Saturday, March 12, 2011

BlisterZilla

I had a lovely 11-mile run planned today, with my friend Kim (who just ran 11 miles for the first time EVER today - stop by and congratulate her if you get a minute!), and it was a beautiful sunny morning, and I was rested and hydrated and even fed!  And the run felt great - we were keeping a brisk but manageable pace through the first couple of miles, and then I needed a bathroom.  The only potty I knew of was back at the start, so I decided to run back to the start (for a total of just over 5 miles) and then run back out and catch Kim and her hubby on the way back.  

So, I ran back by myself to the potty, and it's a darn good thing I did (the less said about THAT, the better!), and then ran back again to the point where I'd left Kim and her hubs, and things were still fine, and then about mile 6 I started feeling a hot spot on the instep of my right foot.

Now, blisters are nothing new to me - I've fought them for years.  I've used BodyGlide, and deodorant, and duct tape, and special socks and moleskin.  I've tried walking barefoot outside to toughen my feet.  Nothing really prevents them.

Moleskin is really the bomb, as far as I'm concerned - it really works once I get the inevitable hot spots.  So, for years I have carried it with me for long runs.  But about three months ago, I stopped having blister issues and I thought the problem was gone forever.  Boy, am I an idiot.  

Because by mile 9, the hot spot was seriously interfering with my run.  I had to apologize to Kim and cut my run short.  I finished ten miles and then went straight to the car to peel off my shoe and sock, and this is what I found: (Warning: Do NOT scroll down if gnarly runner feet repulse you!!!)



I have named her BlisterZilla.  She is evil.  I am going to smother her in moleskin tomorrow and run anyway, but darn it, darn it, darn it! I know better. I know I need to carry moleskin with me for every long run - heaven knows, I buy industrial-sized rolls of the stuff! Why, why, why didn't I put a few squares in my CamelBak pocket? This is what happens when you let your guard down - stinkin' blisters!

I am so angry with myself over this that I could scream - sheer carelessness caused this blister, and now it will take at least a week to heal.  Stupid blister! Stupid foot!  Do you struggle with blisters?  If so, how do you handle them?

17 comments:

  1. Holy smokes! At least it's not one of those tiny blisters that everyone would tease your for cutting your run short. You made it way longer than I would've with that thin growing in my foot!

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  2. Thanks, Kim. I can't believe I was so stupid as to take the moleskin out of my bag - it wasn't hurting anything in there!

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  3. man, that is HUGE! ouch. I've heard about duct tape, other than that I've got nothing.

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  4. Thanks, Molly - I felt bad for wimping out on my friend, but she's a sweetie and didn't make me feel bad about it!

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  5. wow that is ginormous! i used to get really bad blisters and how i dealt with them was to pop them. i wouldn't recommend that though as they would ALWAYS get infected (and that meant hospital for me)....maybe moisturizer would keep it from hurting? by making the skin not stretch so tightly?

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  6. Karyn, thanks for the warning! Yikes! No popping BlisterZilla!

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  7. ahhh! that is the biggest blister I have ever seen ...

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  8. OK, when your running peeps are impressed by your blister maybe you aren't a wimp, after all!

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  9. Thanks for a great run! I am so sorry about your blister!!! It looks even bigger than when you first showed me after taking off your shoe. :( DO NOT feel bad for stopping at 10 miles! I feel bad for going on and you waiting on me, but really appreciate that you understood my need to get the 11 done. Thank you! I hope the moleskin is already back in your camelbak.

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  10. Oh my gosh - that looks painful!!

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  11. Oh my lordy, that IS enormous! I have never had blister problems before I bought trail shoes then my right foot decided it didn't like them. And when the podiatrist tapped my foot? Hello, blister central!! Of course I'm not really running right now (booo!!) but guess what? I'm still getting blisters with my bike shoe. WTH!?!? 32 years with no blisters and then wham...all of a sudden I got them.

    Have you ever tried a product from "Engo" called "Rubbingg & Blister relief"??? I know Emz used these in her 50-miler and swore by them. I bought some but haven't used them yet, they were so expensive. But you put the patch on the spot on the SHOE that's bothering you and not the skin. Kinda cool, eh?!?

    Sorry your run didn't go better...hopefully you will be out there with your friend again soon...blister-free!

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  12. That is a huge blister! I don't normally get too many blisters (thankfully) but when I do, most of the times it's on the side of my foot. I actually do pop them to get the fluid out and then put betadine to avoid infection. But I've never had anything as huge! I hope it doesn't affect your walking and running too much!

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  13. Thankfully, I don't often get blisters. The last blister I developed was at the Walker North Country Marathon (trail marathon). I ran about 8 miles on it, it was located between my big toe and the toe next to it, and it finally popped as I neared the finish.

    Have you tried running in two pair of socks to reduce the friction on the skin on your feet?

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  14. Thank you for the suggestions, everyone! I appreciate the ideas and the sympathy! :)

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  15. i don’t have blister problems, well, tiny ones compared to yours that are only on the tips of my toes that bodyglide helps with. That looks painful!! i can’t believe you even ran that long on it. hope it heals soon!! my good friend told me about moleskin but looks like you knew about that one already.

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