Last week, blisters and feet were uppermost on my mind .... and yes, I really need to get out more :)
Both my sister-in-law and Father Stuart recommended Compeed blister plasters but initially I wasn't convinced. After trawling round the Internet to get a better idea of how they work, I found both good and bad comments about them. Uppermost in my mind was that the entire surface of the Compeed plaster is sticky and that you stick it entirely over the spot where you think a blister is going to form or on the blister itself if one has appeared. You leave them to fall off of their own accord, but this conjures an image of a sticky mess ....... and pulling them off is clearly a no-no.
However, the large one on my right foot wasn't going down, so on Wednesday I carefully popped it and also bought some of the Compeed plasters for Saturday, just in case.
So ...... Saturday was a lovely day and we aimed to get up to Stansted and then across to Elsenham so we could get the train back home. It started a bit on the cold side and was quite over-cast all day. However, I think it is better to walk in those conditions rather than the surprising sunshine we had last week. In fact, it was a lovely walking day with another 'first' ....... at Hunsdon Mead near Roydon we heard a skylark singing.
At one point, at Parndon Lock, Harlow, I could feel 'things going on' in my boots. So decided to check ..... and despite the Coolmax socks, I could see that things looked a bit dodgy and that I aught to try the Compeeds. One amusing point ...... a couple walked past with two lovely black labradors, one of which decided to lick one of my feet :) Obviously a dog with a strong stomach :)
Having decided that one spot needed them, I thought I might as well Compeed up all the spots that looked like they might get a blister. These did the trick and we made really good progress, averaging a steady 3.5mph all the way to past Bishops Stortford. Unfortunately, about 2 miles from the end at Elsenham, I felt something 'give' on my right foot ....... and then the pain!! Ouch! I didn't dare look! So, the last two miles involved me walking on tip-toes with my right foot as this was the only way I could stop the pain. Not good :(
So, at the end I was walking very much slower which reduced our average moving speed. John luckily only had a couple of small blisters and an aching ankle. But, these blisters are SO annoying! Without the blisters, I certainly thought I could have kept going as everything else felt fine!
When we got home, the blister on my right heel had obviously enlarged under the top edge of the Compeed plaster and then burst. Ouch! Not nice at all. I have now put another Compeed on the top edge to seal it all off ...... not sure if this is wise, but it's done now!!
So, stats for Saturday's walk were:
Total time out: 10 hrs 2mins
Total time moving: 9hrs
Average moving speed: 3.2mph
Distance: 29.3 miles ....... so close to the big 3-0
5 comments:
what an achievement, you should be really proud. hope the blisters are on the mend now.
a useless piece of information for you - back in 1968 when I was married to my first husband, we very nearly took a flat in elsenham hall for £6.00 per week! we didn't take it as it was a bit to far to commute to work (in london)!!
Thank you Joy.
The thing I am finding so amazing is that I've never thought of myself as a 'sporting' person and yet I am getting such a buzz from feeling so fit and I really want to go further and further each time we go out.
I am worried about the blisters as they will be the one thing that stops me doing the sponsored walk itself. At the moment, much to my surprise, the Compeeds are already starting to come off but I think we will give it a rest this weekend to really give them chance to heal.
What a coincidence about Elsenham. It looked a really nice place to live. As an added coincidence, the sponsored walk itself will be to Saffron Walden (not that further on from Elsenham now) and, when I was about 7 or 8, my parents almost moved there because of Dad's work but we didn't in the end because they couldn't find anywhere to rent.
I thought I'd left a comment on a previous post Elaine asking if you had tried rubbing your heels with surgical spirit. It helps to toughen your feet up.
Well done for keeping up with the walking though....wish I could go with you both!
Hi Rachael,
You may have done! Can't remember!
My Mum has also mentioned surgical spirit and actually given me some!
I just need to get these blisters to heal and I'm going to give it a try. I was a bit worried that the skin under these Compeeds would start to get all soggy and horrible but a couple have now come off. They haven't left a sticky mess like I feared and the skin is perfectly dry.
So top marks to Compeed plasters. They are expensive but worth it!
However, I think it is going to take a few days before I remove the one on my right heel that burst; just have to hope it doesn't get infected.
PS Rachael ..... it would be good to walk with other people.
We walked with friends of ours who live in Oxford by meeting up half-way. The walk in the Cotswolds was great.
We intend to keep this up after the sponsored walk and I think we will be looking to get further afield and walk in different areas.
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