Socks as gear

Ironically, I've had an uneasy relationship with feet my whole life. As a pre-schooler I once ran screaming from the family room when a television commercial featured a camera shot of a vulnerable foot sole being attacked by a thick, black marker. I think the idea was to delineate areas of the foot so we could understand how a Dr. Scholl’s insert could make tired feet feel better. But that's just a guess. As many times as that commercial came on television is as many times as I ran from the room.

For years I was the receiving end of many a bad joke about big feet. "You don't have big feet Lee...you have enormous flippers!" It's true I do have good balance thanks to being heavily weighted at the bottom end by size 9.5 feet on a 5'6" frame.

As a teenager if I was going to get injured, it was always feet first. One foot was crushed between two boats, an ingrown toe-nail never recovered from botched surgery (who operates on an ingrown toenail anyway?), and half a sewing needle found a happy home deep in my foot for more than a year before making itself agonizingly known one summer when I became suddenly unable to walk.

Thankfully, my feet have experienced a renaissance, so to speak, in my adult years. They have carried me thousands, possibly even tens of thousands of kilometres, through marathons and training walks. They have pushed me along the beautiful coast of Big Sur 5 times, through the vineyards of Bordeaux, past the ruins of Rome, around the cerulean hues of Lake Tahoe, up and down the hills of Bermuda, and over the streets of Vancouver, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Edmonton, Quebec City, Seattle, Honolulu, Cleveland, Long Beach, Des Moines, Philadelphia, Dallas, Columbus and, most recently, Miami and Myrtle Beach.

Miraculously, I walked all these miles with nary a blister. I have credited this great good fortune to a huge dollop of genetic luck, engineered shoes, and a thick layer of either Vaseline or shea butter. So, I was surprised when I walked the BI-LO Myrtle Beach Marathon two weeks ago to experience burning on the inside of both heels by mile 8 of the half marathon. I can tell you I was grateful that I was not facing the full marathon distance.

So, what could have caused this unusual turn of events? My shoes were the same New Balance® 903 model I have been wearing for more than a year. I had remembered to grease up my feet even in the fog of a 4am wake-up call. The only difference from walks past was my decision to use a thin, single layer merino wool sock that I had been using religiously in cold Toronto temperatures. Normally, I pull on super thin, super soft, sometimes double layer, synthetic “performance” socks – usually from Wright. I have been so confident in these socks that I have been known to buy a new pair at race expos and wear them the next day in the race without even a trial walk.

My theory is that the wool socks, which featured a slightly rough texture, were the reason for the blisters. Maybe my feet got too hot in the warmer South Carolina temperatures. Maybe the rough texture combined with the heat to create a “perfect storm” at the contact point of my heels.

As you can tell, the experience got me thinking about feet and left me with a new respect for socks as gear. To be sure, I’ll be looking for my softest socks this weekend when I get dressed for the Chilly Half Marathon. I may even stop by my favourite shoe shop for a new pair.

Happy blister-free walking! And let us know your secrets to happy feet.

Lee

It's a a marathon of hugs

When you train to walk marathons and other races, you get a huge side-helping of life skills other than walking. Learning how to hug is chief among them. Last weekend while I waited at the finish line of the Myrtle Beach marathon, I witnessed literally thousands of hugs. Now, I admit it was Valentine’s Day so it made sense that my attention was drawn to expressions of affection. Still, when I gave it some thought I realized that no racer needs Valentine’s as an excuse for a hug. Comrades in training and racing hug all the time.

The race course is a fantastic leveller. That sweaty guy beside you with the crumpled bib pinned haphazardly to his shirt could be the prime minister or it could be Lance Armstrong (well, you might recognize Lance). If you’ve been struggling beside that person for a difficult portion of the course, it’s very possible you will hug each other after you cross the finish line (and if it is the prime minister, he looks like he could use a hug).

I’ve raced the Big Sur Marathon for the last 5 years and every year in the last few miles I pass by a big guy dressed in a green garbage bag who advertises free hugs. Something about that green garbage bag made me walk past. Last year when I was getting closer to the hugging venue, I thought “What am I thinking passing up on a free hug? Who cares if he is wearing a big green garbage bag, I am going to get a push to the finish line from that hug.” I looked forward to that hug through the last gruelling hills of the Carmel Highlands. It’s a memory that still inspires me. Later I realized the “hugger” was on to something wearing the garbage bag. Offering free hugs to more than 6,000 sweaty participants is probably more deserving of a hazmat suit.

This weekend is the Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington. If you are not walking the course this weekend, why not come out with a `free hug`sign to cheer and hug everyone on. Chances are you`ll feel as good about your participation as the people who cross the finish line.

I`ll look for you out there!

Lee

p.s. be sure to post any of your favourite hug stories here.

Finish line bling

I'm not sure if "better late than never" can justify my delay in posting this Miami Half Marathon medal but I can tell you that just looking at it warms me during cold February days. Look for the crystal in the centre of the palm tree and compare the size to our looney! This is serious bling for a half marathon.

Are you busy training for your spring bling? Now is the time when the hard work is done for those races. Most of us are spending time walking in the dark if we are going to get all of our training completed. During some of our night classes we have experienced the wrath of some frustrated drivers. Some times we know that these drivers have never been out walking themselves or they would not be so impatient. Still, there are certainly enough other times when we hav to take responsibility for our safety.

It's good night etiquette to be walking on the road facing traffic (except to move as we approach corners so that no car making a right turn will be faced with a wall of training walking athletes!). Wear reflective clothing, lights, and keep as much to the side of the road as possible.

Imagine what it would be like as driver to come upon us training and you’ll know what to do.

Post here is you have any ideas for being a safe night and winter walker.