Could a girl with $100 get a little friendly service?

I decided to reward myself today after my 19 mile run with a trip to a local shoe store. These Nikes are still okay, but if I renew before my shoes are completely thrashed, then they still work well as cross-trainers.

I walk in with my Runnersworld magazine- asking to try on a few of the shoes reviewed in a recent issue. Worker A says to me "dont use that to pick shoes, that is one person's opinion. It doesnt mean anything"....in a voice that accuses me of being completely stupid to be bringing my magazine in shopping with me. I ask to try a New Balance brand. Worker A says "We only sell running shoes in here, New balance is not a running shoe." (Okay, I know one of my best friends loves to run in New Balance, but whatever...)

Then someone else comes into the store and Worker B takes over helping me. She brings me 2 different brands that Ive requested. One is a Saucony, and one is an Aasics. Im kind of wanting to go back to this Aasics shoe, because Ive gone through 3 or 4 pairs of this particular Aasics in the past. But then it changed, and it wasnt as comfortable, so I thought I should just try something else. I ran down the sidewalk in both pairs of shoes. They both felt great.

I come back in saying "they both feel pretty good, although nothing feels GREAT after doing my 19 miler this morning!" I make this comment thinking I might get a knowing chuckle. I am aware that everyone in this store is constantly training for something big. Theyve "been there". Now, Im not really suffering much from my run this morning, but I feel that we can share a small chuckle together over the knowledge that a 19 mile run isnt cake. But worker B looks at me with a completely straight face- blank. Okay- I shouldve realized that nobody in this store will ever admit that a 19 mile run is any different than a 3 mile run. Kind protocol is to joke about these things being challenging, even if you secretly think that it is cake. Relate to the mortals.

Worker A asks if Im training for St George. This point is for later in the story. (o:

Back to the shoes- I say that they both feel equally great. Not sure which to pick. Is there a price difference? Yes, there is. One is significantly cheaper. Well, they both feel equal to me. Maybe Ill take the cheaper one then. Worker B says "At mile 20 of a marathon, you arent going to care about price." Well, Im thinking, everything else feeling equal, how should I choose, if not by price? Flip a magic coin? I actually WANTED her to give me a reason to choose the more expensive Aasics, just cause I consider myself an Aasics girl. I ask her "Is one more durable than the other?" She replies "No". Well, then, I say...Im not sure what else to base my decision on. They feel the same to me. "Dont choose based on price" she says. "okay. Ill take the Saucony's."

Im about to check out. I ask Worker B "what are you currently training for?" She says "tsk, (eye roll- think Bella Swan) lots of things." and then adds quietly "I will be at St George". Wouldnt a friendly person have said this earlier- when finding out Id be in St George? Cool, me too???

Maybe these people deserve to be running snobs. Maybe they are so awesome that they just cant relate to the mere mortals. Maybe running is so easy for them, that they have no clue what the rest of us are doing. But maybe just for the sake of the sale, they could ignore their own Awesomeness just for a moment and be cool to me?

Will I make the drive to the other running store? I dont know. I like to support a local running business here. What do you think? Ignore the condescending attitudes? Maybe just always bring a friend in, so we can at least make fun of their snobbery afterwards, and therefore feel validated by my friends? Or drive to the friendlier running store in the nearby town? What would you do?