Need advice about blisters

I'm not a "blister expert" - but I have been running for a couple of years, up to 13 miles at a time. The only time I had a problem with blisters was when I used a cheap pair of "swoosh" cotton socks - thinking that with that insignia, they must be good. They were not, and I paid for it.

Now, I only run with "ultimax" IRON-MAN Triathlon socks - buy them at your premium sporting goods store. With good socks, and a good, well broken in and fitted shoes, you should not have a problem (assuming that you did not increase your mileage too fast).

Don't know if you can rehab in 5 days. My two cents worth would be to look for a new race if you are not in back up to 100% (rather that risk really creating problems, such as open wounds and infection).

Good luck,

Dennis

At this point, I'd back off the running until race day. Depending on the blisters themselves, they might heal on their own. (Me? I tend to pop 'em, but that's just me.)

Get some moleskin. Put some over each blister. Even if you don't have blisters on race day, I'd put some on each spot where the blisters were, just to prevent them coming back during the race. The moleskin will stay on during your swim, although by the time you're done running, they may be about ready to come off. You should be fine, as long as you're not doing a 1/2 or full Ironman.

I always get blisters. In the winter I had a blister that went from the base of my big toe down to the inside on my heel (ouch) I ran on it and by the end of the race I had red socks!
My cure for blister - and it does work in 3 days. I pop them at the base of the blister with a sterile lancet, I drain as much fluid as possible and then I smear aquaphor on my blister feet and put on bandages. I apply 2 times a day.
It got me through the winter running
And I know people say you should pop your blisters but sometimes it is the only way to be able to run.
Also when you run body glide your feet - I have two blisters now and they don't hurt as long as I glide over them.

Spenco Second Skin!!! Get the Blister Pads and put them on now. I was amazed at how quickly my blisters healed with these. After my race, I couldn't walk without crying. But within 24 hours I was running again.

Heh, I did something similar, and was back running in about 3-4 days with the following:

BandAID (brand) Blister Bandages ( these are special blister specific bandages )

In lieu of moleskin I use the real paperthin medical tape. Sometimes called 'papertape'.

When I was in the Army, in order to keep mobile, you didn't always have the option to properly rest/treat each blister right then so the remedy to let you keep moving was:

Thread + Needle + Papertape
Lance the blister with the needle & thread, pulling thread through the blister ( the thread keeps it from filling back up with fluid )
Tape it flat with the papertape ( also prevents more rubbing )
Painful, yes, but less so than with it untreated. And lets you keep moving after.

Use both at your own risk, these both worked for me, they may not work for you. If you have 5 days to race, I recommend the first option, not the latter. And tape/moleskin/something on race day.

Good luck!
-Chris

Do you leave the thread in the skin? Or do you just draw it through and throw it away?

Ideally, you leave the thread in, so the fluid can follow the thread and drain out. Later, you just pull the thread out, kinda like pulling out stitches. (DO NOT knot the thread! Or, if you do/did, pull it out the other way.)

The best way to deal with blisters is to prevent them. If your shoes fit properly, and you're not wearing cheap cotton socks, you really shouldn't have to worry about them much.

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