Page 2 | To think my friend was behaving irrationally

bellylaughsalldaylong · 2023-02-07T11:29:31+00:00

About two months ago I had a conversation with my friend and she mentioned buying trail running shoes. I have no idea what these are but nodded and agreed that they sounded like something she’d need. Unfortunately she said she was skint so couldn’t afford them. I again said that was a shame but she could maybe get them in the near future. anyway, fast forward to today. I was wearing a new pair of trainers I’d bought last week. Salomons in case anyone is interested. Turned up to the school run and my friend immediately looked at the trainers and was not impressed. She said I’d rubbed her face in it because she couldn’t afford these trail running shoes. I tried to explain to her that I have no idea what trail running shoes are and that I’d just bought a pair of shoes based on what would last for ages and see me through countless walks to to school with the kids. she stormed off! I feel terrible and bewildered but also a bit pissed off.

Original poster

bellylaughsalldaylong · 07/02/2023 12:55

@honeylulu i didn’t buy them from the Salomon website. And it didn’t say they were trail running shoes. Just some combination of letters and numbers I think

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Mariposista · 07/02/2023 13:04

She would no longer be a friend of mine. I don't want to waste my time with sulky, jealous babies.
Save up if you want something!
Enjoy your shoes OP. Get a second pair if you can afford and alternate days just to rub her nose in it hahaha

ShimmeringShirts · 07/02/2023 13:10

YANBU to buy yourself new shoes if you need them but I can understand why she was upset in a way. Col is hitting everyone hard and you’ve went out and bought yourself an incredibly expensive pair of trail running shoes after she’s mentioned not being able to afford some, in her mind it comes across as rubbing her face in it. Not saying she’s right but on the other hand I completely understand how she feels too.

JudgeRinderonTinder · 07/02/2023 13:36

Stormed off 😂😂😂

LookItsMeAgain · 07/02/2023 14:04

They are a particular look of shoe though, Salomons, the stitching on the uppers is very 'trail runner' style. I mean you could have bought a pair of Nike AF1's and she probably wouldn't have been any the wiser as they look like chunky trainers.

I mean if you went into a shoe shop, saw them on a shelf and said to yourself "I like the look of these so I'll try them on and if I like them, I'll buy them" and you didn't buy them online where it would probably have a description of "trail runner" under the image, then she is way over reacting to your new footwear.

Not enough to end a friendship over in my opinion unless she is as highly strung in other areas of her life.

Picklypickles · 07/02/2023 14:39

She's ridiculous, is she hoping to see you doing the school run barefoot and wearing an old potato sack just to make her feel better about being skint?!

amusedbush · 07/02/2023 15:12

I've just googled and apart from a few pairs that look rather... functional, most of those Salomon trail shoes just look like nice, sporty trainers. I'm not a runner and I would have no idea that they were anything other than normal trainers.

I'm not great at deciphering subtext but my first thought was that she was hinting to borrow money. She is being unreasonable on all counts here.

SchoolTripDrama · 07/02/2023 16:58

@bellylaughsalldaylong

Unless you Googled 'Trail Running Shoes', thought "Hmm, I fancy some of those" and** then went bounding up to her saying something like "Look at my new 'trail running shoes!' do you like them!?", then YADNBU

SchoolTripDrama · 07/02/2023 17:00

I expect 'Trail Running Shoes' are no different than regular trainers but are given a different descriptor in order to convince people to buy them in addition to the trainers they no doubt already own!

DestinysGrandchild · 07/02/2023 17:00

Are you sure it was your friend you were talking to and not one of your kids friends? She sounds about 10.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 07/02/2023 17:03

@SchoolTripDrama they have deeper more pronounced lugs on the sole for better grip when running in the mud and off road.

I'd never walk about on the pavement in mine.

MadeOfSteel · 07/02/2023 17:09

What's so different about trail running shoes compared to regular trainers? I'm at a loss.

Your friend reacted like a child, OP. Made a right fool of herself.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/02/2023 18:04

How bizarre of her!?

3LittleFishes · 07/02/2023 18:08

It does seem like a huge coincidence that the specific trainers she wanted, and you allegedly had no clue what they were are the ones you showed up at school wearing. I mean,what are the chances of that I wonder.
Maybe you didn't do it on purpose but I can see why your friend thought the way she did- her reaction was way over the top though.

