are members of gyms in Hong Kong – and they are often all in my Body Combat class. This is not as high as other cities, but it’s surely enough to justify a greater supply of gym trainers.
And truly, is there really a difference? The alleged distinction between trainers was explained to me in contrasting ways. “These will leave marks on the floor,” said one assistant, of the running shoes. It seemed rude to purchase them and scar the honeyed wood in the studio at my gym.
Another retailer said it was to do with arch support. The salesgirl next door said a cross-
training sole allowed you to move sideways without falling over. The shoe “was multi-directional.”
The lack of consistency makes me question any difference at all. Are cross-trainers distinguished from running trainers because they lead to a different receipt for Adidas, Nike et al?
It turns out there are also shoes for tennis, basketball, baseball, softball – and even table tennis. (I had to investigate this. AllAboutTableTennis, a website, doesn’t recommend the wearing of other shoes because “they are not designed for the rigours of modern table tennis”. Ping pong rigours? Who knew?)
Beyond fitness, this all raises the issue of niche products. Like blusher. (Yes, it’s a leap, but you’re wearing the right trainers to land softly.) Can one use that on the lips? Or does the cosmetic have to be labeled appropriately, as lipstick? And cleaning products. I get nervous scrubbing the bathroom with something branded ‘Kitchen Cleaner.’ Might the bathroom get confused? Could it grow a hob and utensils?
Maybe I shouldn’t complain. Trainers have played a role in feminism, busting the myth women outlay more on shoes than blokes. Men actually spend more, courtesy of the appeal of the trainer, according to a market research study by Mintel. The gender shoe gap has closed. It’s a start.
Meantime, I’m planning a shoe mash-up. People who favour different forms of fitness will blind-test trainers. Will they lose their grip? Will shoes get high marks or leave marks? The mere prospect puts a spring in my step.
As for the two left feet, I thought those were maybe specialist trainers for people who were bad dancers. Adidas showing a sense of humour? But no. It was a mistake by the assistant, who put the ‘display left’ in with the ‘new left’.