Some other foot-friendly advice
Battling to get a shoe on,
or taking time to tie laces
properly, costs valuable
seconds in T2. And when
you are racing for a podium,
or a PB (so your mates buy
the beers), those seconds
count. Elastic laces are an
obvious solution, but they
can be tricky. Too tight
or too loose and they’re
uncomfortable, and are time-
consuming to sort out. Zubits
are magnetic shoe closures
that you lace into the shoe.
They are supposedly very
powerful, self-aligning and
waterproof. It means you can
have your shoe wide open,
slip your foot in, pull up the
tongue – and snap, off you
go. I haven’t seen them, but if
they do what they say they do,
then they are worth a try.
For those runners who
complain of forefoot
numbness, a simple lacing
adjustment could be the
answer. Loosen one of the
laces that crosses over the
top of your foot, where your
main foot artery runs. If need
be, go to a podiatrist or sports
physio and ask them to fi nd
the dorsalis pedis artery, then
relace to make sure there is
no pressure on this artery.
Laces should be fi rm
enough to keep your foot
and the shoe together.
You don’t want your foot
to slide around inside the
shoe, especially if you are an
orthotic wearer. Unnatural or
excessive movement inside
a shoe equals friction, and
friction equals blisters.
Choose your socks with
care. Some fi bres will absorb
and hold more water, which
in turn will keep your feet
wet for longer. Brands such
as Balega use mohair, which
dries more quickly. Sealskinz
socks are reportedly
waterproof and state that the
foot remains dry; they have
three layers and are designed
to allow sweat out but not
let water in. A concern here
will be using a sock like this
in a hotter climate as even a
thin sock has a high thermal
rating. They may have a place,
but be cautious.
Use lube liberally over
areas where you are prone
to blister. Spread it onto
the foot, over the socks and
between your toes – wherever
you need it. If you wear
orthotics, or race without
socks, place a thick smear
over the arch of the shoe or
orthotics before you put them
into transition.
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