Let’s talk runner feet. Don’t worry, by now you’ve realized I’m more of the art visuals and will spare you any actual photographs because runner feet tend to be gnarly feet! To be honest though, it’s almost like a little badge of honor…how gnarly can you go?
20% Off Your Next Shoe Order if You’re Blister Free! Jk. 😛
Runners put a beating to those ten little piggies and if a couple toe nails go, we’ll cite it as collateral damage. Blisters? That’s what extra race-bib safety pins are for, right? We do all we can to avoid blisters and whacked out toe nails but even that will only take you so far.
For blisters though, the right socks and the right sized shoes make a WORLD of difference. Actually the shoe sized issue can account for an appalling number of runner woes; and often times newer runners are unintentionally setting themselves up for far more torture than running alone is, just because their shoes are too small. Or they lace their shoes too tight.
Quick tips for shoe sizing: you want to have a thumb’s width between the tip of the shoe and your longest toe. (Ohh, is that your second one, or Big Mama toe? lol.) Also, your feet swell when you run, so make sure you are trying them on later in the day when your feet have expanded.
For blisters, that rests highly upon the kind of socks you are running in. Blisters are caused by heat and friction; the more rubbing, the more heat and the more chances you’ll get blisters if all of that rubbing is done between the sock and your foot. Moisture build-up also can result in blisters…umm, we are heading into winter and I’m pretty sure that drippy stuff is wet.
That’s why you want a technical material for those socks. Just like with tech material running shirts and other apparel, this will wick away excess moisture, be breathable to air those puppies out AND certain socks are with dual layer technology. That last one is just fancy talk for their being two thin layers in the sock; so all that that rubbing is done BETWEEN the layers of the sock rather than letting that friction occur between the sock and your foot.
So yay for socks and the right sized shoes, right? Well, it’s also getting colder this time of year (unless you’re a southern hemi-reader!) and I don’t know about you but I’m a weather wimp and can’t say I enjoy heading out when I know I’ll be seeing my breath. Those extremities have to bite the bullet and keeping them warm is important and makes running more comfortable too.
Source
Well, friends, the kind folks over at Injinji contacted me about these toe socks they’ve got going. Toe socks?! Yes, it’s okay, you know how I am not a fan of the Vibrams BUT socks aren’t going to mess up with your biomechanics so I was willing to check these guys out. Maybe even try to peel a banana with my feet? No, I didn’t, don’t worry.
The Det’s: Think gloves in the sock form. They are made with technical materials, CoolMax, Lycra and Nylon, to wick moisture and be breathable. There are rather thin and light-weight. I got the no-show kind but they offer other styles and even compression socks.
The Toe Feel: I will be honest, I am sort of weird and don’t like ‘feeling’ things on my feet, if that makes sense. I don’t like flip-flops because they bug me having that prong between my big toe. So I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about these; I will say that the longer I had them on the more I did get used to the extra material between my toes. But to be totally honest I could still feel it and given the choice I’d probably still stick with a normal styled sock, especially if I were out running when the last thing I want on my mind is something clothing or hair in my face related.
Warmth: I think the major draw for me would be a little extra warmth by way of sock; I’d venture to say that the casing around my toes probably helped keep them a little warmer. Not a huge amount, but then again I wouldn’t want a fat, thick sock out running anyways! I really do love the material on these guys and they do a good job of the moisture wicking.
Pilates/Trail/Yogi Peeps: A big thing for Injinji is the draw from trail runners and those doing things like yoga or pilates. For trail running you’re putting yourself out in more extreme environments and you want gear and socks that will keep you warm and dry. For yoga and other times you’d want to be able to have a firm grasp on one toe or specific ones, I could see these as being really great for that. I know there are some models that have grippers on the bottom, again, that would be a definite perk for yoga or mat work.
Overall: I respect the creativity of Injinji and can appreciate where they are coming from, their tech material is comfy and I like it. I think if you’re into trails and yoga stuff you should give them a shot. For me, personally, because of my weird detest for feeling anything on my feet, I can’t say I’d go running in them. Maybe just every-day sorts of things or if I were doing pilates.
Well, do you want to try some Injinji socks out yourself?! The kind folks didn’t just give me some pairs to test out but gave me some extra socks to giveaway too. Yay for you…so to enter leave a separate comment below for doing any of the following:
1) Tell me what you’d do with your feet if you could use them like hands. [ie: peel a banana]
2) Go to the Injinji website and tell me which is your favorite sock
3) Follow me on Twitter
4) Like me on Facebook
This giveaway will end on Wednesday!
With that my friends, I hope you’re having a wonderfully blister-free Friday!
