I swore it would never happen, but it did!

On the 3 day walk, there are vans that constantly run the course, looking for injured walkers.  These "sweep vans" take walkers to the next pit stop, or to camp, where ever they need to go to get attention.  A lot of thought and effort goes in to the vans and their volunteers to make sure that walkers do not feel badly about being swept.  Tath always tells us stories about her experiences at the 3 day to help prepare us for what we will experience.  The first year the walk was in Seattle, the temperatures were in the 90's and above, highly unusual for Seattle.  Several hundred walkers were not only swept, but they ended up in the hospital.  

One of the reasons for training is so that you are really prepared for the walk and have a high likelihood of being successful.  After all this training and walking, I am determined to make every step of the 60 miles.  After the long walk on Saturday, I did have 2 hot spots on my heels.  I was THRILLED that the tops of my feet didn't hurt a lick, a first time experience.  Thank you custom insoles!  I got up on Sunday (after not sleeping at ALL) and dressed those hot spots with 2nd skin band aids and regular band aids.  I checked them at mile 5 and all seemed well.  I could feel warm spots as I walked but no big deal.  At mile 7 we had a fairly long pit stop.  I did some stretching and then as we headed out to finish the last 3 miles, I felt burning on my right heel.  Uh-oh.  I really didn't want to look, but Tath said I had better check.  Crap, a GIANT blister on my right heel.  Ack.  All that covering didn't help at all.  Jamie had been struggling with her hot spots too and at the same pit stop uncovered giant blisters on the pads of her feet.  Ouch!  I'll take a heel blister over that.  So Jamie and I went into the sweep van with Walter the Beagle.  We were both CRANKY at being swept.  I don't want this to happen on the 3 day.  I really think the issue is that I was breaking in new shoes on giant walks.  When I first got my other shoes, we were only doing 5-8 mile walks and 17 is probably not the right way to wear a new shoe.  This morning, both heels are pretty sore, so I need to figure out what shoes I can wear to work in today.  Flip flops just don't look that professional.

It's funny, I walked 30 miles this week and I felt like a failure because of my blisters.  Some positive self talk is necessary!  I want these things dealt with before the walk on Wednesday night.  I am off to the drug store for some blister relief!