Blister Prevention Advice for 3-Day Walkers

Walking 60 miles in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® can take a toll on you physically, and the most commonly affected body part is sure to be your feet. Blisters are one of the most frequently treated medical issues on the Komen 3-Day, and a bad blister (or two, or ten…) can sideline an otherwise healthy walker.

The good news is you don’t have to resign yourself to living with blisters. There are steps you can take to stop a blister before it starts and further actions you can take to deal with a blister if you do get one.

What is a blister? – The type of blisters that most 3-Day® walkers experience are friction blisters (as opposed to, say, a blister from a burn or an insect bite). When part of your foot rubs up against something—your sock or shoe or another body part, such as toes rubbing against toes—repeatedly, the top layer of skin will separate from the underlying layer. The separation will fill with fluid, causing a painful blister.

Stay Dry – Moisture can exacerbate the friction that causes blisters, so it’s important to keep your feet as dry as possible. If you’re prone to excessive sweating, consider using foot powder to minimize the moisture. It’s also a good idea to change your socks midway through a long walk (calculate the halfway point of a 10+ mile training walk and stop there, or swap socks at the lunch stop on the 3-Day).

Socks – Speaking of socks, choosing the right ones can mean the difference between blister-free tootsies and a painful walk. Stay away from 100% cotton socks and opt instead for socks made with some sort of moisture-wicking material (look for names like Coolmax® or Dri-Fit on the packaging), which will draw moisture away from your skin. Also, make sure your socks fit snugly and don’t bunch up inside your shoes or around your toes; folds in fabric are a common cause of friction blisters.

Shoes – Good shoes might well be the most important gear for 3-Day walkers, so take the time to get yourself fitted with shoes that are right for your feet. We recommend that you buy shoes from an outfitter who is knowledgeable about athletic footwear, as they will be able to see how you walk and put you in shoes that are right for your particular stride. Consider shopping at a store that specializes in running/walking shoes, as opposed to a “big box” sporting goods store. Taking the time to find the right shoes could ultimately make the difference in whether you get blisters or not.

Preventive Treatments – Aside from the foot powder mentioned above, there are other pre-walk treatments you can apply to prevent blisters before they start. I’ve had great success with the “foot lube” method. Lubricating products such as SportSlick™, HikeGoo BodyGlide® or even regular old petroleum jelly can be applied directly to the skin; slab it on your heels, the balls of your feet, between all your toes and anywhere else that’s prone to friction on your own feet. Put your clean, dry socks on over your gelled-up feet, and you’re good to go (and of course, you’ll repeat the process when you change your socks at the halfway point of your walk). You’ll feel like you’re walking through Jell-O for the first few steps, but before long you won’t even notice it. Meanwhile, the lubricant will keep a slick layer between your skin and your socks, never letting enough friction build up to form a blister. I’ve been using this method for over 10 years and have not gotten a single blister in that time.

Ouch! – What if, in spite of your best prevention efforts, you still find yourself feeling pain in a particular spot on your foot? We use the term “hot spot” to define these pre-blister points, because it will literally feel like a little area of localized heat or irritation on your skin. This is not a full-blown blister yet, so as soon as you start to feel a hot spot coming on, stop walking and treat it by applying more powder or lubricant, or bandaging the spot to protect it from further friction. Many walkers prefer bandaging products like moleskin or molefoam over other adhesive bandages, but as with all of your 3-Day gear and products, you should try them out during your months of training to discover what works best for you personally.

You can find more information about blister care and prevention and blister treatment can be found in your 3-Day Participant Center.

Top Ten Signs You Might be a 3-Day Crew Member

Last month, we shared the Top Ten Signs You Might be a 3-Day Walker. We couldn’t possibly leave out the crew, now could we?

10. Going out and driving your car just doesn’t feel right, somehow, if it’s not blaring music, and covered in flair.

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog crew van decoration

Your glove compartment is full of window paint too, isn’t it.

