Nike introduced a new shoe at about the time I made a transition to another endurance sport: Triathlon. The Aqua Sock was brought to market because it was fun, it was the right time, and it was versatile. My preferred races were the Sprint Distance Triathlon events because of the shorter Swim and Bike legs, as they were always weaker than my run – no surprise. The Aqua Sock was on in a jiffy, and featured enough cushion to manage the rocky sections, gingerly, but plenty of speed to manage grass and sand. Longer races were entrusted to racing shoes, but the Aqua Socks were always in my race bag, just in case.