Walking #5: Have you brought out your Sandals yet?

[CBDB]

Not a big walk, or a Nordic Walk, but the chance to cream my feet and give them a foot massage, paint my nails, take out my sandals, and use two walks to and at work to give my sandals the first outing for the year. First, yesterday with my rigid stiff Reva sandals, and today with my more flexible leather sandals, bought both more than … it must be 18 years now, bought before the birth of my son.

I realized I have neglected my feet, maybe for decades. I walked with them; I did exercise; but I did not consciously care for them, not like my hands, or my face, or my hair.

A thankful set of feet they have proven to be. They have carried me so far. But they also have been on a health journey that mirrored my whole body’s journey.

As a child, I know I broke my little toes simply by playing and climbing, and running. We did go to the hospital and just got sent back. Nothing to be done for little broken toes, it seems. At least in those days.

In my 20s , I hiked for days and backpacked for weeks. Meindl boots, rigid, protective, enclosing my feet in thick, hard leather. And this was also when I often wore sandals in the summers, but that stopped at some point.

My feet struggled when I got pregnant, and the arches of my feet couldn’t take the weight anymore. I started wearing only shoes with good arch support, and that remained a need for my feet’s health for the next 15 years at least.

It got slowly better, but sandals were only brought out for short walks, too short for my arches to act up. Or for summer evenings in our garden. But not for longer walks.

And then, two years ago, I started running, or rather Japanese Slow Jogging. Slowly my feet got stronger as I worked my way through Couch to 5k. End of last year in 2021, I was running a weekly 10k.

So here I am, two years later, and my feet and arches are better than they’ve been for a long time. And I’m exploring the joy of walking again.

And the leather sandals I wore today, I swear they feel a tad bit larger than they did before. When bought, they had been on the small side, but now they fit perfectly. And I remembered the various posts on these forums, tales that running was lifting the arch and runners finding they needed a smaller size of shoes.

It was great walking today in my flexible leather sandals, feeling the sunshine on my toes. No photo, for now, but just the very elementary sense of appreciating my feet as I walk.

Thank you, feet!

So have you been thankful for your feet lately, and have you brought out your sandals yet?

Happy walking, everyone.

[Doris8 1000miles per year]

I haven’t got sandals out yet , and not warm enough yet, a bit like you were with the arch pain , every shoe just seems to rub and any tightness across midfoot nerve pain starts. I can’t wear orthotics even soft ones as they hurt sides of feet and nerves start up and can’t walk far in them, dread a wedding no shoes!, I’m hoping walking might help feet because of flexing at midfoot might strengthen arches like you. Im going to try and wear my altras more. Do you walk on roads with your altras trail? Do you find the grips or treads on bottom feel odd when walking on roads or is it just me. ? Will try my sandals out more than last year . Good luck on your feet 🦶

[CBDB Administrator in reply to Doris8]

Thanks, yeah, we gotta love our feet, right? 🦶🦶

I don’t walk on roads with Altra Trails, with exception of 700m-1k from my house door to the start of the trails. But I’ve not noticed treads feeling odd.

I did wonder, though, how many years it will be until I cave and buy a super cushioned road shoe from Altra. 🤣 But I really don’t need it, as most of my routes are trails. But the super-cushioned Paradigm sounds sooo … cushioned.. 🤣🤣🤣 And “winter running pushing me into roads” I thought would be my excuse! 🤣🤣 But maybe I need those for winter walking?

[Doris8 1000miles per year in reply to CBDB]

Sent for a pair of Altra torin 4 from sport shoes.they seem a bit tighter on midfoot but spacious on foot. Will try again tomorrow night after work and see. If not have had a look at new balance 880v11 fresh foam wide, which good reviews on runrepeat, and might go for these instead. Our feet don’t have cause problems 🙁

[skysue16]

What a lovely and interesting post 😊 Yes, we need to look after our feet! No sandals yet - I like warm toes 🤣

[CBDB Administrator in reply to skysue16]

Oh, definitely warm toes are good! Couldn’t have cold toes! 🥶🦶🔥

[FrankyC in reply to skysue16]

😃👍 ditto

[FrankyC]

Sadly my poor feet are neglected. I'm not huge on self care and am trying to be kinder to myself in that dept. I do tend to make sure that I trim my nails and buff any calloused bits away regularly but apart from that and the odd bit of moisturiser they are left encased in socks and boots and trainers all year. Very rarely sandals see the light of day. I live in Scotland so it's rarely warm enough and my job dictates boots which I love and actually live in as I don't own any shoes.

Bike 🏍 requires protective bike boots a lot too. Running shoes and walking boots for those exercises. Trainers for scuffing about in and cozy slippers in the house. I'm a cald tattie 🥶. You can tell I'm not a girly girl 🤣🙈 To be honest no skirts or dresses and shorts rarely too. Oh dear 😳 when I read this back it sounds terrible. But my work, biking and then living with 3 border collies for 15 years has dictated my clothing and footwear.

[CBDB Administrator in reply to FrankyC]

I’m with you! I’m no girlie girl either (and loved my 10 years in Scotland) but since starting to run have started to feel better about my toes and feet! 🤣🤣🤣 When they got me to 10k, I just had to love them back a bit! 😍🤣👣🦶

[FrankyC in reply to CBDB]

Hopefully I will learn to love mine too 🤣👍