The Running Thread - 2016

[keahgirl8]

I almost never get blisters, including Ironman which was 9+ hours worth of biking and running in the pouring rain. Every now and then when I do get one count me on the drain train. I'll get a needle and thread and leave the thread in to do the slow drain...works every time. My wife gets blisters and she has used baby powder on her feet as a pretty good preemptive measure...a lot of pro triathletes will also load up their running shoes with baby powder in transition as they run without socks. Can't speak to the results personally, but it seems to work for them.

I've done that before. It's pretty gross, but it works. I got horrible blisters on the bottom of my feet at Disneyland once. I couldn't have walked without doing that. This was before I was a runner. Being a runner really teaches you how to take care of your feet, even when you're not running.

 

[PrincessV]

by no means, no offense or hostility taken its often welcome to see other points of view. Just curious though cause if you do need it, wouldnt the non-caffeinated ones be better bet? something like jelly beans or sweedish fish?

I guess being fully keto/fat adapted I have shifted my body off of using glucose, so I honestly cant remember the last time I've had any need or want for sugar in my diet.

I'm very sensitive to caffeine, so I don't use caffeinated gels - glucose is what I need more than anything and gels are the most convenient item for me to carry and eat.
I'll go a little deeper since the conversation's been started... I'm severely and chronically hypoglycemic: no low-carb/no-carb diet on Earth will change the fact that my body burns through glucose too quickly leaving me with too much insulin. In daily life, this is pretty easy to manage: I eat a balanced diet of lean protein, complex carbs and good fats. But when I run, the problem is exacerbated, as I burn through glucose at an even higher rate. If I don't want to wind up in insulin shock, I have to replace that glucose, and it needs to be in a form that gets into my system quickly. I tried a bunch of things before going to gels, including whole foods like fruit... nothing works as well for me as GU or Clif Shot gels. Which, frankly, was a real relief to discover - I'm also not a fast runner, so the amount of food I need to run a marathon is pretty epic - gels are small and light, so I can carry a bunch of them, lol!

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: So, um, I almost never get blisters. I've never been blister-prone to start, but I use SmartWool socks, so maybe they help, too. The one time I actually got a blister was during a very cold race in which my toes never really warmed up. I think the problem then was that my feet shrank considerably in the cold, causing more friction than usual as they slid around some in my shoe. It was just a small blister on a baby toe, so I bought some blister Band-Aids and used them while running until it went away.

 

[cavepig]

ATTQOTD - I used to get blisters under my toes next to the pinky toe, that toe on both feet kind of curls and would get basically smashed so switched to Injinji toe socks a few years ago and love them (midweight for me) . No more blisters. I did get a giant blister on my left heel back during this years WDW marathon, but that I'm pretty sure was from my sloppy foot shuffling walk/jog thing I was doing to just finish, didn't even notice it till the next day. I did pop it, drain it and bandage it & cut away at the dead skin as it dried.

My mom gets blisters and uses HikeGoo & as long as she covers the foot prone blister spots well it works great she says.

 

[Miranda]

ATTQOTD: I'm not super blister prone, so I tend to never do anything preventative... and then occasionally end up with some blisters in a couple of hotspots. Usually it happens when my feet get excessively wet for whatever reason. The bottom of my right big toe and the inside edge of my right 4th toe near the tip.

 

[DopeyBadger]

ATTQOTD: I more often have blisters on my toes then not. They tend to happen on the tops or tips of my toes. They usually don't cause me any discomfort or inability to perform so I just leave them be. I use Band-Aid Friction Block (recently discontinued), Body Glide, and Balega socks. Although with as much as I run I should probably purchase new socks/take better care of them then I do, which is a likely culprit.

 

[derekleigh]

QOTD: How do you deal with blisters besides appropriate footwear? What socks do you recommend?
Todays QOTD is another excellent question suggested by a fellow poster!

Truly cannot remember the last blister I had as a result of running. I remember a few times during rainy runs (a LOOOOOONG time ago) I got a few and I treated them by covering them with a band aid.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: I almost never get blisters. I got one on the tip of a toe during an ultra; I was able to just 'pop' it with my fingers. I run in the 2-layer WrightSocks. I slather BodyGlide all over my feet for anything over 13 miles.

 

[Slogger]

ATTQOTD: ....... I use Band-Aid Friction Block (recently discontinued), Body Glide, and Balega socks. .

BODY GLIDE!!! Excellent suggestion. I used to get callouses and blisters on my big toe pad area (don't know the official medical term) and body glide works wonders. Totally forgot to mention it.......thanks @DopeyBadger

 

[LSUlakes]

This week we have the following folks with races:

24 - @dsnyfn1022 - Kansas City Zoo Run 4 Miler (NG / N/A)
24 - @Anisum - The Great Pumpkin Run (NG / N/A)
25 - @NJlauren - Mayors 5k Run to Break the Silence (NG / N/A)
25 - @nickyfielding - Disney Paris Half Marathon (NG / N/A)
25 - @flvy - Rock and Roll Montreal Marathon (NG / N/A)
25 - @croach - Rock and Roll Montreal Half Marathon (1:30:00 / N/A)
25 - @jhorstma - Prince William Half Marathon (2:15:00 / N/A)
25 - @GARUNMOM - Chicago Half Marathon (2:44:59 / N/A)

If you would like to revise your goal or set up for this upcoming weekends race, just let me know. Good luck to everyone and have a good race! I look forward to reading about how everyone did over the weekend!

