Treat the feet

I was on the phone to one of my good friends yesterday, a friend who has recently taken up marathon training, a friend who has now officially joined the ranks of the initiated by experiencing her first long walk blister! Oh, joy!

After some discussion we determined that the source of her problem were socks that were too thick at the sole. Some websites recommend thick socks for shock absorption but it is my theory (please note...this is not followed up with any scientific research!) that the extra cushioning under the foot results in excessive movement with each step. The shock absorption abilities of your shoe should be sufficient. Shock absorbing socks actually allow excessive movement within the shoe that can lead to blisters.

I prefer thin socks and often the double layer thin socks. When I get new shoes, I try the shoes on with a new pair of thin socks and then I buy several pairs of those socks so that I am not changing the type of socks I wear with those shoes.

Also, I will take this blog time to report that since becoming a marathon athlete, I have turned into a bit of a princess about my feet. I regularly condition them with a Bliss Spa product called the Bliss Softening Sock. Pedicures are a must for keeping rough calluses to a minimum as calluses often turn into pressure points over long distances. And, long before my shoes need to be retired, I have donated the socks I bought at the same time to the rag pile and I have purchased another few identical pairs.

And, of course, I never forget to cover my feet in a lubricant (shea butter is my special treat but many people choose Body Glide or Vaseline) when I train for more than 90 minutes.

If anyone else has any foot-loving treatments or tips, be sure to post here!

Everything's coming up bananas

Warning: the contents of this blog may surprise the sensibilities of some readers!

Standing at the cash of a local outdoor store yesterday, I surveyed the copious quanties of quirky items serious outdoor types might drool over. You know, the sort of thing that you throw in the direction of the sales clerk at the last minute - lip balm, sew-on Canadian flags, waterproof wallets.

Then may eye caught on something unexpected - a box of brightly coloured plastic objects, each suspiciously resembling an all-weather sex toy. I did a double take. Do campers really pack this sort of thing?

Oops. Get my mind out of the gutter. They are neon, snap-shut containers for a banana!

Yes, it's true.

Now, I know how sacred the banana is to all endurance athletes but who could imagine that someone would revere it so much as to design and manufacture a banana travel case?

By complete coincidence someone sent me an email this weekend outlining the incredible anti-depression, PMS eliminating, iron boosting, blood pressure reducing, brain power enhancing, not to mention constipation and hangover smashing properties of the not so humble banana.

Really with all the outstanding life force provided by just one banana, I guess it would be more reasonable for me to wonder where the banana travel case has been all my life.

So, what I'd like to know is how many of you knew there was such a thing as a banana travel case? Even better, let us know if you have used one. At $5.99 I'd like to get a reliable product endorsement!