Shoe Lacing 101

There's a lot more to lacing your shoes than what I was taught in kindergarten, or so I've learned. Did you know there's a whole science to lacing your shoes? There are over 30 different lacing methods each designed with a specific purpose. I was introduced to the world of shoe lacing when the race director of the Ridge to Bridge Marathon , suggested the runners use the "lock lacing" method. You see the first 14 miles of this race are downhill and this method of lacing prevents your laces from loosening from the constant pressure of downhill running. I tried it and it worked really well. It's also just good for keeping your laces snug for regular running. I did a little digging and discovered a really cool site, Ian's Shoelace Site, which provides illustrated directions for every kind of shoe-lacing method you can imagine. Need to relieve pressure on the top ridge of your foot? Try the Straight (Bar) Lacing method. Laces too short? Try lengthening them by using the Bow Tie Lacing Method. Check out Runner's World's article on lacing too. Happy Lacing!