Blister Blues, Side Stitch Sadness But Nice Nuun Giveaway Yay!!

Well we are 13 days out today from Race Day and officially in the throws of taper madness.  I know everyone says trust the taper, I know everyone worries about not logging the miles or not doing enough speed or hills etc.  While I am sure I can and will be spending time worrying about these things, right now, I am worried about the minor details.  The details that I should have already perfected.  The ones that come from your long runs where you are supposed to practice these things and get the kinks out.  But apparently, I missed the memo yet again and these issues decided to rear their lovely heads at the point of taper.  Great just great...

Aren't you all jealous of my beautiful looking foot?

Yup people I have blisters and side stitches and lots of them.  Why I had no problems up until now is unbeknownst to me but now with only 4 runs left and a Saturday long run of 6.2, I am going to just have to do my best with what I have.

So here we go with the issues (I promise light at the end of the tunnel):

Blisters - yup, I have got them and bad.  One on my right toe next to my big toe and one on the toe next to that.  And to add a cherry to the sundae, one of those blister's skin ripped off, it is not pretty and it is painful too.  It is currently wrapped, courtesy of the PT, with instructions to run on it tomorrow.

So what do you do, when you get practice yourself you ask?  The only thing you can do!  Ask the experts a.k.a blogger and tweeter buddies.  Seriously, who else do you depend on except complete strangers (relative term) to answer all of life's questions...

So what have the people come up with....

Blisters 

1) Skin Sake or Destin - lather up!

2) Body Glide - lather up (but not if you are using Destin, one or the other people, don't get greedy!)

3) New Socks - toe socks, new socks, different socks, anything just get rid of the old ones

4) Mole Skin

Did this advice help??  Welp, I already do Body Glide and am still getting blisters.  I have tried Mole Skin, but you know with my luck, I get more blisters (of course).  So I went out today and spent a ridiculous amount of money on socks!  Can you guess how much?  I bought four pairs, two toe socks and two from North Face....Tried the toe socks, no go.  North Face, we will try tomorrow.  Destin, I guess we are trying that tomorrow too eekkk!!

Dear North Face, You have been perfect before, please be perfect again!!

Stitches another fun topic of conversation.   It is not going well.   I got them twice now, once on the 20 miler at about Mile 10-12ish and once at the half marathon at Mile 3 for goodness sake. I know people say it is the breathing but I am not labored breathing or huffing and puffing.  Honestly, my guess it is the added food and water??!  What has the world (a.ka. bloggers and twitter buddies) told me...

For Side Stitches

1)  It is your breathing -  blow out hard (like you are blowing out candles), breathe with your belly

2)  It is dehydration - drink up

3)  You are drinking too much - drink slower

4)  You are eating too much before you run - eat less

5)  Raise your arm and bend

6) Push in the side cramp

7) Feel a cramp coming on, slow your pace, don't get out too fast, keep the slow pace till it subsides, don't stop or start suddenly

8) Stop, press a few fingers into your side, bend over forward, breathe deeply as you are doing this, then start again slowly

This is all great advice!!  Thank you soo much to everyone who has been helping.  I feel so loved.  But  at this point, I don't know really how to try any of it, which clearly freaks me out....just going to try to use it the best that I can.

Ok, so what about this amazing Nuun Giveaway.  If you have made it this far, I promise I will reward you.  Tomorrow I will post the full giveaway but for early entries give me some advice on blisters and side stitches (one comment for each please).  Added bonus a comment on how much you think I spent on four pairs of socks....

That's it for now...I will just leave you something to dream and drool over....

Isn't this what everyone's cabinets look like (you better bet that is the PB behind the nuun)