The most expensive socks in the world ever, a tale of blisters. Week 9 Run 1, the run that over ran.

[spoonierunning]

Queue the violins....

I have blisters

My poor poor feet. Two blisters developed during my last runs of week 8, I don't know why nothing has changed. I do suffer with my feet generally so its probably a combination of stuff. Any way on with the story, so two blisters. Not so bad bit of a pain, one around the ball of each foot. Yesterday I decided to go out with Mr Mouse (or should that be Mr Spoonie on this forum! Arrrggghhh too much for my brain to handle) and Ferd on their dog walk. I wanted to take Mr Mouse on the route that would take him up close to the new wind turbine, he hasn't seen one up close before (in Essex the wind turbines are all out at sea). So what did I put on my feet for this dog walk, what shoes did I feel appropriate for trail and towpath, erm yep that would be the inappropriate birkenstocks queue more blisters and a rather impressive and very painful one on the side of my right foot

Now what am I going to do I though, I am heading into the last week and I've set a date for my first parkrun (this coming Saturday), I dont want to let a silly little thing like blisters get in my way. I'd already googled blister socks and saw the price of them so I knew I was just to have to make do.

But...

When I came home there was an email waiting. An exciting email. A conditional job offer (I have to pass clearance checks and pre-employment health check before it becomes a definite) woohooo.

I raced to decatholon and abused my credit card and brought some blister socks to celebrate, I also treated myself to a new lycra wonder outfit (combination of decathlon and asda nothing expensive). In years past such news would have promoted the purchase of a new Radley handbag.

So armed with new socks, new wonder outfit (purple) and a spring in my step, off out Ferd and me went this morning.

Warm up walk, oh hello Laura, yes it only seemed fitting that I come crawling back to listen to the last podcast.

Oh its 'that' song

SQUIRREL

er yes Ferd it was indeed a squirrel, did spotting it really require trying to dislocate my shoulder. Oh it did, you needed a closer look.

Dogs.

The rest of the warm up thankfully went without incident.

Are you ready? Well actually no Ferd hasnt done his erm business yet and I need to fiddle with runkeeper.

Pause Laura.

Resume. And we're off. I am mentally prepared today for all the time checks, so they dont trip me up.

See a man, see a big dog, see an angry ankle biter.

Phew made it past. Carry on. On we go. Ferd time to get back on the lead, all runs by the canal are now on the lead too many nesting birds.

Another ankle biter.

And another ankle biter.

What is it with people and small dogs? I like a dog I can see, though I do like dachshunds. Anyway I digress.

Running. On we run. Ferd wants in the canal, I dont want to go swimming, Ferd wants to speed up, I want to plod along, ferd wants to stop and sniff a daisy, I almost tumble over him.

On we go.

Knee keeps catching its being a pain, in more ways than one. I start off my runs with a sort of limpy gait, until I find my stride and normally then thats it, but today I have to keep resorting to limpy gait. Oh well on I run, its ok as long as its flat.

I know I cant to 5k in 30 minutes, so I need to be confident that I can carry on and that was my aim today. I knew I was about to get the one minute warning and I was prepared.

Well done you have 60 seconds left. Smiled at the music choice for those last 60 seconds.

I am not stopping until I reach the lock. I reach the lock. I am not stopping til I reach the stile. Reach the stile. I am not stopping til I reach the lock. Reach the lock and time.

Fish phone out of bra to find out how amazing I've done.

Of for (insert a chain of expletives of your choice) grrr

My amazing smart phone hence forth known as the dumb phone had paused runkeeper. Yep it took it upon itself to make that decision, with no help from me or my boobs. I'd locked the screen when I stuffed it into my bra.

Sobs.

Hobble home. Knee hurts, feet are hot, really hot. I want a cup of tea.

Feed hoard.

Tea and face the stairs that have suddenly become a sheer rock face, up I climb one step at a time - running was easier. Time to dust of a knee support, I don't really like wearing it cause it, but its far more comfortable than my brace style supports. Will try wearing it for next run, I will not let my broken body beat me. Er erm disclaimer for others don't use me as an example to continue running with an injured knee, take the time to rest as much as you need and refer to medical advice, I know what wrong with my knees, so I know I can carry on.

Load up laptop - I will get a rough idea of how far I ran *blows raspberry at dumb phone*

Distance around 4.3km in 40 minutes

So storming into week 9 finish line in sight.

I hope I haven't made anyone violently sick with the sight of my legs, for anyone interested the support is neoprene and I still have my ever faithful kinesiology tape on. The neoprene helps to keep the area warm to create greater flexibility in muscles, tendons and ligaments. It also helps to relieve pain, swelling and stiffness. The expensive socks are by my feet and yes that's how my feet naturally fall cause of my wonky joints.

