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On the Road it pays to think of your
feet - always important but here more than ever.
Medium to longish
distances on an even surface seem to be the reason: your feet will be
making a lot of the same movement instead of more irregular movements on
an uneven surface. This can tire your feet and cause blisters. How to
minimize this situation?
- Wear the right footwear. A very light boot or a solid atheletic or
walking shoe is enough for the last part of the Road. It should have a
thick sole, preferrably with a good tread, and tie or buckle firmly over
your instep and around the back of your heel. If you have weak ankles or
haven't done a lot of walking, you should probably go with a boot that
reaches your ankle; if
you have arch problems go with something with extra support in that area.
Please do go with something that has an instep strap or lace-up of some
kind - there are some shoes and sandals with a single elastic cord that
is OK for some things but not for real walking. Clogs or slipons are
also not a good idea, as your feet need to do extra work to keep them on.
- Sandals for a long walk?? Some people wear strappy Teva sandals: this
is not a great idea as they don't support your instep, BUT a sturdy
walking sandal that covers your toes (at least partially), straps over
your instep, behind your heel and has a sturdy sole is sufficient for
most people. Merrell and Timberland brands both have this kind of sandal,
Salomon makes a good one, too. These sandals are clunky-looking,
but if you buy right, they're incredibly comfortable, durable and can
double as off-trail or travel shoes. This is my personal choice for this
stretch of the Road.
- Two better than one? If you are in doubt as to what you want on your
feet, if you tend to get blisters or swollen feet, you might want to
bring two different pairs of good walking shoes. In that case, to
save packing space, at least one should be something you feel OK about
wearing on the plane or around town after our day's walk. If you have
two pairs, if one isn't working you can switch to the other: maybe it
won't rub that sore spot so much.
- Break them in! Wear your shoes as much as you can, preferrably with
different kinds of socks so you know what works and what doesn't, and
pack accordingly.
- Socks are important, too. Bring different weights, as your feet will
probably swell up, and what works one day might not feel good two days
later. If your feet are hurting, sometimes just putting on lighter socks
at lunchtime will do the trick. And yes, you can and probably should
wear socks with your sandals. It may look tacky, but the sandals are so
clunky anyway,
why not go all the way? Socks with sandals really cuts down on blisters,
and absorb some of the sweat so your sandals don't get quite so pungent.
- If you're getting a hot spot (pre-blister warning sign), stop and fix
it. With blisters, prevention is much better than the cure. If you
already have a favorite blister remedy, I suggest you bring some
supplies, as there are some products available in the USA that are not
sold here (like moleskin and a magic liquid in a bottle that disinfects
and protects). I will have my
favorite Spanish remedy, a great blister bandage called Compeed, but a
known remedy may be better than trying something new.
- There are cooling
creams and sprays for tired feet - try a few before you come, they can
really help after a long day.
- After the day's hike, and maybe at lunch, lie on your back with your
feet up in the air, a simple but effective way to help get everything
back to normal. And maybe you can make a deal with someone about mutual
foot massages!
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