STEP ONE

There are two types of running shoes:

A. Sneakers that let the foot move freely through the gait cycle (neutral).

B. Sneakers that correct keep you from wobbling all over the track.

STEP TWO

Find out the shape of your foot: Wet it. Step onto a brown paper bag. Check out your footprint.

If the outer part of your foot is most visible, you have high arches

Which means: Your heel tends to hit the ground first, causing knee and lower back pain. Since you carry your weight on the outside of your foot, you need sneakers with added cushioning and shock absorption to protect your joints.

GOOD FIT: Mizuno Wave Rider ($99.95)

Which means: You require stability sneakers to keep your feet from rolling inward and causing sprains. Stability footwear lifts your arches with firm mid-soles so you maintain a more even stride. (You’ll notice a bit of material just under the arch that often looks like solid gray foam).

GOOD FIT: Asics Gel-3010 ($120)

Which means: Keep your arches in place and ward off shin splints with milder stability sneakers, which offer the support and heel control you need.

GOOD FIT: Nike Shox 2:40

INSTEP

Because sometimes you just need an expert opinion, consider meeting one.

Both Jack Rabbit Sports and The Running Company videotape your strides while you run on the treadmill, then replay the footage to admire your moves and pick out the perfect pair.

Replacing your sneakers every 300-400 miles you clock is a critical precaution–but if you weren’t wearing the right sneakers to begin with–then the new ones will just kick in the same old problems.

STEP ONE

There are two types of running shoes:

A. Sneakers that let the foot move freely through the gait cycle (neutral).

B. Sneakers that correct your bio-mechanical deficiencies (e.g. high/low arches) and keep you from wobbling all over the track.

STEP TWO

Find out the shape of your foot: Wet it. Step onto a brown paper bag. Check out your footprint.

If the outer part of your foot is most visible, you have high arches

Which means: Your heel tends to hit the ground first, causing knee and lower back pain. Since you carry your weight on the outside of your foot, you need sneakers with added cushioning and shock absorption to protect your joints.

GOOD FIT: Mizuno Wave Rider ($99.95)

Which means: You require stability sneakers to keep your feet from rolling inward and causing sprains. Stability footwear lifts your arches with firm mid-soles so you maintain a more even stride. (You’ll notice a bit of material just under the arch that often looks like solid gray foam).

GOOD FIT: Asics Gel-3010 ($120)

Which means: Keep your arches in place and ward off shin splints with milder stability sneakers, which offer the support and heel control you need.

GOOD FIT: Nike Shox 2:40

INSTEP

Because sometimes you just need an expert opinion, consider meeting one.

Both Jack Rabbit Sports and The Running Company videotape your strides while you run on the treadmill, then replay the footage to admire your moves and pick out the perfect pair.

– Liz Puzio

Your feet stink.

Now that we got the awkward part of the conversation out of the way, we want to make sure your sneakers no longer feel like they belong in a seventh grade boys locker room.

Meet: Stuffitts Shoe Savers.

These two-layered 100% cedar inserts, suck out sweat and odors that infiltrate your kicks no matter what cardio activity you choose.

Applied Technical Services, Inc. conducted some high-tech testing and revealed that your shoes dry 25 times faster with the help of the Stuffitts than with air drying alone.

They’re washable and now available in new limited colors: Desert, Green, Purple and Red, in addition to the regular blue and black.

Oh and you also get a 36” detachable strap, so you won’t lose sight of them. But who are you kidding? With your sweat rate, these inserts aren’t straying far from their soles.

$24.99 at specialty running stores and www.stuffitts.com

LONG WEEKENDER

SWEAT

Tickets sold out quickly for this weekend’s reopening of Lady Liberty’s crown since it was closed for safety reasons after 9/11. Reserve yours for later this month and practice the 354-step climb while on your StairMaster and volunteering to get all forgotten roof-top BBQ essentials from the kitchen. www.statuecruises.com 877- LADY-TIX (877-523-9849).

CHILL

Spa treatments at Chelsea Piers are slashed 20% through September 7th. But that’s not enough for our skinny budget. Mention SDC when you spend at least $64 (Covers a 25-minute Swedish Massage, 25-minute Customized Skin Care Experience, 55-minute Tibetan Foot Revival or 55-minute Spa Pedicure, among other pamperings) and redeem your one-week full access gym pass. The offer is on the massage table til July 31. http://www.chelseapiers.com/scspahome.htm 212.336.3780 Pier 61 23rd Street and the Hudson River

SHOP

Get new sneakers to match your hot-pink-summer-toes at Urban Athletics where Skinny Dippers get 10% off anything full priced. Ask about the training programs before you run out the door, so you can break in your new kicks as soon as you tie ‘em up. July 5-8 www.urbanathleticsnyc.com/ 2 World Financial Center 212.267.2247 and 1291 Madison Avenue 212.828.1906

EAT

Compassion Over Killing declared July National Veggie Hot Dog Month. So we’re making Sensei.com’s Bunny Dog recipe which entails eating neither bunnies nor dogs.

Ingredients:

4 lg Carrots, peeled
1/4c BBQ sauce
4 Light wheat hot dog buns
Condiments (relish, ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, etc)

Trim carrots to 6” in length (cutting off the thin ends). Cover and microwave with 1 to 2 Tbsp of water for 3-4 minutes or until they just begin to cook. Place on a hot grill (upper rack) and baste with BBQ sauce until the veggies reach desired level of doneness. Place into a bun and lather your fave toppings.