MS 3-DAY CHALLENGE UPDATE

 

It was a wonderful experience.  I did have worries if I would finish the 50 miles this time.  By the end of the first day and 21 miles later, my feet were hurting and knew that I probably have some bad blisters.  I was a little worried about this before the challenge because I did have some problems during my training this year.  I could not seem to get the right shoe and sock combination. 

When I took off my shoes to access the damage of what kind of blisters I had, they were the biggest and most painful blisters that I have ever had on the bottom of my heels.  They were blisters on top of callous'  I was use to popping my own blisters and taking care of my feet, but this was too bad for me to deal with.  I went to the medics three times that night to have them drain the blisters. 

After having my blisters drained for the third time, they told me to let it them rest over night and to come to them in the morning and they may have to slit the blister on my left heel and tape it up before my second day of walking.   By morning my feet were feeling a lot better, but still very sore.  They did not have to drain the blisters anymore.  So they taped up my heels with moleskin to protect them from being irritated any further, and was sent on my way for the next 21 miles. 

Before completing even the first three miles the second day, I now have developed a blister on one of my toes on each foot and the moleskin on my right foot had slipped and was irritating my foot.  I stopped at the first aid station and had my right foot re-bandaged and my two toes wrapped.  I'm off again.  I worried, how would I make it through the three days when I haven't even made it half way yet.  I also was thinking because of my blisters, I was now compensating my walk.  Now my ankle was in a lot of pain.  

As the day continued, the pain was lessening and my walk was improving.  Now the only time I was having problems, was when I stopped for a rest and had to get started again.  It would take a bit to get back into the grove and pain-free zone.  But I knew that I would now make it, just a little slower than expected.  I checked in with first aid first thing in the morning before my third and final day.  they took care of me and sent me off for my final 8 miles.  Piece of cake!  It's all down hill from here!  I completed my final stint without much problems, 

My heels were in some pain, but I did not want to take off my shoes anymore, because each time I took off my shoes, it was a big deal and very painful to put them back on.  I also  knew I was healing and would make it through until I finished the event  and had gotten home to deal with my feet.  By the time I arrived at home, my heels were in a lot of pain and I was limping again.  I took my shoes off only to discover that the bandages had shifted and I now had blisters in new places on my heels and the existing blisters were rubbed raw. 

Now I was in more pain than before.  Even with all of the blister problems that I have had, the thing that hurt the most was my ego.  I have been training and participating in all kinds of marathons, runs, walks etc. since about 1993.   I have never had more than tiny blisters and some callous to deal with.  My ego is hurt!  LOL.  It's just one of those things that happen without any explaination. 

 

Some people might ask me if I would do this again or what would I do to change this?  My answer would be.  Yes I will do this again and again.  And I would not change a thing.  No, I do not enjoy the blisters or the pain.  But I would not change a thing, because for each experence (good or bad) it was an experience that I will learn from. 

I had a lot people asking me how I was doing each day, as they knew I had a lot of experience (and I had trained some of them) and they were concerned for me.  I also had people that did not know me and had seen me limping, stop to ask how I was doing. 

I have had several people thank me for being their inspriation and for any help that I had given to them, whether it was with training questions or having to deal with MS.  If I help just one person, it will be worth any pain that I have endured.  That is what makes me happy and fulfils my life.  Each time I do this, I meet great people that will become a part of my life forever.  It will be a part of my life that I will truly treasure.