Brunswick Crossing:

Have you been practicing up for the Brunswick Crossing 5K Twilight Valley Trail Run? We have and we are excited about using our community trails for the race. We are breaking in those new running shoes. If you recently bought a new pair of shoes that felt great at first and are now rubbing you the wrong way, we have found a few tips that might solve those issues without replacing the shoes. “Before you get a new shoe, try adjusting the lacing to enhance the fit. It’s a small change that can make a big difference”, says Richard Bouché, D.P.M., of the Sports Medicine Clinic in Seattle.

Here are five ways to lace your running shoes and relieve that nagging foot pain.

PROBLEM: “MY SHOE RUBS ONE SPOT ON THE TOP OF MY FOOT.”

Solution: Eliminate pressure on a “hot spot” by lacing around it, not directly over it.

Technique:

Place a lipstick smear on your hot spot. Slide your bare foot into your shoe and take it out. The mark on the underside of the tongue tells you which set(s) of eyelets to skip. Lace your shoe until you reach the eyelet before the spot. Take the lace back under and pull it up through the next eyelet on the same side. Take the lace across and continue to lace. Repeat this on the other side. You’ll have an empty spot on the tongue where no laces cross it, which should eliminate your pressure point.

PROBLEM: “MY BIG TOENAIL TURNED BLACK.”

Solution: Lift the upper material above your big toe up and off it.

Technique:

Thread one end of the lace through the eyelet next to your big toe. Pull the end of that lace up to the last eyelet on the opposite side, bringing the lace through to the outside. Leave just enough slack at the top to tie a bow. Take the remaining portion of the lace straight across toward the outside of the shoe and then diagonally up toward the inside of the shoe. Repeat until all of the eyelets are laced. When you tug on the outside lace, it will pull the material above your big toe up and off your nail.

PROBLEM: “MY SHOE IS TOO TIGHT ALONG THE TOP OF MY FOOT.”

Solution: Use parallel lacing to secure your foot without putting pressure on the top.

Technique:

Lace the first two eyelets on the big-toe side of the tongue (not the first eyelet on either side of the tongue like you normally would). Bring the lace from the first eyelet straight across to the first eyelet on the other side of the tongue and push it through. Pull it straight up the side, skipping one eyelet, and thread it through the third eyelet. Pull it straight across the tongue, and push it through the third eyelet on the opposite side. Repeat until all eyelets are laced and tied.

PROBLEM: “MY TOES FEEL CRAMPED.”

Solution: Reduce forefoot constriction by using four shoelaces instead of two.

Technique:

Remove the laces and measure them. Buy two sets (four laces) half that length. On both shoes, use one lace for the bottom three eyelets and a second lace for the upper three eyelets. The end result will be two bows on each shoe, allowing you to tie the bottom laces looser to accommodate your wider forefoot.

PROBLEM: “MY HEEL SLIDES UP AND DOWN.”

Solution: Create a more secure fit around the ankle without tightening the entire shoe.

Technique: Lace as normal until one eyelet remains on each side. Draw the lace straight up on the outside of the shoe and bring it through the last eyelet. This will create a loop. Repeat on the other side. Cross each lace over the tongue, thread it through the opposite loop, and tie. The loops help to cinch in the material around your ankle to prevent your heel from slipping without making the rest of your shoe any tighter.

Try these few tips before you buy another pair of new shoes. On your mark, get set, run. Brunswick Crossing is hoping to see you at our 5K Twilight Valley Trail Run on May 19^th, 2012. Join us for an evening of fun even if you don’t like to run. Walk the trails, listen to the band, bring the whole family for a great cause. Help save Brunswick Railroad History! Event starts at 5:00 PM with the Kids 1 Mile fun run beginning at 6:00PM. To sign-up for the race please visit our website: www.brunswickcrossing.com or call 301-834-7465.