U-G-L-Y feet.

Well, i definitely woke up in a better mood today.  I am slowly feeling more like a human and less like a slug, the non-stop tortilla chip river into my mouth has slowed to more of a small stream of tortilla chips, I have managed not to consume the ENTIRE jar of cookie butter (yet.) and i have mentally willed the high for Sunday down to 78 degrees.  (an improvement.)


Since I have this brief calm before the epic storm of pre-marathon insanity starts, i though i would use this time to review some products that were sent to me on account of my never-ending stream of complaints about the state of my feet.  Rumor has gotten out that i have the ugliest toesies this side of the Mississippi.

And this is the pretty foot.

ProFoot Care was nice enough to send me a few products to shut me up see if they could help.

They sent me a pack of moleskin sheets, insoles, and inserts for plantar fasciitis. 

First up is the Moleskin

I actually had to look up what this was over my concern that it was actually a moleskin.  (I assure you, it is not.)  As a general rule, my feet are pretty blister free.  They are so hard and callused that i am able to run great distances in cotton socks without so much as a problem.  One problem i have recently faced, however is moisture.  At the flying pig, i accidentally dumped an ENTIRE cup of gatorade on my left foot.  (In my defense, it was overfilled) And then this past weekend i did my 8 miler in the pouring rain.   Needless to say, my Pinky toes hate me right now.  They rub against the edge of my shoe when i run and it is IRRITATING.  Thats what the moleskin is for - you place it over spots on your foot that have a tendency to rub against something and become irritated, and it eliminates the friction.    

It comes in a large sheet so you can cut off however much you need - mine was just a tiny spot

And TADA!  my foot is happy again, and further irritation prevented.  Moleskin will be perfect for situations when i know my feet might get wet.  I might also use them for the two times a year i wear heels.


In my honest opinion, every runner should have some of this on standby.  If you know its going to rain, its better to slap some on and err on the safe side then to risk a blister fiasco.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.


Next up they sent me the Miracle Insoles.  As a general, i usually put insoles in my shoes at around 350-400 miles to help extend the life of them.  I am a cheapskate.  The insoles i had been using were from sports authority, and cost like $30, which is WAY pricey in my book.  I was excited to try these, because they retail for a fraction of the price.

I really like that these are customizable for any size foot.  Its hard to find inserts for my midget feet, and with these you can just trim them down to your shoe size.

They slip right into your shoes, and they actually make a huge difference!  For me, most inserts feel the same - they add some squish to your step (in a good way) and really helps cushion your foot for the long runs.  What i like about these in particular is that they are SO light.  The box says "2 oz" which is featherlight in my book - especially compared to the insole honkers i have now, which feel like 20lbs compared to these.  In short - they are comfy, and you can't tell they are there.  Exactly what i want in an insert!

My take on inserts?  I personally just use them to extend the life of shoes.  In general, i am a hard footed girl, so i don't need too much cushioning, but it did feel very nice, and made my old shoes feel like new again which i love (especially because my pink shoe is discontinued - i will run these babies into the GROUND.) If you have delicate feet, or like a soft ride, you will love these.


The last up is an insert for Plantar Fasciitis.

The only problem is, i don't have Plantar Fasciitis!  In fact, I have very high arches.

Do you have problems with Plantar Fasciitis?  Would you like to review these inserts?  If you're interested, just leave a comment.  The first person to call dibs, i will mail them to you, and you can review them for your blog (or, if you don't blog, you can just write a little note to them)


I really appreciate a company that reaches out to average runners like myself for feedback on their product. Because we're the ones that will probably at one point or another need these products to help our non elite feet adjust to the strain we put on them.  Their prices are really reasonable, and their line is available at Walgreens.  In the past i have gone to sports authority for things like this, but in general, Sports Authority has a limited selection, and their prices seem really high for inserts.  


And, on a personal note, as a packaging designer, i love their packaging.  Its bright and fresh, and lets you touch the package without exposing it too much.  But that is neither here nor there.