How to Do Runners Loop? | Lock Your Heel in Seconds

Few annoyances match a heel that lifts with every stride. The fix for a slipping heel is the runner’s loop, also called a heel lock or lace lock. This two-minute lacing change uses the extra eyelet near the collar of your running shoes to anchor the laces and hold your foot firmly in place. It works on running shoes, trail shoes, and boots that have that spare top eyelet.

What Does The Runner’s Loop Do?

The runner’s loop redirects lace tension from the top of your foot to the back of your heel. The loops you create in the top eyelets act like anchors, pulling the heel cup down and back against your foot with each pull. The result is less vertical heel motion, which means fewer blisters and a more connected feel through every stride.

REI recommends this technique for anyone whose heel lifts while running. Both adidas and ASICS explain the same method, confirming it as standard practice across the industry. The key is the extra eyelet — without it, this specific lacing pattern won’t work.

How To Lace With The Runner’s Loop

The sequence takes about thirty seconds once you know it. REI and adidas describe nearly identical steps, so follow these exactly.

1. Lace normally up to the second eyelet from the top, criss-crossing as you usually would.
2. Take each lace straight up on the same side into the top eyelet, forming a small loop on each side. Do not cross over at this step.
3. Cross each lace over and thread it through the opposite loop — left lace through the right loop, right lace through the left.
4. Pull both laces tight, feeling the heel cup cinch against your foot. Adjust the loops so they fit snugly before the final pull.
5. Finish with a normal bow knot.

You will feel the difference immediately. The locked heel should move noticeably less when you walk or run. If the pressure across the top of your foot becomes uncomfortable, loosen slightly — the goal is lockdown, not squeezing.

When The Runner’s Loop Helps Most

This technique earns its keep in three situations. First, when your heel slips with every step — the most common complaint. Second, when you need extra security on technical terrain where foot movement inside the shoe costs you balance. Third, when friction from heel movement has already produced hot spots or blisters.

Trail runners and hikers use it on uneven ground where a loose heel is a genuine hazard. The same principle applies to any shoe with that spare top eyelet near the collar — check your pair before assuming the method will work.

One honest caveat: if heel slip continues after lacing this way, the problem is likely the shoe’s fit, not your lacing. A half-size smaller or a different heel design may be the real fix. The runner’s loop is a fit aid, not a cure-all.

Runner’s Loop Mistakes To Avoid

Three errors defeat the technique. The most common is skipping the top eyelet and crossing over normally — that creates no loops at all. The second is pulling the lace diagonally into the top eyelet instead of straight up on the same side. The third is tying the final bow before pulling the loops tight, which leaves the heel lock doing nothing.

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Beyond those mistakes, remember that this lacing makes the shoe feel tighter across the instep. ASICS notes the extra lockdown comes from increased tension, so back off if you feel pressure points forming. A snug heel with a comfortable midfoot is the balance you want.