Protecting your feet on an ultra-trail

From the UTMB® to the Diagonal des Fous and all the ultra trails that now criss-cross our mountains, there is one thing in common: it is crucial to take care of your feet. Indeed, your success lies in the preparation and protection of your feet. An infected blister, a badly cut toenail, or an unfortunate sprain, and your dream to reach the finish line vanishes. One figure is key: on the UTMB, 16 to 20% of the dropouts are caused by foot-related problems or injuries.

Marie Maligorne, head of our podiatry sport center, and Marion Delespierre, a sports doctor and high-level ultra-trailer, have several years of experience as medical referees. Here are their expert tips to prepare and protect your feet before and during the race.

These tips are obviously applicable to all ultra-trails that you will participate in.

BEFORE THE RACE: PREPARATION

"An ultra-trail is plunging into the unknown. For most, running 30 to 40 hours in a row is a first. So it's impossible to predict how our bodies will react. However, it is possible to reduce the level of uncertainty by preparing properly!" explains Marie Maligorne.

1. Preparing your feet

• A foot ready to succeed on the UTMB® needs to be both robust and hydrated. In this vein, Marie Maligorne recommends a small routine to begin at least two weeks before the D-Day: "Alternate nights between tanning with lemon juice to strengthen the skin and the next day applying a moisturizer to restore flexibility. This is the best way to prevent blisters."

We believe this is the perfect moisturizer for this.

• While blisters are one major risk, Marion Delespierre points out another one, just as dangerous: "I cannot count the number of nail infections I have treated. They are often due to badly cut toenails. You need to be very vigilant. A pre-race pedicure allows you to set out with confidence..." We advise you to do a pedicure three weeks before the race.

2. Preparing your equipment and footwear

• The footwear to an ultra-trailer is what the car is to the Formula 1 driver: the key piece of equipment. It is therefore necessary that the choice of footwear is made applying perfect logic:

Choose the benefits of comfort, resistance, and cushioning over dynamism and lightness in view of the long period of effort you will face.

Avoid high "drops". Why? "Because they tend to promote heel strikes that are much more traumatic due to the shock waves they cause through the whole body," says Delespierre. She continues: "A drop of between 4 and 6mm is ideal to maintain a mid-foot stride pattern over the course of the kilometers. But beware, if everything has gone well so far in your trainers, don't change anything!"

• "The first interface between the body and our footwear is the insole. Consequently, the insole must be one of your primary concerns. It must be perfectly adapted to our style, stride, and morphology," explains Marie Maligorne.

We have developed a range of insoles that differ in their main benefit: some maximize sensations while others provide optimal protection for your foot.

• The golden rule on the day of an Ultra: nothing new. Our two experts, in unison, say: "You must have tested and proven your equipment in advance, whether it's your footwear, socks, or insoles, to be totally confident at the start and avoid unpleasant surprises." A concrete example? "Your shoes must have at least 300 km on the clock."

• Finally, a last tip, applicable just a few minutes before the race: the lacing. Often neglected but oh so important! A ritual, almost an art. The winner of the 2019 Maxi-Race says: "Two fundamental principles: first, uniformly lace the toes to the top to avoid constriction on the upper part; and, do not overtighten your laces or you risk causing tenosynovitis, an inflammation of the tendons that raise the foot when climbing."

DURING THE RACE: PROTECT AND TREAT YOUR FEET

1. Stop at the stands

Just as in Formula 1 pit stops, while your speed might be slightly less than a racing car, you must take advantage of refueling stops to change shoes and socks. "Not at every refueling stop, but once or twice during the race," clarifies our podiatrist. "As the kilometers go by, footwear gets tired, just like the runner. It loses its comfort and cushioning capacity. Sweating is also bad. Humidity is your foot's worst enemy."

For this shoe change to be beneficial, some precautions are necessary:

• The second pair must also be familiar to you. This implies a model and level of prior use identical to the first.

• If the race conditions are very wet and you want to change regularly, we have designed shoe driers that will help your shoes dry quickly between refueling stops.

• Apply anti-friction cream with each change.

2. Caring for your feet

• Going through the UTMB® without a foot problem is a dream that very few runners achieve. You must know how to deal with and treat the problem immediately before it jeopardizes your race. Marion Delespierre confirms: "Better to lose a few minutes to repair than to resign two hours later..."

• "Piercing subungual hematomas (bleeding under the nail) is certainly one of the things I've most performed in the assistance areas. It is very quick and once the hematoma is punctured, it is possible to continue. However, I strongly advise you to let the medical teams present along the route take care of this..." testifies the doctor.

• In order to prevent or slow down the appearance of blisters or black nails before reaching a care station where a professional can take care of you, we have developed a Safety Kit, light and practical (115g) to allow you to react calmly before reaching the treatment station.

Following these tips, before and during the race, is the best way of setting off on the right foot for the UTMB, the Diagonale des Fous, or your next ultra-trail.

Written on 26/08/2019 / All rights reserved @sidas