What’s in Your Shoe?

The other day I had to walk to the BART (Bay Area Rapid transit) station to go a work seminar. It’s maybe 1/3 of a mile to the station, and then after the ride, about ½ mile to the building where the session was being held. Then after the session, the same distances back to my office.
     On the way to BART in the morning, I felt something in my shoe. Not something big, but something that let me know it was there. I ignored it on the way there and I ignored on the way back. You know how it is – it’s not that bad, just a small irritant and when we don’t feel it, we forget it.
     When I got back to my office, I finally stopped to shake out the offending “thing.” I found it was a very small piece of grit – no more than 1/16 of an inch in size! In fact, here’s a photo of the small piece of grit. Doesn’t it look imitating?
     It can be the same way whether running, hiking, adventure racing, or like me – just plain walking. When we feel something inside our shoe, we often put off getting rid of it. If in a race, it takes to long. If hiking, there’s nowhere to sit. If adventure racing, the whole team has to wait.
     What we need to remember is that these small irritants in our shoes can, over time, cause hot spots and blisters. They can also wear holes in socks. They can also cause us to change our gait, which can lead to physical problems up and down the body.
     So when you feel something in your shoe, take a moment and check it out. Your feet will thank you.