What about the Pack?

I've been asked a couple times in the past month about what type of waist pack to use during the 3-day event. Be sure to check out this post at the end for more information on waist packs. Meet my pack. I ordered it from shop3day.com in 2008. I keep thinking I will replace it with a newer and fancier one, but never get around to it! Besides this one is broken in!

Most important feature, is to have a waist pack with dual bottle holders. Water bottles should have a wide mouth and be easily refilled.

• Extra Socks! Keep at least one extra pair with you if not two or three. If it rains, you will want extra dry socks. If we have high temperatures, again you will want additional socks.
• Blister Care Kit (Band-aids, blister pads, mole skin, alcohol wipes and Neosporin) The Medical Tents will have all of these supplies as well but nice to have your own in case of emergency on the route.
• Nail Clippers and Scissors
• Vaseline and/or Body Glide: for your feet
  
• Hand Sanitizer/Anti-bacterial wipes & Sunscreen
• Poncho and other rain gear
• Mylar Blanket: these can be used on a cold morning and as a blanket to sit on during lunch
• KT Tape: I found this product last year when I was experiencing minor knee pain. I hear its great for shin splints, planters fasciitis, lower back pain and others!
• BioFreeze: This product is also available at the Med Tent, I just have my own!
• Hot Hands: For a cold morning,you can put these in your gloves or pockets to help keep you warm. (gloves not pictures)
• Seamless Wrap: Perfect to use as an ear wrap in the morning, keep your hair out of your face and keep your hair dry if its raining.
• Camera
• Zip Lock Bags

  

I used the ziplock bags to keep everything organized and dry so I can easily accessed during the walk.  Don't worry about forgetting something. What you don't have your teammate or Med Tent will have for you! I am pretty sure I'm a known notorious over packer, I just think I'm extra prepared! Don't forget to check out the complete pack list for more packing essentials!

Warm Weather Training Tips

Was it this hot last summer? If it was, my memory was erased from all the cold weather earlier on in the year! With the temperatures and heat index climbing this summer we all need to take extra precautions to stay safe! Here are a few tips that have worked for me!

Hydration

First things First, Mom & Justin... I am talking directly to you here. Listen to what I have to say, because I will not be picking you up off the ground when you fall over from dehydration. I may or may not be serious here! Walking without water, or thinking a Dasani water bottle is enough, its not. Bottom line, if you're not having to make a pit stop every 3-4 miles, your not drinking enough water. If your urine is not clear, your not drinking enough water. With that being said...

Drink, drink and drink more water! At one time, I had a hard time drinking enough water before and during walks, I'd find my fingers swelling and feeling uncomfortable. I started setting goals for myself. Drink a liter of water before lunch, a liter after lunch, a liter while walking and another before bed. Walking while hydrated will make a huge difference in your performance. When LaCroix was a sponsor for the 2008 walks, I became hooked on sparkling water. I hear it's an acquired taste for some, but it definitely helps break up the monotony taste of water!

The night before a long walk, my trick is to freeze one of my water bottles. I fill it  75% with water and leave it with the cap off in the freezer. In addition, I put a 12oz Gatoraide in the freezer. Before the walk, I fill one waterbottle with ice water, the frozen bottle filled with water and the gatoraide in a coozy, which goes in my pack. Your water will stay colder for longer and around the time you hit 8 to 10 miles, pull out the gatoraide and you will have a nice slushy and an added boost!

Plan Your Walk
When I think of training walks, I think walking after work and Saturday & Sunday mornings. If you work full time like me, walking after work is a great option. Well, that was until we saw the heat index soar above 100! Walking at 5pm was no longer safe and waiting too late in the evening limits how long and far you can go. What about walking before work? I know what you thinking, crazy talk! I'm the first person to tell you, I value that sleep before work and many mornings I am pushing my  snooze limits. Granted my first before work walk was just this morning, but it is quickly going to become a weekly routine. Best parts, its cool and I have free time in the evenings again, did I mention I was energized for work? I will keep you posted of my progress with these early morning walks!

Weekend walks: I like to start them when the sun comes up, just like my new found before work walks! Starting them early gives you the benefit of cooler weather, and a longer time frame to get those miles in before the heat takes over! Be sure to apply your sunscreen before you head out too!

Plan Your Route
When I plan a route, I look for restrooms every 3-5 miles and a good snack stop. In the past McDonalds, Starbucks and Chick-Fli-a have been the winners. Take time when you are at a rest stop, enjoy the air conditioning, clean restrooms and re-fill those waterbottles with ice water and Gartoraide. Take advantage of snacking options too! Sometimes the protein bar I have packed isn't going to cut it or I don't have a taste for the one I packed. But a chicken biscuit or an order of hash-browns will satisfy me and boost my energy to get back out in the heat and finish! Oh, and Starbucks has the best tasting ice water!

