Two lessons
Don't do long runs in cotton socks.
If you do, you will rip the hell out of your feet and toes. All of a sudden, you will understand why people claim that running ruins their feet. It will not be a pleasant revelation. If you do not already own specialized running socks that you love, I highly recommend investing in some Balegas: No seam; Thin on top for breathing, Padded on the bottom for cushion; Made of material that does not cause chafing.
I had no idea how much my Balegas were contributing to my overall foot comfort (I haven't really ever run a long run without them) until I ran out of clean ones before this weekend's long run and just packed a pair of short cotton athletic socks.
Ouch.
Now, I'm going to order some more. Also, I think I'm going to try a pair of the Injinji toe socks. Now that I realize how much of a difference my Balegas have been making, I figure, what the heck? I'll spend $15 and try the wacky toe-socks that some of the ultra-marathoning folks swear by.
72 hours is a solid maximum full-throttle period
In the last 72 hours, I fit in entirely too much.
I'm not sure I can recall the last time I did 3 nights in a row out on the town. But, we just did it again: Thursday, drinks in our hometown at a local restaurant while visiting friends had a late dinner after their arrival from their California road trip; Friday, a delicious dinner at Delfina followed by drinks 'til midnight with a large group; and Saturday, a shopping trip, a hair appointment, and a wedding. Add in all the associated ordinary life stuff like work, a professional lunch on Friday, running, and a quick 'bout of food poisoning from our dinner on Thursday before the out-of-towners arrived, and well... I'm spent.
Tonight, I could not bring myself to attack the todo list. It will have to wait 'til tomorrow. Sleep is coming very soon.
I cannot wear cotton anything now, except jeans. It's all wool or synthetic for me. I run in a cotton T-shirt when it's very warm and I know I will end up shedding it within a few minutes, because then it makes a nice towel to carry with me. But anything that actually stays on my body can't be cotton!
ReplyDeleteI am not surprised to hear that you know the material properties of cotton, because you are wise and learn from things like that. If only I had asked you whether I should spend $8 for new socks or just suck it up and use whatever was clean...
ReplyDeleteThis was my first real lesson on fibers, and I could not believe just how much of a difference it made. I am not kidding--I lost months of callouses from the balls of my feet, not to mention soft un-calloused skin from the tips of my toes. All of this from a 14-mile long run in shoes that fit perfectly at a reasonable pace on a mellow-temperature day (lows of high 50's, highs in the low 70s) with maybe another mile of walking.
Absolutely nothing compared to the marathons and marathon training I had subjected my feet to in the past.
I had no idea how much difference the fibers could make. And now, I can only imagine the pain of doing a marathon in cotton socks... horrid! I think all those stories I heard about lost toe-nails, blisters, etc. should at least be 50% attributed to socks. Why do more people not discuss this?
Anyways. A lesson well-learned.
-bt
I hiked up and down Mt. Diablo by the steepest trail, in the crappiest hiking boots, with nary a blister thanks to my Smartwool socks! :) Not that that is a good idea, but it just goes to tell you.
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