Why? - Annie Lennox

Hmmm, no prizes for guessing why I used this song title.... WHY is it that no matter what I do my feet still fall apart at even the sniff of an ultra?! These are (embarrassingly) my feet today - the toenails on my toe next to my big toe are about to come off on both feet with nothing but blood blisters underneath them. More worrying, both of my big toenails are also on their way out - that nice red stuff on my left foot is juice weeping from my big toe as I have just stuck a pin underneath the nail. I have 10 blood blisters and all in all, they are very manky indeed. So what next....?

Well this is a result of a 3-day 82-mile Ultra. I had an idea on Day 2 (too late to save the damage already done but a thought for next time)... I took out the insole in my trainers and I think this would have helped. I have a feeling I am curling my toes upwards and they are hitting the roof of the trainer. So from now on I am going to try have a size smaller (to stop them bashing the end of the shoe) and take out the insole. I have also restarted a course of foot-dipping - this time in very salty water to harden them up.

Watch this space - if you can stomach it...

I must say though, all of this is self-inflicted - poor Rory stood cheerfully at checkpoints for the whole 3 days and his back has gone as a result of standing around and stretching the ligaments in his back - how ironic, and I am feeling more than a little guilty since he was keen to run too... sorry Rorz xxx