Going Long Distances on Foot
Racers contemplating their first 24+ hour race need to think about trekking in a very different way that sprint racers do. There are obvious differences between sprints and long-hauls – the pace is slower and the navigation may be tricky. But perhaps the most important difference is that little “problems” that can be overlooked in sprints and endurance length races can cause failure on longer races. That untreated “hot spot” may just be forming into a serious blister by hour eight in a race. By hour 72, serious damage may have been done to your feet, requiring months of healing. One racer has noted that in an early Eco-Challenge he walked for 20+ miles with his legs slightly spread because his legs were badly chaffed and his normal gait was painful. This minor issue resulted in significant long-term damage to his legs, taking literally years to fully heal. Stories like these remind us that when going-long, racers must take actions to prevent any problem as soon as it arises.
Advanced foot care techniques, such as taping and “toughening” are covered under the foot care link. Resources from the ultra-marathon community are useful as is information about “ultra-marathon walks” which may in some ways more closely approximate the experience of expedition adventure racing treks.
Links to ultra sites and resources:
http://walking.about.com/od/ultratraining/
http://www.run100s.com/