Last minute prep

We have all seen it whilst racing and chances are it has happened to us all at least once – Poor performances as a result of avoidable situations. I’m not talking about nutritional or mechanical issues here, I mean grotty things like blisters, ingrown or stripped nails and skin reactions or abrasions. These are the sorts of things that can force people to pull out of races, it would be a shame to have this happen during a key event, giving a disappointing end to the season. Preparation and prevention gives a clearer path to achievement.

At least once in every race there will be someone who has suffered during a race and can only blame themselves for not paying enough attention to detail during training and in the weeks prior to a key event. We constantly give our bikes maintain our bikes, ensuring there are no cracks in our Kayak hull, that goggles are clean and fit properly and that your spikes are screwed in tight enough and if there are any problems we are more than happy to pay for it to get fixed, so why neglect something as crucial as your feet. They are with you the whole way through an event so it would make sense to keep them in good working order. Sure, feet do hurt at the end of most events is inevitable but it would be great to be able to limit the foot pain to that which is a result of just plain hard effort.

I have coined the phrase – Runners feet. This is typical to a long distance runner, triathlete or even cyclist. They are often calloused on the tip of the 2nd to 5th toes, have thickened/discoloured nails and usually a few that are hanging on for dear life. The skin is rough and calloused from blisters, sweat and salt water and there may be signs of Tinea Pedis (Athletes foot) between a few of the toes or the sole of the foot as a result of the foot being in a moist/humid environment for a long period of time. Now, admittedly is difficult to prevent such changes occurring to the feet (and for the vain, yes they will be unsightly, but everyone else’s are too) but they can certainly be managed to prevent exacerbation during training or in races. This attention to detail typifies those athletes serious about their participation, no matter what level you are competing in. I regularly see athletes just wanting to finish a triathlon right through to those aiming to win, the athlete’s goals and level of competition may be different, but they do possess the same mindset – wanting to cover all bases to give a satisfying result.

I find it best to break the sequence of tasks down to time points leading to a key event.

SYSTEMATICALLY
For the unlucky (or should that be the wise) a visit to the Podiatrist should be a regular event. You don’t have to be over 60 to get your corns, callouses and nails attended to. Sure it is an easy thing for you to manage, and if this is possible then the nails should be trimmed every 2-3 weeks if necessary and the corners filed lightly to prevent any rubbing and breaking of the skin on adjacent toes. For some with persistent ingrown toe nails, corns or sites of callous it is prudent to avoid bathroom surgery and get a professional job on them. This allows a trained eye to have a look at areas on the feet out of site to your own eyes. We also have the instruments designed to tidy these areas up. I don’t want to hear about you holding a Swiss Army knife to a flame and then cutting your callous till it bleeds. This is a sure short cut to a week off training and a very high risk of infection. The frequency of the visit to the Podiatrist varies from person to person but don’t wait until it’s too late. A popular Podiatrist may not be able to see you for a few days. Another thing to do on a regular basis is to get used to running in wet shoes, don’t run around puddles, just charge through them. If you are afraid of getting water in your shoes on race day you need to re-evaluate your reasons for starting. Wet feet are inevitable and this will provide an environment for blisters to develop, so find a shoe/sock combination that works for you, and to be honest, the most expensive socks probably are the best, I also find the thinner they are the better they perform. If you are going to run without socks do it in training to ensure the shoes on race day do not have any poorly placed seams.

1 MONTH OUT
Even if you don’t see a Podiatrist for foot care it is not silly to have a visit at this time. Therefore any potential problems can be identified and treated to avoid them on race day. This might include ingrown toe nails, fungal infections, eczema, skin tears, callous build up and blister treatment.

2 WEESK OUT
This should be the period you service your bike, so service your feet at the same time. My own opinion is that this is a good time to start applying methylated spirits to any areas prone to blisters, only if the skin is not already broken. This method will allow the skin to dry out and a more firm texture will remain, providing a more resilient surface to prevent from friction blisters. This is where opinions may differ, as some people believe that applying Vaseline to prone areas prior to a run will prevent friction. My concern with this is that you are allowing a medium whereby the foot may slip forward in shoes if the Vaseline works its way to the sole or the sides of the foot. I have seen some very nasty consequences as a result of this method. However, it is always stressed that things need to be tried in training and not left till race day, so give it a go one day if you are troubled by blisters, Vaseline may just be the ticket for you. Whilst I see it as important to dry out the blister prone areas, it is important to ensure the rest of the skin on the foot is supple and sufficiently hydrated. For this I recommend a regular (every second day) light application of an emollient or moisturiser with Lanolin, Aloe Vera or similar based product.

4 DAYS OUT
Give your feet a final once over and get any areas concerning you attended to ASAP.

DAY BEFORE
I find that taping blister prone areas such as toes, heels and arches with a lightweight adherent fabric such as Mefix or Fixomull is sufficient to act as a second skin and will take a great deal of friction. With my experience in Ironman it will stay there for race day even with the swim and running along the road to transition. This is good to do the night before as I wouldn’t want to be making this a last minute thing on race morning – take your time and make sure there are no creases in the tape.

RACE DAY
There isn’t too much to worry about here. Make sure your shoes are tightened correctly and ensure you are running in a pair of socks you are used to. With endurance events if you are given an opportunity to change your socks in transition after the bike it is worth doing as it will be dry, comfortable and is a chance to let your feet see the air for a few seconds. In Ironman NZ 2004 I carried a few pre-cut silicon sleeves called Silipos (available from Podiatrists and Pharmacies) in my shirt’s back pocket. I was prepared to fit these to any toes that may have been developing blisters or abrasions, but in the end didn’t have to as my preparation pre-race meant my race day went smoothly.

Just like your equipment is highly tuned so are your bodies. Therefore, any seemingly minor problems have the potential to ruin your big day out there. Provided your pre-race preparation goes smoothly there should be no unforeseen foot problems occurring. This will leave your mind free to concentrate on the more important things on race day – nutrition, heart rate, water and keeping a smile on for the finish line.