Ed's Blog: The Answer Man

It is time to visit the answer man today. If you have questions, I can give you some quick snappy answers. They may not be 100% correct, but they will be quick and snappy! All questions have been asked recently in one of our Fleet Feet Stores or at a local running event. Let’s go!

Bob from Cicero asks: “How long does a pair of running shoes last?”

Thanks for the question Bob. It all depends, are your kids borrowing them or are you using your running shoes to keep a door open? If not, you can usually get 400-500 miles on a pair of running shoes. The surface you run on may impact your ultimate number. If you feel like tracking the mileage on your running shoes is as exciting as watching Meet the Press, do a quick estimate, 15 miles a week x 30 weeks is 450 miles. 

Sally from beautiful Tully asks: “Why do those %+@*#! running shoe companies keep changing my favorite shoe?”

Well Sally, we feel your pain! Kind of like when your favorite television show gets cancelled, I don’t know what I am going to do now that "Person of Interest" is going away. Back to your favorite running shoes, the entire reason the running shoe companies keep tinkering with your shoes is the cosmic calendar and shifts in the alignment of the stars in the solar system.  So you are not buying that, so let me take another shot. Running shoe companies have found that after any shoe has been on the market for more than 12 months, sales drop. Technology and materials change, which allows the engineering and design folks to make shoes that will allow you to run fast and jump higher. The families of these shoe company employees appreciate your patience because it keeps their family member employed.

Reba from the river town of Fulton asks the final question today. “I came home from work the other day and went to hang up my jacket and when I opened the closet, a smell hit me that drove me to my knees. While down there I found it was my running shoes that smelled like I had left scalloped potatoes in my closet for a couple of months. What can I do?”

Reba, don’t panic, you won’t even need a Hazmat suit to put on your running shoes. Sounds like you have a good case of shoelatosis or in Greek μυρωδιά παπουτσιών or in Spanish olor de zapatos.  We have you covered. First, you can take the insoles out of your shoes and put your shoes through the washing machine to get rid of the odor. I would only do this to get you back to ground zero and for heaven’s sake, don’t put them in the dryer, stuff paper or towels inside to dry them out.. In the future, don’t wear cotton socks, which retain sweat and allow it to permeate into your shoes. Wear synthetic, moisture wicking running socks. If you can’t find them let me know and I can tell you where to get them! Finally, in the winter, spring, fall or heck even in summer, if you get your shoes wet for any reason you need to dry your shoes up. Take the insole out and put crumpled up pieces of newspaper in your shoes to pull out the moisture. Leave them overnight and reverse it by taking the paper out and putting insoles back in the next morning.

That’s it for this week folks. If you have a question for the Answer Man, just send it along to info@fleetfeetsyracuse.com and put “The Answer Man" in the subject line.