Blisters - Ironman

Pain and Ironman performance is inversely proportional exponential relationship (pardon the big words). Put simply, as pain increases Ironman performance decreases proportionately to a point where something has to give. It is accepted and expected that Ironman does hurt. However on the perfect day the only pain we should feel is that which we cannot control, such as muscle soreness. Any other aches and pain we feel that can be avoided is what eventually leads us to an unsatisfactory result, this would include blisters, chronic injury, chafing and physiological factors like dehydration, lack of conditioning, poor pacing and muscle cramps.

I am proud to say that I managed to survive the Ironman without too much discomfort. Sure it hurt in the last 30km of the bike and 10km of the run but I was not disappointed by this. What I was really happy about was the absence of any blisters and blackened toenails. Now being a Podiatrist, I am extremely happy with this fact, as it would be setting a bad example if I was affected by such ailments.

It is such an important thing to add to the pre-race to-do list, infact it could even be something to include at the beginning of your taper period. During the 2 weeks preceding IMNZ I was applying methylated spirits to my feet over the areas usually prone to blisters. I know some people think its best to leave the skin supple, but this technique has never worked for me – it is a good idea to experiment with various techniques in training or shorter, less significant races.

Regular long, hilly runs in training may cause the development of a number of insidious problems. These are the sort of things that begin to start quietly but often show their ugly head just at the wrong time. A good example of this is a blood blister that built up under my right 2nd toe nail after a 2 hour + hilly run about 3 weeks out from Ironman. At the time it wasn’t too bad. I did the usual drainage and dressing of the blister and it settled down, the next week I had a shorter run, which for some reason aggravated the toe badly and it blew up like a balloon and was very sore to walk on – bit worried now. A bit of minor work on the nail and it was fine, although I must admit I was worried that something as simple as that would ruin my day.

Ironman eve, a member of the Robert Dallimore/Foot Traffic support crew who happened to be a fellow Podiatrist had another tidy up of my nails, evened off the sharp edges and removed any areas of callous. I also had a few silicon sleeves cut incase I had to fit them over my toes to any friction spots during the run. This was available to me in half way special needs bag – I took it but didn’t have to use any of them.

In past races I have occasionally had blisters form on my heel bone and to my arches, and these events haven’t been as long as the Ironman. I was conscious of this being a problem again so I taped the soles of my feet including the arches and up around the back of the heel with a porous adhesive fabric material called Fixomull stretch. This is a great product as it sticks like glue, infact I think the wetter it gets the better it sticks as it was a real mission getting it off that after the race in the shower. I had no problems at all with these blisters.

All in all, I think the key to a successful Ironman is preparation. As I have previously stated, it is so important to get the simple things sorted out. Even if it seems like a minor problem, a mildly tender toenail a week prior to the race can very easily turn ugly over night, causing unnecessary nerves pre-race.

Check your local Yellow Pages or on the internet for a good podiatrist. I can be contacted at Foot Traffic Sports and general Podiatry on 095215577, or rob@foottraffic.co.nz. Mention you saw this on www.EnduranceCoach.com to receive a discount for your initial consultation.