After blister how to run.should stop running till it heals
You’re going to lol (I hope anyway), but I actually can do things with my toes. I pick stuff up, can write my name (not very legible, but can do). My husband calls me monkey girl (lovingly, of course). It’s a wonderful gift I have! If I don’t feel like bending over to pick something up, I just use my toes! Nice!
I don’t usually get blisters, but I do get a cut. TMI? Sorry. Something about my toe next to my pinky hides under my middle toe and will make a cut – doesn’t matter how short I cut that nail. So, on my long(er) runs, I’ll find an “red (ick) injury” when I take off my shoe.
I actually had to go an entire size larger when I got into running. That was a little hard to accept. But my feet were happy that I put the cute small shoe back and went for the larger one. Actually, I have my husband buy them so the clerk won’t judge me when buying such a large shoe for my size.
I’m not big on things between my toes either, but if it takes care of the above “injury” than I’m all for trying it and putting up with the distraction. Hey, maybe the distraction will take my mind off my other imaginary problems (is that a bug on my leg?, does my ankle hurt?, how far have I been?, am I almost done?) – you know regular running thoughts.
I’m thinking compression or crew. The no-show have a tendency to slip down my heel. Yea, I’m full of issue!
Okay – thanks for reading this really lonnnnggg comment. Hope I win! Have a great weekend. Love your post and art.
These socks look fantastic! I am so prone to blisters even in regular shoes…thank goodness the runners I use seem to work for my feet but I still run into (no pun intended!) problems in that department. That and my toenails rubbing on adjoining toes and causing blood loss 😛
I have horrid blisters on the sides of my big toe, I am glad sandal weather is finally done b/c I was tired of hearing peoples comments on how bad they looked. I have heard about these socks and would love to try them:)
My feet are terrible and have always been! I was a dancer before I was a runner so callouses never leave my feet! I just scrub and go! lol
oh yea, i know dancer feet can get pretty gnarly too! 🙂
Hi Cait, I’d love to try out a pair of these! I’d be open to any of them but the ones that are most similar I think to the kind I wear and like are the Mid weight – padded interface. I’ve never tried toe socks but think it might be cool. I don’t have issues with blisters but I do have one very bruised, sore, distorted at this point nail on my left foot. Unsure if its a sock or shoe issue but it must be and it hurts!! Maybe this will address it?
Either way, thanks as always for your awesome posts!! I read religiously but rarely comment because its a pain to do from my phone. : )
If I had hand-like feet, I would eat peanut M&M’s with them.
If I had to pick my favorite Injinji sock, I’d choose the Original Weight, Moderate Interface sock (in black) from the performance series.
I occasionally get blisters and black toenails and have many scars on my feet. My husband and I always say I have the ugliest feet in the world! If I could use them to do anything, I think I’d want to do something that would really creep people out like type with my toes!
I wish I could knit with my toes. Then I could make Christmas presents and blog at the same time. 🙂
I like the performance light weight.
Follow you on twitter @runjillybean
If my feet were like hands I would say I can do a handstand! 🙂
I like the performance mid weight crew
Hey Cait,
1. I would love to try some socks! I’m running my first marathon this Sunday and got blisters on my arches in training (never got those before!).
2. I found your site in reading articles about running races/marathons, but I recognized your name and figured out it was from CIF XC Div 2 Championships in 2003 (long time ago). I was a freshman alternate so I wasn’t running but watching and I do remember that you (along with my teammates) were my hero that day. Congratulations, way past due, on winning. 🙂
3. I just liked your facebook site.
Thanks for the info!
I would love to win… if I could use my feet like hands I would type with them so I could put my feet up on the desk at work and work, hehe.
Also, I follow you on twitter (@ProudPatriot07)
And like you on facebook now.
I don’t usually get blisters but now that it’s getting cold my feet get cold while I’m running! I already use my toes/feet to pick things up from the floor sometimes haha It’d be sweet if you could use them to type so you could do other things with your hands – like eat a bowl of soup. haha
I already follow you on twitter
I like you on FB now 🙂
I like the Fresh Green No Show Ultra Thins 🙂
If I could use my foot as a hand, I’d like to write. Sometimes my hands get tired of writing!
I’d love to try the no-show in green or the mini-crew in grey
I follow you on twitter
I like you on FB! 🙂
If I could use my feet like hands, I would play the piano! 🙂
I like the Performance Lightweight No show toe socks.
I also liked you on Facebook.
I’d learn to play the piano with my toes as well as my fingers!!!
Performance mid-weight mini-crew….in pink!
I follow you on Twitter!
I like you on Facebook, too! (And would love to be rid of toe-blisters!)
Pingback: Protect That Runner Noggin: Ambler Heat Beanies Give-away |