Oh yeah expensive socks helped, cheap blister plaster did not - well two stayed in place one didnt so will get the better ones that I know work

[I_will Graduate]

I enjoyed your post

So, guessing the blister socks worked then? That's good to know. Congratulations on the job offer too.

Isn't it annoying when stuff gets accidentally turned off? I did a 10 minute warm up walk a couple of weeks ago before I realised I'd accidentally paused Laura.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to I_will]

Thank you, yes the blister socks helped, though they did make my feet very hot.

[misswobble Graduate]

I think we all suffer from techno glitches. They do make you swear don't they! It really sets you off on the wrong foot. Doh!

Glad you achieved your goal today, so well done. I'm with you on the stairs business. Like the north face of the Eiger last night after my run, which was only short! I practically fell into my bubble bath.

Congrats on the new job!

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thank you. Really wasn't impressed with my phone today grrr if it doesn't behave soon it's going into the canal.

[Hidden]

Sounds like an interesting first run for your graduation week. Sorry about the blisters though! Ah, people and small dogs - mine's a very small Jack Russell Xbreed and I must admit, we went for a very small dog because we live on a boat. People keep telling us he's an ideal size for living on a boat and he now has the nickname 'Boatsize'. He doesn't bite ankles though. Hope the blisters clear up and also hope you get this job offer confirmed. Good luck with your next run and best wishes.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I am not really anti little dog and I know they aren't all angry ankle biters, in fact a family friend has a lovely yorkie (rat on a rope )

[Becca66 Graduate]

40 mins - well done! Technology is a mixed blessing: I keep finding that I have the wrong podcast playing, or that my iPod has wiped the podcast I wanted, so I end up looking at my watch and listening to the radio instead.

Good luck with the job offer, and the rest of W9.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Becca66]

Thank you. Amazingly my ancient iPod with it's failing harddrive has been fine, it's just my phone I have issues with, but it's a poop phone. Longing for December when I can change my contract and my phone.

[poppypug Graduate]

Aw your poor feet ! Anyway , Spoonie , youre so nearly there , not long to go now , and you can rest those aching tootsies for a bit. Sounds like Ferd enjoyed himself as usual I had a bit of a mare with my phone last week , I was on week 7 but the podcast kept stopping and then playing week 5 ! I didn't know whether I was coming or going in the end , so just used my watch, I could hear a gasping , wheezy , horrible noise and realised " oh its coming from me ! " Good luck with the job offer and well done on 40 minutes - fab stuff ! xxx

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Thank you. I think Ferd is a bit miffed that he now has to stay on the lead for a longer duration. Hopefully all the baby birds will have grown up soon.

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

Ace post as ever, Spoonie!

Firstly, congratulations on the job! Brilliant news! Pretty soon, races await!

Secondly, my wholehearted commiserations for your technology woes. Just why our 'smart' phones deem it acceptable to do these things on a whim is beyond me.

Sorry to hear about your blisters and the necessity to purchase exorbitantly priced socks. I hope they clear up soon, before Saturday. (The blisters, I mean, not the socks!)

Sounds like a good, eventful run, well done. Graduation in sight!

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder]

Thank you. I can see the finishing line and I want to cross it, hoping the blisters won't spoil my plans.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate]

Fab news on the job (and your dedication to running with blisters and gimpy knee) question, do you find the kinesiology tape helps? I've just taped myself for my peroneals in my right leg which started aching at the weekend, I'm doing traditional R.I.C.E but I'm very sceptical of the tape. I guess time will tell. Last time I injured them they were better within two weeks but now I'm a runner I'm so impatient to get back out there (and I have my fist official run of 5.7 miles on the 9th June:)). Good luck with your last 2 runs!

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Lovefood1984]

Thank you. Yes I find kinesiology tape really helps me, especially where tradional supports fail, because I have hypermobile knees and my patellas don't want to behave and work how they are meant to. I now use it in preference to my various supports and braces. It was actually one of my friends who recommended it to me, she suffers multiple discolations and stuff associated with hyper mobility.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to spoonierunning]

Good to know it does offer support, which is what I'm hoping it will do whilst my muscles recover

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Lovefood1984]

There are loads of different application methods so it can take time to find the one that works for you, bit once you've got the hang of it you can make up your own applications, kttape.com has good application videos, the ones on the rocktape website are also ok and then there is YouTube.

[AncientMum Graduate]

Dedication above and beyond shown by running with blisters, Spoonie but fab post and brilliant news about the job offer. Also, that was a hell of a long way to run with sore feet and knees!! Enjoy your rest day!