Wednesday, June 25
Stiletto Run

If the shoe fits, sprint in it! That’s the idea behind next Wednesday’s .05K Stiletto Run, which invites daring fashionistas to don their heels and race the four blocks from the corner of Elmwood and Bidwell to the newly reopened Shoefly store at 801 Elmwood Ave. The course will be short but the shoes will be tall, as only runners wearing at least three-inch heels are eligible for prizes. Shoefly’s owners, who are sponsoring the race, have also graciously invited the less adventurous to wear their favorite flat shoes and walk the course for fun. Whether walking or running in modest kitten heels or teetering stilettos, participants are guaranteed a truly unusual evening. This event is certainly the first of its kind in Buffalo, though similar races have been breaking expectations‚—and ankles—in Europe for years. High-heeled runners first took to the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam in March 2006, when Glamour magazine posted a first-place prize of 10,000 Euros—in shopping money, of course. Since then, races have exploded across eastern Europe, with the largest held annually in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Though most European races specify a 1.5-cm heel width, Shoefly’s event does not. Runners, you may want to opt for a chunky heel or wedge. Registration begins at 6:15pm and the race starts at 7pm. It’s a short one, so onlookers better arrive on time so as not to miss the spectacle. Participants can pre-register in-store or online for $20, or pay $25 the day of the race; all proceeds will benefit the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. Shoefly will also host an after party from 7 to 9pm.

—caitlin dewey

7-9pm. Shoefly, 801 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo. (886-3595/www.stilettorun.org) $20