Several weeks back, just before my Sprint Triathlon race, I did a brick workout.  After riding my bike, I did a short fifteen minute run.  I had ridden my bike without wearing socks, and with the run being so short, I chose to run without socks too. 

Running without socks was a mistake.  When I finishing my run, I could feel ‘hot spots’ on both of my heels.  It turned out that those hot spots, were actually large blisters.  Both heels had blisters about the size of a nickel.

I managed to heal up the blisters enough to be able to complete my race, but my heels have still not fully recovered. Although I am not getting more blisters, the area where the blisters had occurred, is still quite tender.  On my long trail run this past Saturday, I could feel hot spots again.  Luckily, I didn’t get actual blisters, but I think it was close.

For my runs this week, I am going to try protecting my heels.  The first thing I have done, is to apply tape over the affected areas.  Then, when I run, I am going to use a lot of talcum powder inside the heel of my sock.  I am trying to reduce friction on the skin as much as possible, in the hope that this will allow the area to heal completely.

I have never tried anything like this before.  I have been reading about it online, and it seems as if there as many ways of dealing with blisters, as there are runners.  Have you had blisters?  How did you deal with them? 

This yet another example, of how endurance sports are a constant process of learning….