With marathon training well underway, runners across Dublin are increasing their mileage, spending more time on their feet and putting their bodies through more repetitive stress than usual.
While gradually building your distance is an important part of marathon preparation, itâs also the time when small foot problems can start to appear. A little soreness after a long run might seem harmless, but ignoring early warning signs can allow a manageable problem to become an injury that interrupts your training.
Here are five common foot problems runners should catch early when preparing for a marathon.
1. Blisters
Blisters might seem like a minor inconvenience, but when you’re running longer distances, they can become extremely painful and affect the way you run.
They are usually caused by friction, often from footwear, socks or increased moisture. As your mileage increases, even a pair of shoes that felt comfortable on shorter runs can start causing problems.
Watch out for:
- Hot spots or areas of rubbing
- Redness or tenderness
- Repeated blisters in the same location
- Blisters appearing after longer runs
Don’t wait until you have a painful blister after a 20-mile training run. If you repeatedly develop blisters in the same area, it’s worth looking at your footwear, socks and running mechanics.
2. Black or Damaged Toenails
Long-distance runners are very familiar with bruised or black toenails. They can occur when your toes repeatedly hit the front of your shoes, particularly when running downhill or as your feet swell during longer runs.
A damaged toenail may not stop you running immediately, but repeated trauma can eventually lead to nail loss or ongoing nail problems.
Watch out for:
- Darkening underneath the toenail
- Tenderness around a toenail
- Nails becoming loose
- Repeated bruising of the same toe
Your running shoes should provide enough room for your toes, particularly as your feet can swell during a long run. If you’re repeatedly losing or bruising toenails, don’t simply accept it as “part of running” it may be possible to identify and address the cause.
3. Heel Pain
Heel pain is one of the problems we’d encourage runners to address early.
You may notice discomfort when getting out of bed in the morning, during the first few steps after sitting down, or towards the end of a run. It can sometimes start as a mild niggle before becoming much more persistent.
Increasing mileage places greater demands on the structures around the heel and arch. Continuing to increase your training load while ignoring pain can make recovery more difficult.
Watch out for:
- Pain underneath or around the heel
- Pain with your first steps in the morning
- Heel pain that increases during or after running
- Symptoms that are becoming more frequent
If your heel pain is changing your running style or becoming progressively worse, it’s time to have it assessed rather than simply running through it.
4. Forefoot Pain and Morton’s Neuroma
As your mileage increases, you may begin to experience pain, burning or discomfort around the ball of the foot.
For some runners, this can be related to increased pressure through the forefoot. A Morton’s neuroma can cause sharp or burning pain between the toes and may sometimes feel like there is a small stone or lump inside your shoe.
It can become particularly noticeable during longer runs or when wearing a narrow-fitting running shoe.
Watch out for:
- Burning or shooting pain in the forefoot
- Tingling or numbness in the toes
- A sensation of having a stone in your shoe
- Symptoms that improve when you remove your shoes
Don’t ignore recurring forefoot pain just because it disappears when you stop running. Identifying the cause early can help you make appropriate changes to footwear, training or biomechanics.
5. Toenail Problems and Ingrown Toenails
Marathon training means spending a lot more time in your running shoes, and this can sometimes trigger problems around the toenails.
An ingrown toenail can start with mild tenderness before becoming increasingly painful, particularly if the toe is repeatedly exposed to pressure during running.
Watch out for:
- Tenderness along the edge of the toenail
- Redness or swelling
- Pain when wearing running shoes
- The skin becoming increasingly irritated around the nail
If an ingrown toenail is becoming painful, don’t wait until it prevents you from running. Early treatment can often prevent it from developing into a more significant problem.
Don’t Wait Until Marathon Day
Your marathon training isn’t just about building endurance. It’s also about making sure your feet can cope with the demands you’re placing on them.
If you notice a recurring niggle, pain that is getting worse, or a problem that keeps returning after longer runs, don’t wait until it stops you from training.
At South Dublin Podiatry, we can assess your feet, footwear and biomechanics to help identify potential causes of recurring problems and advise you on the most appropriate treatment and management.
The earlier you address a foot problem, the better chance you have of keeping your training on track.
Training for Dublin? Look after your feet now so they can carry you across the finish line later.