Though short, the months of spring can take a big on sports shoes, especially if you are a road or trail runner. The mixture of thawing snow and the spring rain can make even new shoes feel and look old in a very short time. You can however elongate the life of your running shoes and keep the looking fresh by following a number of simple steps.
Spring can be a tough time to maintain shoes in a good condition, on any running surface there is likely to be a mixture of mud, snow, slush and puddles that can easily turn your customary evening run into a causeway of obstacles. Cleaning shoes immediately after the run is very important if you need to keep them in good shape both aesthetically and physically. The shoes’ contours can be permanently warped by debris and pebbles stuck in there, the elastic qualities of foam shoes can be degraded by rock salt left by thawing ice while a lot of mud caked onto the shoes’ upper parts can inhibit their aeration qualities resulting in accumulation of excess moisture over time. For pebbles that are hard to reach, floss them using single use sticks that have dental picks to help free debris from the outsoles. For salty water and mud, avoid using harsh detergents since these may degrade the shoes’ fibers but instead clean them using a coarse toothbrush.
Runners experience many challenges during spring among them deep mud puddles, unexpected showers and being splashed by muddy water from puddles on the street by speeding traffic. As with any surface, water degrades the surface of running shoes. Whenever your shoes get soaked, get the inner soles out and put both the insoles and the shoes in a well ventilated to allow them to a dry. If you desperately need them in running condition within a short time, you can accelerate the drying process by placing them in front of a fan. If after running in muddy conditions you need to give your running shoes a rest, you can stuff them with newspapers which create a good absorbent environment while helping them maintain their original fit and shape. Take note however to that pacing shoes around radiators or inside drying machines can compromise the quality of the shoes’ midsole.
As you probably have already heard, it is quite beneficial to have a number of pair of running shoes. Just identify a pair that fits your perfectly and buy several of them in different colors. Having many pairs will ensure that you never miss your run during winter and spring because your shoes are still muddy or wet. The most crucial months for this are April and March.
Having more than one pair of shoes means that each pair of running shoes will last longer and maintain their fit hence giving you a lot of freedom with your training. Rotation will also help you avoid foot injuries since having a dry, clean pair will protect your feet form slipping and formation of blisters. For those who like roads, trails and tracks. Having a pair each for the road, trail and track will ensure that you always have a ready pair of clean running shoes at any moment.
