The Right Way to Dry Your Running Shoes After Running in the Rain

Since I've encouraged people to get out there and run in the rain, I feel I should tell you how to dry your shoes afterwards.

Please don't put your shoes in the dryer.

Things have changed since Old Runners were kids and the fastest way to get your wet canvas sneakers back on your feet was to throw them in the dryer. If you do that with your expensive running shoes you will break down the materials, and they won't last as long as they could.

Drying your grown up running shoes takes patience, but it is well worth it for the additional miles you'll run in them.

Shake off the any moisture, unlace and open up those shoes.

Not all running shoes have a removable insert. If your shoes do, remove it for easy cleaning, and to speed up the drying process.

Don't put the inserts back in your shoes until after they are completely dry.

Gather up some newspaper. Regular newspaper works best — it absorbs moisture better than glossy paper (skip the shiny advertisement supplements). If you don't get a newspaper delivered, grab a bunch of weekly circulars from the grocery store. Keep a stash ready for use.

After you stuff newspaper in your wet shoes, check them every few hours. If necessary, remove wet newspaper and restuff the shoes with dry newspaper. If your shoes are damp, you may only need to do this once. If the shoes were soaked, repeat until the newspaper and shoes are dry. You can speed the process by placing your shoes in front of a fan, or in the sun if possible.

Once your shoes are dry, replace your inserts.