I have always had the hardest time finding the right pair of running shoes. I mean, the hardest time. Even with the brand new pair I have now, they are still not the best fit for my feet. Seriously, you think I have a size Shaquille O’Neil sized foot! I am a size 8. I received a brand new pair of Brooks Ravenna 3’s for Christmas. I was so excited to run in those. I went to my local running store and even got them personally sized. My first run in them was ok. I ran a far distance, 13 miles and ended up having my ankles bleed. Ok so it was the socks I assumed. I tired weeks later running in those shoes and my feet just hurt like the dickens. The shoes were way too big and not comfortable.
So a couple months later, I got Brooks Pure Flow 2’s for my Birthday. No way did I want to return these just because of how cool they looked! I tried those on, breaking them in with short runs. Already, a huge difference than the Ravenna 3’s. These were a great fit. There was still something missing though. I did some google-ing (I know that is not a word) and found it could be the way my shoe laces are tied. I never knew there were different styles of tying your shoes. No way could this make a difference, right?
I was wrong. I came across Altra.com and found a generic way to tie your shoelaces. Once strung correctly (my boyfriend had to do all of it) I tried them out for my next run. I could tell a difference right away. Even with my pair of shoes which I thought I was never going to wear again, I now could! There was more room for my toes to spread out and my foot felt more fitted to the shoe. My pair that I thought was too big and just not right, is now fully run-able. Check out the best shoes for heel spurs here.
If you are having any kind of shoe and/or foot problems, I highly advise to try this method of lacing your shoes!
Official Website
- Start by running the lace straight across the bottom, over the tongue and downward into the shoe. Make sure both sides of the remaining lace are equal.
- Without crossing, skip under to the second set of holes, then over to the third set of holes.
- From the third holes to the fourth holes, cross the laces over the top of each other and insert downward into the holes on the opposite side. Continue this crossing technique until you reach the second-to-last set of holes.
- String the lace into the last holes upward from underneath. Create a small loop with each end by threading the lace back into the same hole. If you need additional tips and recommendations, head on over to https://bestshoesforwomen.com/best-running-shoes-for-women/
- Slide the remaining lace from the opposite side into the hole. Also, check out these plantar fasciitis insoles for additional comfort and support.
Other Recommendations:
- We recommend that the laces over the top of the arch/instep are loose enough to comfortably fit your finger after the shoe is tied. In addition, check out Yeezy 350 Laces on this site for more lacing ideas.
- The lacing should fit snuggly at the heel, relaxed over the arch and roomy at the forefoot.
- It may feel “too loose” at first. That’s good! Your foot will learn to spread out and relax.
- At first, try lacing only one shoe and going for a run. After a few miles, you may notice that the newly laced shoe keeps your leg more relaxed than the other leg sporting the traditional lacing. If the foot muscles can relax, there is a chain reaction that affects the entire the leg.
- Also, if you prefer NOT to lace up, check out the benefits of barefoot running shoes here!
Click the link to lacing your shoes: Altra.com
