Studded Running Shoes

Here in Alaska the crinkling sound of studded tires is at almost every stop light. So it was natural that we would join the locals. Less than a week after getting our Subaru we had purchased studded tires on craigslist. Similarly, within a week of Jessica jogging with her co-workers we determined she needed her own studded running shoes.

The balaclava is key to the winter ninja look

In California most people would just skip running if it was icy outside. But with icy roads for half the year in Anchorage runners are a little more serious about finding ways to pound the pavement all year round. Making studded shoes was really pretty simple.

Material:
Shoes (air and gel soles not recommended)
#6 hex head metal screws, 1/2" length or less (10-12 per shoe)
Sharpie
Multi-bit screwdriver (without a bit installed)

I used the Sharpie to plan out where to add the screws. The plan was to space them out so there would always be two or more screws in contact with the ground during the entire stride. I also looked at where her shoes were slightly worn and made sure to add a screw where it would be well used.

The end result turned out great. I did have to warn Jessica to stick to the carpet after she strayed onto the kitchen floor. Also the "cleats" will dig into skin so make sure you don't scrape yourself pulling them off your feet.