Kick Up Your Heels (and Kiss Old Shoes Goodbye)

Warren is known for it’s rolling hills and scenic vistas. As the weather grows cooler, runners can truly revel in the pleasant temperatures and the gorgeous fall foliage around them.

However, you can’t really enjoy yourself, if your shoes are overly worn and have become uncomfortable.

This week’s column is dedicated to ensuring you put your best foot forward. There are plenty of footwear deals to be had in the area, so it’s a great time to purchase shoes for the whole family.

A recent column in The Seattle Times inspired this column, offering some guidelines for how long a lifespan you can expect from your gear:

• Athletic shoes: 300-500 miles. Look inside the shoe, at the middle area for “wrinkling,” which is indicative of a loss of cushioning.
• Walking shoes: shoes generally last a year, for those who wear them three or four times per week.
• Leather dress shoes: Can last 5-15 years, with proper care. Soles can be fixed at the shoe shop to extend wear.
• High heels: When the sole of the shoe has lost 50 percent of the volume, they need to be fixed or tossed. New heel lifts can be added as needed.
• Sandals: Stretched straps indicate it’s time to go. Also, look at the heel for wear issues.

Sneaker Factory, 25 Mountainview Road, Basking Rdge

Deal: The store is hosting a special event from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight, with representatives from Sacony on hand with free gifts, and a 15 percent discount on cross country items.

Famous Footwear, 1515 Highway 22, Watchung
Deal: This is the last week of the buy one, get one half off sale that has been going on. In addition, print out this coupon for $5 off $25.
Go Paperless: Text FFWEB to FAMOUS (326687) to receive coupons on your phone.
Good through: Sept. 30

Kohls, 107 Route 22, Watchung
Deal: Apartment 9 Men’s dress shoes are on sale starting at just $44.99. If you are a Kohl’s charge card holder, you can get up to 30% off (or, 15-20 percent, depending on your luck)—check your mail and take a peek to see what your discount is.
Good through: Sept. 25

Marty’s Shoes, 299 Highway 22 (Colonial Square Mall) Dunellen
Deal: $5 off your purchase of $29.90 or more.
Good through: Oct. 31

Payless, 201 East Front St, Plainfield
Deal: 20% off your purchase using this printable coupon.
Good through: Sept. 30

Recycle Old Athletic Footwear
As of the date of this publication, Nike has collected 25,056,7779 used sneakers. The closest recycling point is Elizabeth (651 Kapowski Road), at the Converse Factory Outlet, so next time you’re making an IKEA run, toss your shoes in the back seat. You can bring in up to 10 shoes at a time. To put things in perspective, 2,500 used shoes can create the flooring for a basketball court—imagine how much space they would have consumed in a landfill.