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We provide advice and products on preventing and treating foot blisters.

26/10/2026

Please don't race a desert ultra in brand-new shoes!

Even if you've bought the correct size and the shoe feels fantastic in the shop, you don't know how it's going to behave after hours of running in heat, sand and swelling feet.

Seams, cushioning, the upper fabric and the fit can all feel very different once you're deep into an event.

My advice?

🏃‍♀️ Train in your chosen shoes.
🧦 Test your socks with them.
🏜️ Test your gaiters.
👣 Test any orthotics or toe protection.
⛰️ Test the whole system on terrain similar to your event.

And ideally, have a second identical pair for race day that has been tested but not worn out.

Test everything early. Test it together.

👉 Visit our website to read the full blog for my complete desert ultra footwear checklist and more advice on protecting your feet.

22/10/2026

The biggest lesson from working as principal podiatrist at SheUltra™ Cymru?

Ultra preparation isn't just about mileage.

Of course, you need to train your body for the distance.

But you also need to train your feet.

You need to know:

👟 How your shoes behave as your feet swell
🧦 Which socks keep your feet comfortable and dry
🩹 Where your personal hot spots are
🥾 Whether your gaiters work with your shoes
🎒 What you need in your self-care kit
🌦️ How your clothing copes when the weather changes
🍴 How your body responds to nutrition and hydration over many hours

And most importantly, you need to test all of it before race day.

The best time to solve an ultra-running problem is before you reach the start line.

I’ve shared the lessons from SheUltra™ Cymru, including the foot and skin problems I saw throughout the event, in my latest blog.

If you're training for an ultra, it's well worth a read.

20/10/2026

Your gaiters can change the fit of your shoes!

Gaiters are essential for many desert ultras. Fine sand inside your shoes can act like sandpaper against your skin, causing rapid friction and blistering.

But there’s something runners sometimes forget…

If Velcro is sewn onto your shoes, it can make the upper tighter and reduce how much the fabric can stretch.

That means you shouldn't assess your shoes before your gaiters are fitted.

Test the complete system:

👟 Shoes
🧦 Socks
🦶 Insoles or orthotics
🏜️ Gaiters
➕ Any toe protection you plan to use

Your race-day footwear isn't just your shoes, it’s the whole system.

👉 Visit our website to read the full blog for more desert ultra footwear advice

14/10/2026

When you prepare for an ultra, how much time do you spend thinking about blisters?

Probably quite a lot.

But at SheUltra™ Cymru, I was reminded that there are plenty of other problems that can make a long day on the course miserable.

💧 Wet feet and socks
🦵 Knee pain
🔥 Chafing
💍 Swollen fingers and tight jewellery
🌧️ Rapidly changing weather
🥶 Hypothermia

Some of these are uncomfortable. Some can become serious.

And the common theme?

Preparation.

Test your clothing. Test your footwear. Test your socks. Practise your nutrition. Know what your body does when you're several hours into an event.

And don't be embarrassed to talk about problems such as chafing. These things are incredibly common during ultras and much easier to manage when you deal with them early.

I've covered the most common problems I encountered at SheUltra™ Cymru, and what you can do to reduce your risk, in my latest blog.

Give it a read before your next ultra.

11/10/2026

One simple shoe trick that could help prevent blisters, have you tried lace locking?

During a long race, your laces can gradually loosen. As your foot starts moving around inside the shoe, friction increases, and that can mean blisters around your toes, toenails, heels and forefoot.

A lace-locking technique helps secure your heel and keep your foot more stable inside the shoe, without having to squash your toes.

It’s a simple technique, but practise it during training. Don’t wait until race day to discover whether it works for you!

🏜️ Small details can make a big difference when you’re running for hours in heat, sand and challenging terrain.

👉 Visit our website to read the full blog and find out more about choosing and preparing your desert ultra footwear.

09/10/2026

Your feet usually give you a warning before a blister becomes a problem.

It's called a hot spot.

A hot spot is often a small area of redness, warmth, soreness or irritation. It might seem insignificant when you're several hours into an ultra, but it's actually your cue to stop and do something about it.

Ignore it and that irritation can develop into a fluid-filled blister.

Keep going, and the blister may burst, lose its roof and turn into a much more painful open wound.

The golden rule?

Don't wait for the blister. Treat the warning.

Carry the kit you need to deal with hot spots quickly and know how to use it before race day.

A few minutes spent sorting a hot spot could save hours of misery later.

I've shared what I recommend carrying in your ultra self-care kit, along with lots more practical advice, in my latest blog.

Read it before your next event. Your feet will thank you!

06/10/2026

🦶 Your shoes might be wide, but is the toe box wide enough?

This is something many runners overlook.

A shoe can feel roomy across the forefoot but still taper sharply towards the toes. Add liner socks, outer socks, toe protection, Alpaca wool, tape or dressings, and suddenly there’s considerably less space.

During a long desert race, your toes need room to move, swell and breathe.

A cramped toe box can contribute to:

❌ Toe-end blisters
❌ Blisters on top of the toes
❌ Blisters between the toes
❌ Nail trauma
❌ Pressure around the little toe

And nobody wants to be cutting the front off their running shoes halfway through an event!

🏃‍♀️ Test your complete footwear system before race day, shoes, socks, gaiters and all.

👉 Visit our website to read the full blog and discover more tips for protecting your feet during a desert ultra.

01/10/2026

We spend so much time choosing the right running shoes…

…but what about the socks?

Your socks are one of the most important parts of your blister-prevention strategy.

Too tight and they can compress your toes and increase pressure.

Too loose and they can bunch, wrinkle and create friction.

And when you're running for hours, those small problems can become very big ones.

Moisture matters too. Sweat and water sitting against the skin can contribute to friction and blistering, which is why moisture-wicking fabrics such as Coolmax and Merino wool can be useful choices.

Some runners also benefit from liner socks or toe socks, but there's one important catch:

👉 They take up space.

Make sure your shoes have enough room to accommodate them and test your complete footwear system before race day.

And always carry a spare pair of socks. If yours get wet, change them when you can.

For more ultra foot-care advice, read the full blog.

28/09/2026

👣 When it comes to running shoes, width matters!

One of the biggest mistakes runners make is thinking that buying a longer shoe will automatically give their feet more room.

It doesn’t.

During a desert ultra, your feet can swell and become both longer and wider. If your shoes are already snug around the forefoot at the start, there’s nowhere for that swelling to go.

The result can be rubbing, pressure and painful blisters around the big toe, little toe and sides of the foot.

Your shoes should feel comfortable across the widest part of your foot before race day, not something you hope will loosen up after a few hours!

🏜️ Your feet are going to work hard. Your footwear needs to work with them.

👉 Visit our website to read the full blog for more advice on choosing footwear for a desert ultra.

24/09/2026

How to get the best results from Alpaca Wool.

👉🏻 Use a fresh batch for each activity or each day of a multi-day event.
👉🏻 Weave it in a figure-of-eight between the toes, starting at the big toe.
👉🏻 Place small amounts at the heel or under the shoe tongue for pressure relief in those spots.
👉🏻 Never apply it directly to broken skin, but do use it over an existing dressing.
👉🏻 Remove it after activity, and let it biodegrade rather than binning it in general waste.

Whether you're walking the Coast to Coast, tackling an ultra-marathon, going en pointe, or lacing up ski boots, alpaca wool is a small, lightweight addition to your kit that can make a real difference to how your feet feel at the end of the day.

For full instructions and additional resources, scan the QR code provided with your alpaca wool, or visit our website. Questions? Get in touch at [email protected].

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