A Second Life For Your Old Running Shoes!

It can be hard to pick the right running shoe and sometimes the ones we do pick are not really what we should be wearing. Runners World always comes out with great guides and reviews: check out their Summer 2008 Running Shoe Guide if you need some help. But no matter what the guides say - go somewhere you can try them out! Specifically a running specialty store that lets you try them on and run around a bit (sometimes on a treadmill / sometimes outside, etc) while you are getting your vibe. Who wants to pay all that money on a pair of shoes that doesnt feel right the first time you take them for a spin?

But our shoes are not permanent and the more miles you chug through the more pairs you need. Last year I went through three pairs of shoes. I started off with the Brooks but later switch to Mizunos. After the first failed marathon attempt I needed another pair of Mizunos for attempt #2. Now I have three pairs of running shoes sitting in my closet. Although I dont wear the old ones, the visually look pretty good. I just cant part with the money I invested in these shoes so I keep them around for clutters-sake. I think I have finally found a solution to the pile-up: recycling!

Let Me Play
Nike's Let Me Play invests money worldwide in community based sports initiatives. They provide Nike products, resurface playing fields, support community-based programs and help people create their own communities. And you can help through reuse-a-shoe, where your old shoes (of any brand) are collected, processed and recycled into material used in sports surfaces like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds for young people around the world.

Find a Drop Off Location
Nothing close? Then mail em!
     Nike Recycling Center
     c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
     26755 SW 95th Ave.
     Wilsonville, OR 97070