Run-Down Forums

[Guest]

Hi

I haven't posted here for about 6 months so I'm about to make up for it now!

Firstly, I've only just started to increase my runs from 5k to 10k, currently only twice weekly on the treadmill cos I've been busy with a new job and new house! (Still, at least I managed to fit some running time in.) I've now got two massive blisters at exactly the same points on both feet - the inner, underside. I'm wondering whether it's because I'm wearing the wrong trainers and they're rubbing against my inner feet, and I've only just noticed because the runs were previously too short for anything to happen, or whether it's just purely because I've started to increase the mileage. What do you think? I'm wearing Asics Gel2050. As far as I know I'm a 'normal' runner. Maybe I'm wearing the wrong shoes?

Another thing is that I've just bought a CD player but cannot seem to find a combined water bottle/CD carrier. Do you know if this exists? I've checked all the products links and you can either get water bottle carriers OR CD carriers, not both. Seems a bit daft to me - don't people ever want to run whilst listening to music and keeping hydrated?!! Any ideas would be appreciated. The only way around it I can see is if I buy a separate 'bum' bag holder for my CD and strap it on separately to my bottle carrier - I suppose I'll burn more calories at least, although it'll probably take me twice as long!!!

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Heidi']

[Guest]

Oops - daft woman! When I said I wear Asics Gel2050 what I really meant was Asics GT2050. The Gels were my last pair!!

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Heidi']

[Dan]

Shoes are the most likely culprit, but socks could just as easily be causing blisters (most likely in conjunction with things like new shoes, longer runs, more sweat (warm weather), etc.). A 2-layer sock like Thorlos might be worth trying. At least it would be cheaper than trying a new pair of shoes...

As far as the music thing, ever consider an mp3 player? I'm waiting till the technology becomes a bit more established/refined, but I think that's got a lot of potential for portable music -- no moving parts (no skipping), much smaller and lighter, and probably more durable. One of the smaller designs could probably fit into a side compartment on a water bottle carrier quite easily.

Cheers,
Dan

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice on the shoes - perhaps I'll try new socks!!

I'd not consider buying an MP3 at the moment - they're just too expensive in the UK, and you have to keep downloading new music - too much of a pain! My CD player is really good - it hasn't skipped once. I did actually find something at Reserve America which looks as if it will do the trick, so maybe I'll give it a go.

On a different note, would you know why my heartrate is at 178 even if I'm running at only 8.5km per hour?! If I reduced speed to drop it to 140ish I'd been walking backwards! I always feel absolutely fine when I'm running - if I go much faster I'll top 200! 10km per hour gets me to a rate of 190. Do you think there's something wrong?

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Heidi']

[sara]

About the blister...I had one like that when I was running one year and it was very persistent...switching socks had nothing to do with mine. I finally traced it to an infinitesimal piece of clear string Nike had used on some part of the shoe. It was poking out just enough to be really irritating without actually cutting me. I put some waterproof adhesive tape over it and the problem was solved! So my suggestion is that, if you haven't already, you might try looking very very carefully at the inside of the shoe, and feeling around a bit. Best of luck!

[Dan]

Thanks for sharing that advice, Sara. Definitely worth a check. More difficult things to guage that could also be a cause are various flex points throughout the shoe. If the forefoot is too stiff, it might be rubbing throughout the arch as you transition from heel to toe. In which case, it might simply be a matter of breaking the shoes in, or it could mean they don't work for you.

As far as the heart rate thing, the few times I've measured my heart rate resulting from running, I've shot up over 200 without hardly warming up. Either I don't know how to count, or that number is far less meaningful than we are constantly told... If 200 is a warmup, I shudder to think what my max is.

Dan