Street-O @ Warralong

Nearly had a disaster tonight. I decided to wear my orthotics in an older pair of Nimbus VIIs, because I tend to land on the inside of my heel when I'm walking (running is okay). As soon as I put them on, though, I knew I'd made a mistake. As I started walking, I could feel the back of the shoe rubbing a hole in my foot - the orthotics raise my heel just enough to get into the rub-zone. I stopped after 20 minutes and took them out, and carried on walking without any liner in the shoe. Much roomier and no rubbing, but the soles of my feet were pretty hot and sore by the time I got back.

I checked the damage when I took the orthotics out. I got them just in time - the blisters on each heel were nearly cooked. Another few minutes and they would have torn, I reckon. I actually thought they had; the skin of the blister was all scrunched up. Now, 2 hours later, they're tender but intact. Hopefully the fluid will have reabsorbed before a planned 6-hour walk on Saturday.

I'm sure the VIIs didn't used to rub with the orthotics. The VIs don't, because I just spent 2 weeks in them in NZ, walking everywhere with the orthotics in. I've never tried them in the VIIIs, because they're still my "good" running shoes. But I won't be trying that again any time soon.

6.2 km in 9:31/km (including 3-min stop)