The Shortcut

Down With Loose Laces

A simple trick to tighten your running shoes for good.

Loose, overlong laces are an enduring problem for runners, and everyone has their own makeshift solution. Slate’s Abby McIntyre learned one secondhand from a shoe seller in Washington, D.C., and the results were revelatory. The simple trick in the video above requires nothing more than laces and the extra pair of holes found on most athletic shoes.