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What you see above is exactly what it looks like: running shoes with sheet metal screws fastened into the soles.

My friend Patrick told me about this little trick, and the only regret I have is that I waited so long to actually do it. Well, no. That’s not true. Waiting so long to actually try it made me appreciate it all the more when I ran out onto the icy, packed snow roads and terrain, and ran with no problems save a little extra fatigue from running on uneven ground. It was like having super powers, and the sound of the screws crunching into the ice was very satisfying as well.

I got a little help and some valuable pointers from this website before hitting the local hardware store and picking up some screws. Some things to make sure of:

• Find hex-head screws. I’m not sure how rounded or more flat-headed screws will track on ice, but the hexes are beasts, gripping both ways. I even lightly tried to make myself slip a couple times all to no avail.

• MAKE SURE THE SCREWS DON’T GO THROUGH THE SOLES AND INTO YOUR FEET! As you can see below, I only put screws into the thick rubber outer sole. Some shoes have a ridge of this thick rubber running down the middle as well, in which case a middle row can be added. The main thing is to test things out and feel around with your hand while adding pressure, inside the shoe. If anything pokes through, don’t run! The screws should be long enough to hold without falling out while running, but short enough not to end your running career by impaling your feet!

This “runner’s hack” worked like a charm. Feeling pumped knowing I can continue training even in the less than ideal conditions here in Niigata in winter.

Thanks for stopping by. Do you have any unorthodox “runner’s hacks” you’d like to share? Lemme know in the comments.

~KafkA

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Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DTube and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)