 

[baxter24]

ATTQOTD: I try to get pedicures every 4-6 weeks. That really seems to help keep my feet in decent shape. I also put baby powder in my socks before long runs. It's a little messy but gets the job done. Blisters still happen every once and awhile but for the most part don't anymore because of the preventative stuff I use/do.

 

[dis_or_dat]

My strategy and blister methodology is mostly pre-emptive rather than reactionary. I have pretty sensitive feet (thanks a lot, surgical scarring), so I've dealt with callousing and blisters on abnormal parts of my foot - just based on how it was reconstructed - for most of my life, so I've got the routine down pretty well.

I try to get a pedicure - even just a basic one - at least every 4-6 weeks, and definitely the week of a race or REALLY long run (16-plus miles or a sim weekend like for Dopey). I also overmoisturize my feet on a daily basis - slathering on lotion before I put on socks or shoes for the day, and in some cases, moisturizing and sleeping in socks. I also use really oily scrub on my feet, so the residual moisturizer helps too. Plus, it makes my feet look nice and feel soft - I wear flip flops almost exclusively and nobody likes to see TrollFoot.

On race day/long runs, I slather in between and around my toes in Vaseline and then put on socks (Balegas or Feetures). I've noticed I swell really bad in California, so for Cali races I'll use wide blister Band-Aids as a pre-emptive measure on places like my left heel.

Wow, you've got quite the regimen! Why do you think the pedicure helps? Do you think the calluses cause blisters? My blister is right next to my callus. Maybe I should take care of the callus too? I always thought they helped stop blisters since the skin is so thick, but they say a blister under a callus is very painful. How many times can I work "callus" into this paragraph?

 

[keahgirl8]

Wow, you've got quite the regimen! Why do you think the pedicure helps? Do you think the calluses cause blisters? My blister is right next to my callus. Maybe I should take care of the callus too? I always thought they helped stop blisters since the skin is so thick, but they say a blister under a callus is very painful. How many times can I work "callus" into this paragraph?

I can only speak from my experience, but I have several calluses (aren't runner's feet beautiful?), but I have never had a blister near any of them.

 

[CherieFran]

ATTQOTD: I rarely get blisters from running and am a big fan of Feetures socks. I do sometimes get blisters from other shoes. I drain them and bandaid. Blister bandaids work great, I find. Although those suckers are expensive so I only use them for more dramatic cases!

 

[tacboze]

What is the pain? Where is the pain? How severe is it? Some aches and soreness are normal, but I can't make a generalization like that.

I can't help on the app question but I think I can on the soreness question. I finished C25k last year and I was most sore right around this time back then. I also got really sore after the first week with the more aggressive minutes. I'd bet on it just being your body getting used to this. My refuge was warm baths or showers and light yoga stretching. But mostly my body just got used to it over time. Do a double check on your posture also (no hunching, no over-striding, head up, etc.). Hope that helps a lil

+1

My first thought was shoes, too.

Thanks everyone....several mentioned shoes. I had gone and bought new running shoes a few weeks ago. So...yes I'm in good running shoes. But I appreciate the feedback!

The more time goes on, the more I'm suspecting just inflammation from new exercise and that's it's just my knee being like, "whoa, whoa. What are we doing here? Running 3x per week?! I don't think so."

But I'm like, "yep. It's happenin', Knee. Get used to it."

We'll learn to live with each other and my newfound running interest.

I will say this last run was the first time I felt like I might not can do this. I'm second guessing trying for the princess half. Wondering if I should allow myself more time and aim for a half later in the year? I'm concerned if I get sick and have to skip some runs, or if it's icy, and I can't run....not sure I could still run a half by Feb.

Problem with waiting is...princess half is my SOLE motivation. Star Wars doesn't motivate me. Avengers doesn't motivate me. Anything non-Disney is not a motivation either....at this point. (I'm hoping after I runDisney, I'll get hooked and will run more locally).

I'm rambling. I've never cared about running/walking/physical exercise of any kind, honestly.
Part of me says I need to allow myself more time before attempting something so big. Part of me says...if I wait too long, my motivation will die a terrible horrible death. Thought about running the 10k Princess instead of the half...but running through the castle is a HUGE (main) part of my motivation.

running at WDW would be such a huge expense...id hate to spend so much $ on 10k, when my heart really wants that half.

Aaaaaand, I'm still rambling. No need to respond unless you want to...just need to "think" this out loud, I guess.

