Is it wise to visit the “Outdoor Expo” just before heading out on the PCT? You think you have your gear dialled in but can I stop myself from buying more stuff?
This weekend was the National Outdoor Expo at the NEC. It was a packed show, but with the volume of people it really should have been a bigger event. There were some good stands such as Valley & Peak, Salomon, TentBox (I was tempted!) and lots of little stands. Rachel (my daughter) and I spent a good few hours there and spotted some Outdoor YouTubers along the way. I bought some new waterproof gloves from Dex Shell (their waterproof socks are excellent, so I hope that the gloves prove just as reliable). But that was it! Yep, I didn’t spend money on anything else apart from coffee and food.
🦶️ A VISIT TO THE PODIATRIST 🦶️
Last week I had chronic pain in my right foot during a 13-mile hike. On Monday I visited my trusted podiatrist who spent quite a bit of time with me and gave my feet an MOT.
In my opinion, all hikers who are going on a long-distance hike should visit a foot specialist before their adventure. I felt so much better afterwards.
🧑⚕️ WHAT WAS THE DIAGNOSIS? 🧑⚕️
1. Shiela took one look at my feet and said “do you have circulation problems?
“Yes, I have Raynauds”. Bad circulation is one of the main sources of the pain in my feet so it’s essential to keep my feet warm. She gave me some tips that I hadn’t considered before. Deep Heat (instead of foot balm) and hot drinks throughout the day. I usually just put up with my cold feet but now I know that it can cause additional issues I will take more care.
2. Hypermobility. I thought I only had hypermobility in my hips. Shiela explained that if you are hypermobile then it will affect you everywhere (hips, knees, thumbs, wrists). She bent my toes right back (no pain) and said “only 10% of people can do that! Being extra flexible can also give me foot issues, so support is essential. Noted, and now I know to strap my feet the minute I get foot pain.
3. I had a foot tidy-up. Sheila trimmed my nails and took a scalpel to my calluses (sounds painful, but it didn’t hurt). She even helped with a verruca that I didn’t know I had. I thought it was just hard skin.
4. I was intrigued to listen to my pulse in my feet to check blood flow which was a bit like having a baby scan…. Cool! Blood flow was good. Apparently, this is a common test for people with diabetes.
5. My insoles were 2 years old but they have been given the all-clear and are still good to go. No need for new ones, although Sheila has added a bit of extra cushioning to the arch (which I can remove if I find it too uncomfortable).
Her parting words of wisdom were to try and reduce my pack weight as much as possible and ensure my feet are dry once I’ve forded rivers. As I waved goodbye she said “Remember to keep your feet as warm as possible” – I purchased some Deep Heat on my way home.
OTHER STUFF THAT I HAVE DONE THIS WEEK
* A massage ball arrived as did my new tiny pump for my airbed.
* I am organised with work stuff and we had a zoom call on Tuesday night to go through a few things. I’m ahead of schedule with planning everything for while I am away – I just need to trust the process. It’s difficult to leave your business in the hands of others for two months (even though they are all amazing!). I’m finding it really hard to let go.
* I spent way too much time watching the videos from those that started their hike in the last two weeks. The weather situation is frigging scary. They are already crossing rivers and some are only a few days in. Saying that it’s that cold that there are no snakes on the trail at the moment (that I’ve seen) so that’s a bonus!
* I am spending my evenings packing and re-packing kit and questioning “do I really need this?”. My bounce box is also getting HUGE so I need to be quite ruthless with this as well otherwise it will cost me a fortune to bounce it up the tail!
* This weekend will be my last big hike and camp before I head off to the US. We are heading off to the Malvern Hills, so it should be a good camp.
* Training has slowed down this week but my daily stretching challenge is going really well. I now know the routine off by heart which is great and I can feel the benefits already.
I still have a long list of things to do but I am working my way through them.
Thanks, as always, for listening to my rambles.