Left foot right foot

These feet will be walking 30k around Hamilton Harbour in the Around the Bay Road Race this weekend. And even though you can see there is a slight difference in size (!), both those feet will be doing a lot of work to push bodies up and down the hills of the North Shore Boulevard.

Whether you are a size 6 or a size 13, making sure that your feet and your shoes are in peak condition for race day is important. Most people will have purchased new shoes three to four weeks prior to an important race. Even if you are buying the exact model you have used before, it is shocking and surprising how often a reliable model may have a slight manufacturers variation that make it uncomfortable.

Some walkers enjoy keeping their feet free of calluses…so a pedicure is a must. Calluses can induce friction and hot spots during a race. Others prefer to keep the calluses, believing that if the callus were to be removed, a blister would take its place.

I put either Vaseline or shea butter on my feet before I walk any distance that is longer than 90 minutes. Some people I know prefer Body Glide. It always sur[rises me how any people don’t learn this trick until after their first race (and their first gigantic blood blister!)

I also like to massage my feet. I work from the ball of the foot and move to the center and make my way back to the heel area. Sometimes a family member with a kind heart will do this for me!

Let us know some of your best feet pampering ideas here!