Foot TLC
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apreimer2
Posts: 15 Member
I have started training for my first marathon in May. I have run several half's, the most recent last October. Training is going well so far. My only complaint as I build up mileage is my feet are aching a bit. Nothing serious or injury-related, just tired.
Any suggestions for foot care during race training? I recently got new shoes, so the fresh padding should help. Any other ideas that might be good for sore feet?
Any suggestions for foot care during race training? I recently got new shoes, so the fresh padding should help. Any other ideas that might be good for sore feet?
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Replies
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Assuming it is not a shoe issue (did you change brands or model shoes?), I think you just have to work through it. When I started running again last year my feet would hurt after only running 7 miles. As I got used to longer runs, the aches diminished.0
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BTW - I found that stretching my feet seemed to help as well. If it happens again I plan to also use a tennis ball to massage the arches.0
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Yes, tennis ball massage definitely seems to help! I just got new shoes a week ago, so still breaking them in. Some of my foot acheyness may be a result of running in old shoes with less padding.0
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Even better than a tennis ball would be a spiky massage ball.
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Yes to self-massage.
I'd also recommend some strengthening exercises. There are some good ones here: http://www.active.com/tennis/articles/7-exercises-for-fitter-feet?page=2 I do single-leg cal. I do lots of single-leg calf raises (http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Calf-Raises), unweighted, as part of my stability work, and that helps strengthen the foot as well. Just as you want to strengthen your core, legs, etc. during marathon training, gotta build up those feet as well! The soreness will go away eventually. I had lots of sore feet at the end of my long runs during my first training cycle, but by the end of my second, my feet were a-OK 0 -
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Again, they don't 'hurt' per se, they are just a bit sore. My 'old' shoes I am still using, as they aren't dead yet, they are just getting a bit worn (I've put maybe 600 miles on them). My new shoes are the exact same brand/model as my old shoes (and the two pairs before them), so I don't think there is an issue with my shoes.
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kristinegift wrote: »Yes to self-massage.
I'd also recommend some strengthening exercises. There are some good ones here: http://www.active.com/tennis/articles/7-exercises-for-fitter-feet?page=2 I do single-leg cal. I do lots of single-leg calf raises (http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Calf-Raises), unweighted, as part of my stability work, and that helps strengthen the foot as well. Just as you want to strengthen your core, legs, etc. during marathon training, gotta build up those feet as well! The soreness will go away eventually. I had lots of sore feet at the end of my long runs during my first training cycle, but by the end of my second, my feet were a-OK
I guess it is a bit off topic, but what does "stability work" refer to?0 -
Back when I could run distance (getting myself back there again), I had done some research on barefoot running and the whys and hows of it. It seemed to make sense to me so I bought some shoes for it and incorporated it into my running. It wasn't an instant, magic fix but it did seem to work in that the muscles in my feet strengthened and the soreness I associated with longer distances diminished.
At the same time it could have just been something that would have happened anyway.0 -
kristinegift wrote: »Yes to self-massage.
I'd also recommend some strengthening exercises. There are some good ones here: http://www.active.com/tennis/articles/7-exercises-for-fitter-feet?page=2 I do single-leg cal. I do lots of single-leg calf raises (http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Calf-Raises), unweighted, as part of my stability work, and that helps strengthen the foot as well. Just as you want to strengthen your core, legs, etc. during marathon training, gotta build up those feet as well! The soreness will go away eventually. I had lots of sore feet at the end of my long runs during my first training cycle, but by the end of my second, my feet were a-OK
I guess it is a bit off topic, but what does "stability work" refer to?
I do one day of stability work per week; pretty low key stuff I can do in my bedroom. I basically just do balancing exercises. I forget why, but my physio many years ago told me to, so I do. I do 30-60 second single leg balances, calf raises, single leg squats, single leg bridges, that kind of thing. If I don't do them for a while, my hips feel extra loosey-goosey than they do normally, so for me it's just as important as the sit-ups and planks I do the rest of the week.0
