I have a large file of feet pictures on my computer. Pictures of toes, heels, balls of the feet, and arches. Pictures of blisters of all shapes and sizes. In addition, I see all kinds of feet when I work events. Over the years, I have worked races ranging from short distances to ultramarathons, to multi-day stage races.
I am probably one of a limited number of people in the world who gets excited at photos of bad feet. I like them because they tell stories.
The first full multi-day event I worked was Racing the Planet’s Atacama Desert six-day stage in the high desert of Chile in 2004. The stressors of being on your feet for long distances day-after-day for six to seven days often bring out the worst in feet.
A lady in that race wanted us to remove her toenails at the end of day two. Another runner had the worst case of trench foot I have ever seen. That was nine years ago and my techniques have changed for the better, but the feet remain the same – bad!
I believe that feet tell a story.
The photo here is from the Racing the Planet Iceland. I don’t know the owner of the feet. I don’t know the level of training and experience the person had prior to this race. I also don’t know what experience this person had with foot care planning before a race and during the race.
Here are my observations about the story behind these feet.
- Almost every toe has something going on.
- The photo was posted online for stage five, meaning the runner had to tolerate these toes for four plus days.
- These blisters don’t typically happen in one day. My guess is they started on day one, progressed to blisters on day two and then got worse.
- My bet is the shoes’ toebox was too short in length and/or too low in height.
- The runner may have worn two pairs of socks, which could have made the fit too tight.
- The toenails don’t look too long but it’s hard to see if they have any rough edges or are thick, both of which can lead to toe blisters.
- These toes scream pain – especially if they are encased inside shoes.
- It’s possible the toes received some degree of care, but it is hard to tell from their condition.
- Four of the toes have major trauma.
- We cannot see what is going on under the toes, but from the outside edges of the big toes, you can see blistered skin of the left one and maceration on the right one.
- The left big toe has blood showing in the blister on the outside edge.
That’s a lot of information pulled from a photo. I wish I knew the toes’ owner. It would be nice to learn more about his/her race. What shoes and socks they wore. How the trauma to the toes progressed day-to-day. What care they received. Whether they finished the race.
My guess is that with proper care, much of this could have been prevented. That care could have included lubricants, moisture control skin protect, tape, modified shoes, and nail care.
What story do your feet tell?
Here’s the link to the Racing the Planet’s Iceland race. Racing the Planet does four desert races every year called The 4 Deserts: the Gobi in China, the Atacama in Chile, the Sahara in Egypt, and Antarctic. Every year they add a new location for that year. Past sites have included Australia, Nepal, Namibia, Vietnam, and 2014 will be in Madagascar. You can check them out at Racing the Planet.