What to Wear

My 3-day gear has become a little bit of an investment. In 2008, I found what worked and what didn't work, and it wasn't cheap. I love Target, an normally you can't go wrong, but... I am not a fan of Targets C9 gear. While cost effective, C9 shorts do not wick away the sweat and the tanks always found a way to rub me the wrong way. (Remember this is just my opinion!) You want to make sure your clothing is snug but not too tight. When you wear clothes that are too tight or  even too lose, it will cause friction that can result in chafing. I've invested in  Nike shorts, and haven't looked back since! In addition, I've seen many 3-day walkers wearing compression shorts underneath their shorts to prevent potential friction. In addition to Nike shorts, I prefer either Under Armour or Champion tanks without the built in bra. Now to a sports bra, avoid cotton at all costs and make sure its comfortable! Cotton will not wick away your sweat and will cause friction, which results in chafing.  I think I've already professed my love for Balega socks, no need to revisit! You will thank me for this tip, change your socks every 8-10 miles or more depending on the heat. Again, these are just a few tips of what I have found that works for me by trial an error! I still have all of the gear that didn't pass the test and I wear them on the short 2-5 mile walks, so it has not been a total loss!

Last weekend on the first long walk for the team, I had a team member that experienced a chafing issue, that actually cut her walk short. The extreme heat and improper gear was top blame and we were on the trail without our prevention tricks.  Since the location was on her leg, this could have been prevented by compression shorts and body glide or Vaseline. Applying, glide to areas that are prone to rubbing during a walk is key. This means between your legs, waist and arm area. Be sure your glide is with you during walks so that you are not caught far from home in an tough spot. Remember, if you feel a hot spot or something doesn't feel right when walking, stop and take a moment to reapply. We will be better prepared for the next walk!

One last tip, fabric softener will remove the wicking qualities from your gear! Be sure you are washing your walking cloths separate! (This is probably a good idea anyway!)

The Pack
It is key that you figure out what works for you before the event. I use the pack from the 3-day Shop, but most of my teammates use a Northface pack or a MoutainSmith. I've seen Camelbacks and backpacks, but remember the key is to find what works for you that will hold all of your necessities. At all times my pack includes, 2 waterbottles, 1 to 2 pairs of socks, (depending on mileage include more socks!) glide/Vaseline, blister kit with nail clippers, bandaids and neosporin, extra ziplock bags, cash & id, KT Tape ( I will talk about this product more later) protein bars/energy gel blast and my frozen gatoraide. If the weather looks iffy, I always include a poncho. I used to hate to wear a pack, and I'd carry my water bottles with me instead. The pack frees up your hands and allows you to plan ahead!
 
My last step before I head out on a walk is to Vaseline my feet! Just like with applying glide, this will prevent your sock from causing friction and developing blisters! Plan to reapply later! I've had a few nasty blisters in my time and learned my lesson! 

I hope some of these tips will help you prepare for the next couple of months of warm weather training and lead up to your walk! Be Safe & Happy Walking!

Hydration & the Importance of Socks

If you didn't know by the scorching temperatures, its SUMMER!

I actually walked 4 miles tonight in 90 degree heat. It wasn't too bad. The most important thing you can do before braving the heat is to make sure you are hydrated. Drink water, and drink more water. Filling your water bottle with ice and put it in the freezer approx. 2 hours before a walk, this helps to keep the water cold and keep you cool during the walk. If your walking and you can feel your fingers swelling and getting tight, you are not hydrated. For more tips on proper hydration, check out Leanne the Walkers two posts: Dehydration Disaster & The Importance of Hydration. Also, check out 60 Miles post on the Heat!

Bottom line, keep yourself hydrated!

Now, socks. You want to make an investment here, trust me. Those cotton socks you may have are not going to be your friend. When your feet get hot, they start to sweat and without proper socks that absorb the sweat, next thing you know you have hot spots, that turn into blisters. These are not fun, and even when you have the most expensive, and best rated socks there are, if you don't change your socks enough, odds are you will develop blisters. There is a great slide show on how to prevent blisters and treat them on the 3-Day website. (don't let the pictures scare you!)

In 2008, the first year I walked, I changed my socks 3 to 4 times a day. I covered my feet with Vaseline or body glide (helps with the friction between foot-sock-shoe) each time, and I never had one blister. I was not so lucky in 2010. I changed my socks several times, made sure my feet were "lubricated" but I didn't listen to my feet on day 1. At the end of day one, I pulled my final pair of socks off and saw several hot spots. I knew they were there, but I wasn't listening. This could easily been fixed by applying band-aids or moleskin to protect those areas. I hobbled through the end of day 2, spent a good bit of time having a podiatrist pop my blisters, and by the end of day 3, I walked the last 5 miles in flip flops. If you don't want your feet to look like mine, be sure you invest in good socks, change them frequently, and make sure you use Vaseline and/or Body Glide. And guess what Atlanta Walkers? You have 21 weeks to find the right socks and what works for you!

I wear Balega International socks. Must running stores carry them (If you in Atlanta, check Big Peach or Phidippides.) These socks give me the perfect amount of padding/support on the bottom and ventilation at the top. I have never tried another sock that I liked as well as the Balega. Most are too thick for me. When you are fitted for your shoes, get a recommendation for a good sock, buy a pair and try them out. This is how I discovered my love for Balegas! Many of my walking buddies like Thorlos. Its up to you, but find out this summer during your training walks what you prefer. Please, please and please, do not wear a 100% cotton sock. You will hate yourself, I guarantee.

 

One more thing... stay away from the pedicures this summer! It may sound gross, but you need calluses that you build up during training. Try to take care of your feet and make sure that your heels don't crack by soaking them in Epsom salts and moisturized with foot lotion.  I personally prefer peppermint foot lotion after a long walk and a salt soak.

Remember, hydrate and invest in good socks!