Blisters - helpful advice needed

Blisters do happen. While a lot of folks never get them, some get them
regularly and different shoes/socks, etc. don't seem to help. Where
your's is is not unusual and it could well be that since you're a new
runner, you just need to let your feet toughen up. Moleskin is OK, but
not the best solution. I would try body glide or another lubricant to
see if you can eliminate the friction. If that doesn't work, try finding
a flexible, breathable sports tape (I've always used elasticon but it's
out of production now). If the problem persists after the current
blister heals (re-blisters or never heals) I would suggest a different
pair of shoes.

JWU42 said:

Seeing there is a substantial troll factor here I added the "helpful".

I am a new runner and have started to develop a blister on my right
foot just behind the ball of by big toe. A few highlights:

Shoes: Asics GT-2110 (about 30 miles on them)
Socks: Balega Enduro or Drymax
Me: 6'3" - 200#

I had no problems the first 20 miles or so (averaging about 3 miles per
run for my first 6 or 7). Blister appeared during one of my longer
runs (3.5 miles) while wearing my Balega socks - man they are nice. I
went back to my local store in Houston and the basic message was
"blisters happen". Suggestions ranged from moleskin to baby powder to
bodyglide. The moleskin allows me to run - but the blister that
started the size of a dime is now about the size of a quarter and is
not showing signs of stopping.

I am trying to determine where to go from here. I tried a new pair of
socks (Drymax) and they were fine but I am starting to think it might
be the shoes.

Is it best to just stay away from running for the next week to let the
blister heal completely? Then after that - hope it doesn't re-occur.

Thanks in advance for anyone who replies with some blister wisdom!

--
- The Trailrunner

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How are the blisters on you palms?

"JWU42" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Seeing there is a substantial troll factor here I added the "helpful".

I am a new runner and have started to develop a blister on my right
foot just behind the ball of by big toe. A few highlights:

Is there an obvious point of contact within the shoe? If there is, you can
sometimes snip/trim it with sharp sissors, or put a piece of duct tape over
it. Perhaps you need wider shoes. The best piece of running advice I ever
got (from a book) was to try a larger shoe size. I went from 10.5s when I
was in my 20's, to 11s, then more recently to 12s and I even have a pair of
13s now that leave more room for the toes when doing long trail runs. (Your
feet also get larger as you run over the years). All this being said, when
you first start running, you'll often get blisters while your feet are
generally toughening up. I have some shoes that will sometimes give me
problems in certain areas, and I just put a bandaid over that part of my
foot before wearing them.

-Tony

Thanks for the comments thus far - some directly to me.

For info RE: shoe size.

I am wearing a 13 and width is not an issue. I wear a size 12 street
shoe and am barely a "D" width. I took the time and tried on 6-8 pairs
of shoes at my local running shop. I tried to make sure I made a wise
purchase and took the advise of the staff and narrowed it down to 3
pairs than ran a 1/4 mile or so in each. Yes, not a perfect "test
drive" but a pair of brooks that felt good - felt really bad in about
500 ft.

Again, thanks for the comments and suggestions - well most of them so
far...

JWU42 said:

Suggestions ranged from moleskin to baby powder to
bodyglide. The moleskin allows me to run - but the blister
that started the size of a dime is now about the size of a
quarter and is not showing signs of stopping.

It's been a while since I got blisters, but I used to pop 'em with a
sterlized needle, drain then, and bandage (band-aid? gauze? special
blister-specific doodad? I don't remember) them. This may be a better
option than continuing to let the sucker grow.

Beyond that, bodyglide works well. I first started getting blisters
when exceeding a couple or three miles - switching from cotton to
synthetic or wool socks fixed that. You're already there. Then at
some further distance I started getting blisters again, and first
vaseline, then later bag balm and finally bodyglide, fixed that.
Bodyglide's the handiest and least messy but the most expensive. Shoe
fit was an issue with a couple pairs but eventually figured that out,
and it sounds like you have already looked at that.

In the longer term you may find blisters simply become less of a
problem, whether it's your feet toughening or your form improving. I
spent plenty of hours focused on a quick, light stride and a
forefoot/midfoot (as opposed to heel) landing, and believe - whether
due to this intentional work, or it was just something that'd happen
with all the miles anyway - that my form improved, and one upshot is
less foot movement within the shoe hence less friction and fewer
blisters. It used to be anything over x miles (x = 6? 8? no more than
10 for sure) without bodyglide or similar, would guarantee blisters.
But these days I'm fine for 15 or more miles without anything.

Charlie,

Thanks for the thoughts. I have popped this blister to drain it twice
now - the last time Monday.

I am sure my technique is much like that of a beginning runner - fair
at best. I will think about less of a heel landing - I know I am doing
that now at my slow/easy pace. As my pace quickens (8:45-9:00) I can
definitely tell my stride is better and I am more on my fore/mid foot.

Also look under the insole to see if there are any bumps
on the shoe base. If there are any you may want to scrape
them off.

3.5 miles run should do nothing to the skin of a human foot unless it
is rubbing against very coarse socks inside ill fitting shoes. I have
occasional black toes but not blister running 40+ miles a week. mho is
to wear good pair of socks from the same brand and replace them when
they thin out.

Back OT...

Used a liberal amount of bodyglide the last two runs and that proves a
much better solution than moleskin. As several have said, perhaps it
is just a toughening process the feet must go thru...