Welp. Apparently, I have flat feet and overpronate enough that it's straining my ankles and knees. Ugh. I feel like this little dream of mine to become a runner is dying a horrible and awful death before I really even got started. I DON'T WANT TO QUIT!!! My general practitioner referred me to a podiatrist and seems to think that with investment of good shoes (already have) and possibly custom orthotics, that I might could still continue. But...she also made the comment that, "Some people just aren't built to run". She was supportive of me continuing, but wants me to do it wisely and with the right gear for my bones, etc. So I go to see a podiatrist tomorrow...I picked one that had a lot of sports medicine under his belt...this one even "treated athletes at Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports"...not sure what that is. But...I'm hoping he'll be a lot more proactive in getting me "up and running" (HA! See what I did there?) as opposed to others who might just tell me to pick a different activity.

My question, then, is this: I had bought Brooks shoes (pure air 4 or something?)...I've done a bit of reading about runners with flat feet and they mention stability shoes? something like that? Anyone have any experience running with flat feet? What works for you as far a strecthes, shoes, orthotics, anything?

 

[dis_or_dat]

Welp. Apparently, I have flat feet and overpronate enough that it's straining my ankles and knees. Ugh. I feel like this little dream of mine to become a runner is dying a horrible and awful death before I really even got started. I DON'T WANT TO QUIT!!! My general practitioner referred me to a podiatrist and seems to think that with investment of good shoes (already have) and possibly custom orthotics, that I might could still continue. But...she also made the comment that, "Some people just aren't built to run". She was supportive of me continuing, but wants me to do it wisely and with the right gear for my bones, etc. So I go to see a podiatrist tomorrow...I picked one that had a lot of sports medicine under his belt...this one even "treated athletes at Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports"...not sure what that is. But...I'm hoping he'll be a lot more proactive in getting me "up and running" (HA! See what I did there?) as opposed to others who might just tell me to pick a different activity.

My question, then, is this: I had bought Brooks shoes (pure air 4 or something?)...I've done a bit of reading about runners with flat feet and they mention stability shoes? something like that? Anyone have any experience running with flat feet? What works for you as far a strecthes, shoes, orthotics, anything?

DONT QUIT!! Of course you can run with flat feet! I don't really think there's perfect "runners feet", we all just deal with what we got.

 

[keahgirl8]

Welp. Apparently, I have flat feet and overpronate enough that it's straining my ankles and knees. Ugh. I feel like this little dream of mine to become a runner is dying a horrible and awful death before I really even got started. I DON'T WANT TO QUIT!!! My general practitioner referred me to a podiatrist and seems to think that with investment of good shoes (already have) and possibly custom orthotics, that I might could still continue. But...she also made the comment that, "Some people just aren't built to run". She was supportive of me continuing, but wants me to do it wisely and with the right gear for my bones, etc. So I go to see a podiatrist tomorrow...I picked one that had a lot of sports medicine under his belt...this one even "treated athletes at Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports"...not sure what that is. But...I'm hoping he'll be a lot more proactive in getting me "up and running" (HA! See what I did there?) as opposed to others who might just tell me to pick a different activity.

My question, then, is this: I had bought Brooks shoes (pure air 4 or something?)...I've done a bit of reading about runners with flat feet and they mention stability shoes? something like that? Anyone have any experience running with flat feet? What works for you as far a strecthes, shoes, orthotics, anything?

I would talk to your podiatrist and your running store about that. I wear stability shoes. My feet aren't flat, but close. I didn't really realize that I needed them until I had a fitting at my running store. They will help you figure out what you need. Shoes can change your life, no joke.

 

[JulieODC]

Welp. Apparently, I have flat feet and overpronate enough that it's straining my ankles and knees. Ugh. I feel like this little dream of mine to become a runner is dying a horrible and awful death before I really even got started. I DON'T WANT TO QUIT!!! My general practitioner referred me to a podiatrist and seems to think that with investment of good shoes (already have) and possibly custom orthotics, that I might could still continue. But...she also made the comment that, "Some people just aren't built to run". She was supportive of me continuing, but wants me to do it wisely and with the right gear for my bones, etc. So I go to see a podiatrist tomorrow...I picked one that had a lot of sports medicine under his belt...this one even "treated athletes at Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports"...not sure what that is. But...I'm hoping he'll be a lot more proactive in getting me "up and running" (HA! See what I did there?) as opposed to others who might just tell me to pick a different activity.

My question, then, is this: I had bought Brooks shoes (pure air 4 or something?)...I've done a bit of reading about runners with flat feet and they mention stability shoes? something like that? Anyone have any experience running with flat feet? What works for you as far a strecthes, shoes, orthotics, anything?

I also have very, very (VERY) flat feet and find that with good shoes, orthotics (I've done custom, but now am very happy with Superfeet), and cross-training that focuses on strengthening my quads and hips, I can run pain free!

 

[tacboze]

I also have very, very (VERY) flat feet and find that with good shoes, orthotics (I've done custom, but now am very happy with Superfeet), and cross-training that focuses on strengthening my quads and hips, I can run pain free!

This is SO good to hear! Thank you!

 

[tacboze]

I would talk to your podiatrist and your running store about that. I wear stability shoes. My feet aren't flat, but close. I didn't really realize that I needed them until I had a fitting at my running store. They will help you figure out what you need. Shoes can change your life, no joke.

What stability shoes do you like? I have zero knowledge of them. Never even heard of them until I did some flat feet running reading today.