LynetteScavo · 07/02/2023 18:09

Did you get them in Sports Direct? About 6 years ago I bought a pair like you've described in SD - they were massively discounted. They're still going strong and refuse to wear out (I only walk around in them though ). Maybe you don't realise you got a bargain, and she doesn't realise where she could get them cheaply.

Original poster

bellylaughsalldaylong · 07/02/2023 18:31

3LittleFishes · 07/02/2023 18:08

It does seem like a huge coincidence that the specific trainers she wanted, and you allegedly had no clue what they were are the ones you showed up at school wearing. I mean,what are the chances of that I wonder.
Maybe you didn't do it on purpose but I can see why your friend thought the way she did- her reaction was way over the top though.

They’re just trainers to me. I’d seen someone on tiktok wearing Salomon trainers on the school run and I was (sadly) heavily influenced 🤷🏻‍♀️ Just googled them and bought them without much thought.

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Original poster

bellylaughsalldaylong · 07/02/2023 18:31

Chesneyhawkes1 · 07/02/2023 17:03

@SchoolTripDrama they have deeper more pronounced lugs on the sole for better grip when running in the mud and off road.

I'd never walk about on the pavement in mine.

Again this is all new information to me 😂 I’ve got to admit they’re super comfortable when doing the mile round trip walk

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Original poster

bellylaughsalldaylong · 07/02/2023 18:32

LynetteScavo · 07/02/2023 18:09

Did you get them in Sports Direct? About 6 years ago I bought a pair like you've described in SD - they were massively discounted. They're still going strong and refuse to wear out (I only walk around in them though ). Maybe you don't realise you got a bargain, and she doesn't realise where she could get them cheaply.

Haha no but I have just checked and there are some similar ones.

theyre ugly as hell but super comfortable

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ShakespearesBlister · 07/02/2023 18:32

Buy her a pair of plimsolls for her birthday. That should shut her up 🤣

Original poster

bellylaughsalldaylong · 07/02/2023 18:34

3LittleFishes · 07/02/2023 18:08

It does seem like a huge coincidence that the specific trainers she wanted, and you allegedly had no clue what they were are the ones you showed up at school wearing. I mean,what are the chances of that I wonder.
Maybe you didn't do it on purpose but I can see why your friend thought the way she did- her reaction was way over the top though.

Wasn’t the specific trainer 😑 she didn’t mention a brand. Just when I was wearing them she recognised that they were trail running shoes and like i said I couldn’t tell a trail running shoe from a running shoe

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Merlott · 07/02/2023 18:55

Two things. First, Salomon are a very famous trail running brand. You wouldn't know that as a non-trail runner. Second, who the shit wears Salomons casually?!!!!! They are not a fashion shoe!!

From your friend's POV it looks like you have pulled a very nasty trick. You should give her a chance to cool off but tomorrow explain you genuinely had no idea about the brand. And please show her that stupid tiktok as evidence.

Original poster

bellylaughsalldaylong · 07/02/2023 20:38

@Merlott not famous to me.

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ParoxetineQueen · 07/02/2023 21:24

In the dog agility world trail running shoes, especially Salomons, are the go-to for running outdoor courses.
When my dog retired, I used mine for dog walking until they split. Sorry if I committed some sort of Mumsnet faux pas

GeekyThings · 07/02/2023 21:27

I think you're being slightly disingenuous about not knowing what type of shoes they were - aside from the fact that they look pretty similar to hiking shoes, as I'd never heard of them either I googled, and literally everywhere across the page of results it says trail running shoes. So I can see why she would think that sounds a bit fishy, because it does.

I also think you're misunderstanding the full reason why she's annoyed with you. It isn't just because she can't afford the shoes and you can - it's because she was telling you about her hobby and how unhappy she was at not being able to afford the kit she needed to do it properly; then you not only turn up wearing that kit on the school run shortly afterwards, but you'll be using that kit to do - nothing. Just the school run. No hiking, no off-roading, just mooching about.

Much as I think she probably overreacted in saying it to your face, and I would have personally bitten my tongue in the same situation, I would probably have been thinking similarly myself - knowing that I couldn't afford them, but knowing that I would daily have the pleasure of seeing you pointlessly wasting them on the pavement for fashion purposes. Yeah, that would be annoying! 😂

RealeyesRealizeReallies · 07/02/2023 21:33

Are you sure it was your friend you were talking to and not one of your kids friends? She sounds about 10.

🤣 That made me laugh!