(FORTUNE Magazine) – How easy is it to customize your own sneakers? Very, as it turns out. About a month ago I logged on to Nike iD's website. Wielding my mouse--the modern-day equivalent of Jackson Pollock's paintbrush--I set off with reckless abandon, clicking on one of seven running-shoe styles (the Shox Turbo, which boasts four pillar-shaped shock absorbers under each heel). I then chose a dark-pink base, red "shox" and mesh, bright yellow lining, laces, and "swoosh," and a "eucalyptus" accent. No matter whether the colors would match my athletic wardrobe: I wanted the loudest pair of Nikes imaginable.

Then, even more freedom: eight full characters to brand myself. I selected two words that I hoped would give me inspiration on that last painful mile. Without another moment's deliberation, I typed in my credit card number and hit send. (The damage: $110, vs. $100 for the regular Shox, plus $16.49 for taxes and shipping.)

When the box arrived a few weeks later, I ripped it open in my apartment building's lobby. There they were: the perfect pair of shoes, emblazoned with "Run Julie" on the back. My doorman was unimpressed. Not the man from 5J. "Wow. Where did you get those?" he demanded, sprinting off to fetch his camera phone so he could start snapping photos. He loved them. And so do I. -- J.S.