On Callus & Blister Prevention

It was during that same Springtime hiking that I wrote about yesterday when I realized something else. This isn't as good a solution to use on the tops of my toes or around them while hiking as it is while I'm running. Maybe it's the way my feet move within my shoes, maybe it's the varying traction.

The more weeks that I joined the other hikers, the more that I found myself purposefully turning my foot to its side in order to "climb" my way down a hill of more than a few feet descent. The pressure was too great pushing "head-on" into the front of these & then, later on, these. Even with the latter being more designed for the purpose of hiking, & some running as well.

Mentioning aloud about this painful pressure turned to be a good thing, even though I was "just talking" when I did. Another hiker in our group mentioned a similar problem & it turned out that they'd found a solution. …from another hiker. 😊 Hikers tend to take care of other hikers like this.

What we learned was that these come in handy when hiking. Unlike this, these are reusable too, making them an even greater asset.

As I filled my shopping cart in June I knew it would be sensible & assistive to me knowing I'd be away for the majority of July to purchase these. I had already packed this.

And even knowing I was best off to try these out before using them for an actual event, I went ahead & put them on the morning of the marathon. I also foolishly didn't trim them to my size & put one on every single toe. 😟 This was nonsensical & unadvisable. By Mile 17 or 18 I remember considering that I was glad to be concentrating on fueling myself properly with these because definitely by Mile 20 I particularly unhappy with myself for not first using them on a much shorter run - or maybe even just on a hike! - before traveling a great distance to run in a marathon & first wearing them then! Oi vey! 😞

So there I was, crossing the finish line, & I look like I feel okay then. This is even stabilized & in place quite well. This ultimately showed itself to have worked well. 

However, & even though I didn't have any toenails falling off, or blisters forming or intensifying, between seriously needing to stretch (I'd just experienced a half an hour PR!), & feeling these clamming up inside these & these, I couldn't wait to, well, be barefoot! If even for just a few moments.


Fast forward & I'm back "home" waking up in my "typical time zone"...& I've been hiking...& I've worn these on just my big toes where the initial pressure-while-hiking issue began back in May. 

I'm quite satisfied to say that, for hiking, these were a solid, very welcome, will-wear-them-again-for-the-same-occasion, WIN! They also may be a satisfactory solution for some runs too; I'll have to test them more for that purpose to know for sure. In the meantime I'll be continuing my same "wrapping" ritual of this for when I run (which is most typically a minimum of five to ten miles each time).

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