All your training will come into play on Sunday. Are you ready for the Chicago Marathon? That is a lofty goal. Even if you don’t finish, you have trained and tried which is an achievement.
After the marathon, it is time to take stock of your injuries (if any!). What you need to do more than anything is to rest. You need to give your body some time to recover. It is time to try some other activities that are much lower impact. Try some swimming or biking. You really need to give your joints time to recover.
You might pick up a blister during the race. This would not be surprising. Blisters are the bane of runners. Hopefully, you will not be stopped short due to a blister. After the race when you are taking stock, if you have a small blister, just leave it alone. You might want to put a bandage loosely over it. Make sure that none of the adhesive is touching the blistered skin. If you have a large blister, you may want to take a sterile needle and gently prick through the skin. Do not remove the flap of skin if you can help it. Again, loosely bandage the area. Change the bandage daily. The open skin is an invitation for bacteria. If the areas turns red, or warm to the touch, or you see red lines moving up your foot from the blister, go to the doctor immediately.
You could find that you have toe nail problems from the run also. If you find that you have a blackened toe nail and is not painful, you can just leave it alone. If it does hurt and cause you problems walking, go to your friendly local podiatrist and the doctor can help you.
It could be that you will start to feel some heel pain. If that is the case, you may have stressed your plantar fascia. My recommendation would be to go to your podiatrist and have him examine the area and talk to you about treatment options. Plantar fasciitis can sideline you for a long time if you don’t take care of it in the initial stages.
Your immune system will be compromised from the stress that you put on your body. You will be more susceptible to colds and the flu. You need to take care of yourself to prevent sickness. Get plenty of rest and eat healthy nutritious foods. Make sure you have plenty to drink also so that you get re-hydrated.
Post race, there can be some mental fatigue and depression. So while you are taking care of your immune system, you need to focus on your next goal. What will you do next to keep your focus on the future?
In summary, post race is time to repair and look to the future. What is your next goal? We congratulate you on your accomplishment!
Your Pal,
The Foot Blogger Chick
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to send them to footbloggerchick@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section below. I am not a doctor but I check with one before answering questions.
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If you live or work downtown Chicago and would like to see one of the friendly podiatrists there, don’t worry! You can head over to the office on the “Magnificent Mile” in Chicago. Stop in and say “Hello”. They would love to meet you. They are really that friendly!
Mag Mile Foot and Ankle Institute
333 N. Michigan Avenue Suite 1825
Chicago, IL 60601
312-236-3507