9. You “shop” for your Halloween costume in your own closet.

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog crew costumes

Pretty princess. The gal on the right is lovely too.

8. Siri asks you, “Are you sure about that?” when she sees what time you set your alarm to wake up.

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog crew early

Sooooo early, and yet, so happy.

7. On chore day, your partner asks you to help with the sweeping, so you go get in your car and drive around looking for people holding their arms in an X over their heads.

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog crew sweep

After this, we’re going to pick up trash for fun!

6. Instead of “Where are you?” you text your husband, “What’s your twenty?”

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog crew

Pick up milk on the way home? Copy that.

5. Your bike wears women’s undergarments. Proudly.

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog crew motorcycle bra

This ride takes unleaded gas and a 42DD.

4. All you want for your birthday is a Leatherman and some work gloves so that you can be better and faster at cutting the zip ties you got for Christmas.

susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog crew zip ties

They come in packs of 1,000, which should last you a month or two.

3. You stand by the treadmills at your gym so you can cheer for the people walking. They don’t seem to mind, except for when you stop their machines once an hour to remind them to stretch.

I’ll totally fill your water bottle too.

2. At parties, your “signature cocktail” is six gallons of perfectly proportioned Gatorade.

We’re bringing string cheese apps to the potluck too.

1. You gladly take 4 days of vacation time to volunteer and make a difference in the fight to end breast cancer.

Because: this.

Reenergizing Your 3-Day Fundraising

The story is not uncommon: you registered for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® months ago, and you got started on your fundraising right away. You had a nice rush of donations at the beginning from people who were excited about the challenge and commitment you were undertaking with the Komen 3-Day. But at some point, the rush slowed to a trickle, and perhaps has now stopped completely. Yes, you’ve hit the dreaded 3-Day® fundraising plateau.

If your 3-Day fundraising has hit a lull, here are some quick tips to keep things moving forward.

Work the Follow-ups! – If you sent out a fundraising email or letter and responses have slowed, send a follow-up message to everyone you sent the original message to (including people who have already donated). The follow-ups allow you to do a few key actions:

Publicly thank those who have already donated. I’ve actually had donors give a second time as a result of being thanked in a follow-up email!
Give everyone an update on your fundraising and training progress. (“I just finished my first 10 mile training walk!” “I’m halfway to my fundraising goal!”) Keeping your donors engaged and involved in your journey will compel them to give.
Remind those who have not donated yet that it’s not too late! In all likelihood, they’ve just forgotten and will appreciate the gentle reminder nudge. As a donor who has supported my friends’ fundraising efforts for the 3-Day and other events, I know that I most often give on the second (or sometimes even the third) email.

Set a Deadline – Even though you have until just before your 3-Day event to finish your fundraising, there are countless benefits to reaching your goal early. Go ahead and set a deadline for yourself and share it with your donors. And it doesn’t have to be a deadline for raising the full $2300; for example, you could ask your donors to help you raise $700 in the month of July (the seventh month). The pressure of a deadline can be very persuasive and will help eliminate the “I’ll get to it later” mentality that donors sometimes fall into.

Try a Fundraising Event – If your go-to strategy so far has been fundraising with a one-on-one ask (sending emails, posting on Facebook, asking face-to-face), add some new energy and variety by holding a fundraising event. These events can be elaborate, but certainly don’t have to be. A simple garage sale or a well-positioned bake sale can often yield hundreds of dollars or more. See if your local market will let you set up a table outside. Get the kids involved and set up a lemonade stand at a nearby park or beach on a warm summer day (pink lemonade, naturally). Be sure to put out copies of your 3-Day donation form and/or your 3-Day business cards; there’s a great chance that some of your patrons will be inspired to give more when they get home!

The 3-Day Blog has loads of fundraising posts, and your 3-Day Participant Center is your fundraising idea headquarters. Still need ideas or inspiration? Call the coaches at 800-996-3DAY!