About a month ago, Kate and I packed up and headed to Beaverton, OR to visit the Nike world headquarters. As I told you then, it was an incredible trip.

Here are some highlights:

Aren’t I a good videographer? Just kidding, that video was courtesy of the Nike paparazzi who joined us that day (as are some of the other pictures in this post!).

The main focus of the event was the Nike Free line of shoes. They were kind enough to give each blogger and child a pair of their own, and let’s just say you could see our group coming!

These are the shoes that were waiting for me when we arrived at our hotel.

I am far too practical to ever have picked out bright orange/pink shoes… but I love them! The color makes them so much fun to wear – I am not exaggerating when I say that multiple people have pulled their cars over, rolled down their windows, and complimented my shoes as I’ve walked through town.

What I really love about my Nike Free shoes, though, is that I know they’re good for my feet. After having learned about all the science and testing that went into making them, I am totally confident in them.

And I have been walking in them a lot. I don’t think I’ve mentioned it on the blog yet, but I recently registered for a three-day, 60-mile walk. I know. Pure and total insanity, but a dear friend asked me to do it, and, you know, peer pressure and all that. So anyway, the walk isn’t until October but I am three or four weeks in to the 25-week training plan, so my Nike Free shoes and I have traveled nearly 40 miles together. Which means I’ve had a lot of time to think about how they perform! One thing I continually think of is one of the Nike guys saying they were designed so that the wearer can “feel the ground.” I didn’t quite get what he was saying at the time, and frankly I don’t have a good way to explain it in words here, but it’s true. I can really feel the details in the ground when I wear them. I know that makes no sense, but buy some and I promise you’ll be all “Oh, THAT’S what Emily meant!”

The first few times I wore them, my feet and shins were sore. Had I not known that that was the point, I may not have thought they were great shoes. But, that is the point – not being sore, necessarily, but the shoes are designed to strengthen foot, ankle and leg muscles. Strong muscles = fewer injuries. So, while they took some getting used to, I’m completely confident that they are the best shoes for me to wear while training and during the actual walk.

So confident, in fact, that I saw another pair of Nike Free shoes on sale over the weekend, and I had to buy them.

Look how bend-y they are!

They’ll live in my closet for a few months, I’m sure, but I will need them eventually! I am not the only one who loves these shoes, either – when I was buying my second pair, I overheard a teenaged boy telling his mom she should buy some Nike Free like he has, and when the salesperson brought my shoes to me, he said “These are great shoes – I have the men’s version myself.” It was like a Nike Free fan club.

My husband and both kids are also members of that fan club – I bought Andy and Sam a pair at the company store when we were on our trip, and they both love them as well. Just a couple days ago, Sam was putting on his shoes and he was talking about when I brought them back for him as a present from our trip. He said “I wasn’t really suspecting shoes for a present. But they grew on me and now I really like them!”

Kate (who is impossible about shoes. Impossible.) loves hers as well, and she can’t wait for the ones she designed herself to be delivered to our house!

Jill wrote in her recap of the trip that she’ll never buy another brand of sneaker – and I must say, I am right there with her. Nike Free forever!

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Kids Nike FREE Run: If your feet flex, shouldn’t your shoes flex too? Must-have flexibility for young feet.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Nike via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Nike.