I had been trying to start a running regimen in my $40 girls Nike Torch sneakers. I'm usually a 6 or 6.5 in shoes, so I bought a 5 in girls sizes to save some money. They were fine for the gym but after a while, the balls and heels of my feet would burn and my arches felt like someone was cutting them with a knife. I don't want to use my insurance for another two months when my lower deductible kicks in, so I went to a running store and had a foot assessment. The salesperson told me he normally puts new runners in a stability shoe, but since I was already an active person, just not a runner, he suggested a neutral shoe. I tried on several pairs of shoes in different brands, and kept coming back to these (in the orange and blue...go Gators!). At $99.95, I couldn't say no. I have been using them for a few days and my feet are still getting used to them, but I already notice a difference. The salesperson told me it would take 1-2 weeks for my feet to heal from the crappy sneakers I had been wearing to exercise, and he is definitely right. I agree with others that these run small, but I think they're supposed to. I had no idea running shoes are supposed to be loose since your feet swell when you run, so instead of cramming my feet into a 6 or 6.5, I got these in a 7.5 since that was the right fit for my feet. I still need to get in to see a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist because I (and the salesperson) am quite sure I have plantar fasciitis but these already feel so much better on my feet than my old sneakers.