How Best To Deal With Blisters?

I've re-read the last little bit for the last training walk we did. I think I can safely say I was fibbing by dismissing the acquired blisters as 'That Was All'! In truth, the blister on my left foot was very large. It hadn't burst but there was no way I was going to get my ordinary footwear on ...... so I deliberately (and carefully!) burst it. I'm not entirely sure if this was a good thing to do as it was then tender all week.

The blister on the other heel wasn't so bad and so I left that one and it went down over the week.

So, on Saturday we decided to gear the walk up a notch by aiming to get to Stansted (about 25 miles) and come back on the train. There was no way I was going to be able to get up to see Dad, so Mum said she'd go up on her own and I arranged for James to take up the washing later and bring her home. With that sorted, we could concentrate on the walking :)

Saturday was a glorious day! It did start quite frosty but very quickly the sun came out and I think Spring is now here! For the first time, we were really aware of chiff-chaffs calling. These are migratory birds so hearing their singing really does say 'Spring is here!' I really love the song of the chiff-chaffs. They literally sing their name ..... Chiff  ..... Chaff. But if you really listen, some have decided that this is far too boring and have their own variations. There's the 'Chiff-Chiff' who can't be bothered to 'Chaff' :) And another that sings 'Chiff-Chaff-Chaff'. In fact, once you start really listening to them, the variations in the song and the various lengths of pauses in between is quite amusing.

This sculpture was besides one of the locks north of Harlow .... except I can't remember which one! Ooops! I'll have to take more notice next week :) However, I took it before this following one of John at Latton  lock, so it is in that general area.

Unfortunately, I could feel that major damage was going on in my boots, so we stopped several times for me to check my feet. This held us back a bit. Once we got to Bishops Stopford, by then I didn't really want to look at my feet but I could tell I'd blistered badly, so we decided to stop there rather than struggle on to Stansted and do major damage. It was a shame because, just like last week, I didn't feel tired or achey at all which seems totally amazing to me!

Indeed, once I got home, I found the blister on my right heel from the week before had become enormous! This time, I thought I'd leave it alone ...... so since then I've been wearing sandals so there is no pressure on it! This makes for a decidedly odd 'look' ...... winter jacket, skirts and jumpers ..... and summer sandals :P Just as well it doesn't matter all that much at work!

I do actually think I know why this blistering is now happening. I got new boots back at the end of January and was pleasantly surprised by how easily I became used to them. However, about 2 weeks after, when we walked 18 miles, I thought the arch support wasn't adequate as my insteps were really aching. So, I took the insoles from my old boots and put them in the new boots. Big mistake! These insoles must be such that they change how my feet sit in the boots ..... and Bingo ..... blisters! So ..... they will be coming out and I'll see how I get on.

Anyhow, despite the blisters, we still covered a fair distance of 23.1 miles. Total time: 7hrs 22min. Total time moving: 6hrs 40min. Average moving speed: 3.5mph. Added to this is the thing that amazes me ...... nothing aches! Were it not for the blisters, I think we could have comfortably gone much further.

I just need to investigate how to deal with blisters and I think we'll have it cracked :)

PS I have just realised that I have totally failed to even mention how my poor John is fairing! Sorry love! I probably need to emphasise that John has a much greater 'walking background' than I do! He is known for walking everywhere, and at 100 mph, in the normal course of events ........ and in the past, I would normally need to slow him down when generally walking somewhere with him by hanging onto his arm :)

John has had the odd little blister but seems not to have suffered all that much with them. At the moment, he is getting niggley aches in his back which is possibly a posture thing and strangely he is the one who is getting the odd ache or two in his legs.

Nevertheless, he is a great walking companion xxxxx.   :)