I recently took inventory of my running shoes. I rounded up 7 pairs of running shoes in my house — and I’m not even a shoe addict!
I decided to keep 3 pairs: my current pair for running; an old pair in the trunk of my car so I’m always ready; a clean old pair in case I ever return to the kickboxing studio (where they don’t appreciate street shoes).
The remaining 4 pairs weren’t in bad shape. They’d just seen all the miles they could without hurting my shins. So, at a friend’s suggestion, I took out the insoles and laces and threw them in the washing machine.
Warning: If you throw 8 shoelaces in a washing machine at once, they may come out as one large mass, somewhat resembling a Celtic knot.
Once all the shoes were dry and the laces untangled, I paired them up and donated them to Domestic Violence Solutions.
If you have old shoes needing a new home, I believe Santa Barbara Running is still collecting used shoes at its downtown location. Shoes brought in there are taken to the Rescue Mission, according to one employee.
