Matt goes shopping - September 15, 1998

Hello, I've just had a very important day recently which I must tell you about

I have just left Chicago where I discovered one of the greatest shops in the free world. Viacom is the company who announce their name in a big deep voice at the end of movies and such. Like Warner Bros and Disney, they have opened up a store to cater for insecure buggers like myself who cannot go around in life without making a statement. The only difference between this and the others is that their merchandise is cool. Big names were everywhere... Grease, I dream of Jeannie, Here's Lucy, Happy Days( you had a choice between a light blue letterman jacket, fonz's making out cd's and a Ralph Malph t-shirt which my brother will be sporting come Christmas time), Cheers, Brady Bunch, Rugrats, Duckman, the list goes on. It was such a fun store and I gladly walked out with my new Get Smart t-shirt under my arm.

Without trying to sound too much like a forum letter Imagine my surprise when i later realised that this shop would not be the highlight of my day.

Across the road, looking very indiscriminate was NIKE town. If truth be known, I've seen a few of these before and have not been to impressed. But this is Chicago, home of michael jordan and everything here is huge.

As I walked in, I began chanting a mantra for all the oppressed Indonesian workers who get personally whipped by Phil Knight if they don't get the shoelaces right through the eyelet.

Straight to the running section, where, lo and behold, my jaw dropped, my eyeballs popped, and in the words of george costanza, I think something moved. In front of me were about 20 pair of NIKE spikes which AI had never seen before, coming in all colours and shapes. It made me think back to the numerous trips I've made to sporting goods stores where the only shoes left werre a pair of size 13 spikes which Jesse Owens wore when showing off at Adolph's house.

Let's be honest, is there really anyone out there who hasn't ended up buying a more modern pair (1960) from Doug Chugg's shop in Beaumaris just because you were the only customer who has ever been in the place and you felt sorry for him. At this point, all these moments became insignificant. Next to the spikes were 15 pairs of lightweight racers and 50 pairs of running shoes (not cross training and not wrestling shoes.

My eyes were darting from one side of the wall to the other, when they stopped still. Before me were a pair of spikes designed to attract attention: Colour - Gold and black stripes, gold swoosh (think MJ at Atlanta) Price US $140 - about $4800 australian dollars Materials - something used on the space shuttle program (not challenger) Appearance - cooler than the other side of the pillow.

I began to do some quick sums in my head. Lighweight. Aerodynamic. Quick track. I came to the conclusion that I could probably run 12.4 -12.5 with a tailwind at glenhuntly in a pair of beauties like these. While i haven't yet purchased, the moment is not far away. Be very Afraid.

Hope all is well as the new season starts and remember that I'll be thinking of you all trying to spell your name out to the officials.

While I might not see you all this summer, there hasn't been a day go by where I haven't thought, "gee, I really should go for a run tomorrow"

Have fun

Matt Hanrahan

Mentone A .C

The World