Day 4: To Knot, or Not to Knot?

That is the question indeed.

What in the world are you talking about?!  You are wondering... Well, it's a topic you probably haven't visited since the first grade, and, quite frankly, you probably haven't even cared to think about it since: how to tie your shoe.  Over the last 4 days of marathon training, however, we have discovered it is a dilemma every runner (or in this case, runner-wanna-be) will eventually face.


Let me clear something up right away.  The question is not whether or not to tie your running sneakers.  The dilemma is whether or not you choose to tie them the right way.  Ha, no kidding!  There is apparently a right and a wrong way to tie your shoes!  News to you too?  Read on.  


According to www.runnersworld.com, the right way to tie your laces is called the "reef" knot, in which the first knot is tied one direction and the finishing bow in the opposite direction.  The wrong way is called the "granny" knot (again, no joke!).  The mistake in this knot is tying both knots in the same direction.  According to the website, the difference between reef and the granny knot lies in the tension: "Lace tautness generated as your foot moves actually tightens a reef knot, while that same strain in the bottom part of a granny knot will work the top part loose."  


So there you have it.  No more need to interrupt your intense marathon training to haphazardly throw your laces together so that your shoes can somehow stay on your feet long enough to finish your daily 2 miles.  Unless, of course, you're sneaky enough to figure out that 5 seconds of retying gives you just enough time to catch your breath again....In that case, by all means, join me in continued "granny" knotting.  Happy running!


Posted by Kendra