little feet - shoe dilemma

normally size 4.5/5 shoe but some in running shoes I can wear a Kid's size 3 too...

I'm a small person - 4'10 - the height of an average 5th grade student.  When I went to my son's field day when he was in 5th grade a gallizon years ago I noticed I was the same size as all the kids in his class.  That was an eye opener.

I don't feel little but then I see pictures of myself with people - I think 'dang!  i'm SHORT!!'.   It cracks me up when women that are 5'2" say they are short - uhhh...yeah they got 4(!) inches on me.  I can only dream...

here's me with some of my girlies - they range in height from 5'4" to 5'7"  (but I don't feel little!)

Luckily I'm in proportion.  I don't have long legs (relatively speaking of course) and a short torso and I don't have short legs and a long torso.  I'm like a normal sized person just shrunken down a bit.

For reference here's a picture of my Asics Nimbus in Kid's size 3(!) next to Dave's shoe - he wears a Men's 9.5

When I find something that fits I just usually buy it right then and there.   Once I did score these Jimmy Choo's at Nordstrom Rack for $80 bucks.  The PLAN was to wear them to Ricky's wedding but after I showed him this picture he nixed the idea of me wearing them.   They were too "young looking" for the mother-of-the-groom to wear...but I digress...

Size 4.5 Jimmy Choo's for 80 bucks!  How could I pass up that deal.  Supposedly they are like $800 shoes.  And oh yeah - they hurt like a mother too!

How many running shoes do I need?

left to right - Nike Free, Newton Lady Issac, Asics Nimbus

I've only been running for 4 months and I already have 3(!) pair of running shoes and I am considering buying a 4th pair.  (yes - I know I have a shoe and boot problem).   To be fair my Nike Frees were my gym shoes before I started running - they just got drafted into running duty.

I bought the Nike's because they run small and they come in a size 5(yay!).  I've been wearing these to the ATC  workouts for about a year.  I like the fact they aren't too cushy - which is nice when I'm doing a deadlift that's twice my bodyweight - my feet feel stable.

So when I started running I just ran in these puppies.  They seem to work just fine but the mesh lets a lot of air in and my feet get cold when it's under 30 degrees.

I went to Boulder Running Company to get some shoes that would be better for cold weather running.  The sales girl seemed a little disappointed the only pair of shoes in the store that fit me were a pair of kids shoes that were on sale.  Apparently the Asics Nimbus in adult sizes go for ~$120 and these (supposedly just like the adult construction - just shrunken down) on sale for $40.

Turns out I don't like the Asics that much - they seem more clunky than my Nike Frees.  So even tho they were inexpensive- I rarely use them.  I seem to naturally have a mid-foot strike so a friend of mine told me about the Newtons so I tried a pair of those.  They carry size 5 and the style I chose runs a tad small.  They seem to work fine too but I still like my Nike Frees the best.  The Newtons   are just a teeny-tiny bit big but I figured I could wear thicker shoes for cold weather running. BUT they are TERRIBLE on slick terrain.

So NOW I want some shoes with better traction.   I've been looking at the Saucony Peregrine.  The reviews I've read say they run a half size small and they come is size 5. (yay!) and supposedly they have great traction.

So my dilemma is - do i just put screws in my Asics and use those when the conditions are slippery or should I spring for a pair of Saucony's??