I have a huge collection of old running shoes. What is the best thing to do with them?
You essentially have two options when it comes to old running shoes – you can either donate them or recycle them.
For the shoes with a bit of life in them and in good condition, consider donating them.
There are a number of places that you can donate.
There are a number of Goodwill and second hand stores locally that would be willing to resell them.
SolesforSouls is a company that donates new and used footwear to those in need around the world. You can donate your pair at a drop off location or host your own shoe drive for others in your area who have shoes to get rid of and ship them to SolesforSouls.
One World Running is a non-profit organization that provides shoes to runners around the world. Through collection drives, the nearly new shoes are sent overseas and the shoes that are not able to be donated are recycled, ground up and made into running tracks and playgrounds.
Shoe4Africa is a charity that focuses on health and education, sending running shoes to Africa, which helps prevent diseases such as hookworm.
To recycle, Nike takes donated, worn out shoes and grinds them down into a new material called Nike Grind, which is used to create sports surfaces for athletes such as courts, tracks, turf fields and more. To participate, drop off your shoes at a Nike location.
If you are not near a Nike location, check out Recycled Runners, an online recycling and donation directory that helps people connect with shoe recycling programs both locally and internationally.
What is the best way to stretch out the life of my running clothes?
The best way to ensure you have longevity in your race clothes to ensure that you do not put your technical fabrics in the drier as it breaks down their elasticity and technical functions, cutting the life of your workout gear in half.
Using a detergent specific to technical fabrics will also extend their life. Avoid deterrents with bleach and/or fabric softener as they will inhibit the garments wicking capabilities.
It is best to wash them in cold water as hot water will cause the material to fade and deteriorate much quicker.
Making sure you follow these simple precautions will add life to your workout clothes.
Q & A is a monthly feature that tackles your most burning questions on running. Have a question for next month? Email editor@runwaterloo.com or tweet at @lacesandlattes or @runwaterloo.
